About Us

Janet Nielsen, M.Ed. C.C.C.

Counsellor

Janet has a Masters of Education in Counselling Psychology (Addictions and Mental Health) from the University of Lethbridge and is a Canadian Certified Counsellor with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. She graduated from the University of Lethbridge in 2016 with a BA double major in Psychology and Religion, and an M.Ed. in 2019. Janet believes that we are a combination of body, mind, and spirit and that these elements need to be considered when trying to heal the whole person. She practices an integrative approach to counselling, which combines existential, cognitive-behavioural, trauma-informed and transpersonal therapy amongst others. Within this integrative framework, her central aim is to promote wholeness for her clients in all aspects of their lives. She counsels from a client-centered focus and believes in individual services and interventions that meet the unique needs and personalities of each client. She believes in facilitating the integration of body, mind, and soul by promoting growth and compassion for her clients that can lead to long-lasting, transformational change. Janet is passionate about exceptional human experiences (near-death experiences and mystical/transcendent experiences) and has researched these extensively. She has worked with many clients in relation to grief and loss, death and dying, and she completed her death doula certification in October 2019. She considers this work to be sacred and it allows her to support
people and their families as their life comes to a close.

Mel Devine, M.C, RSW, RCC

Counsellor

Mel is a Registered Social Worker and Registered Clinical Counsellor. She has over 15 years of experience working with a wide range of people struggling with substance use dependency, significant mental health challenges, historical and/or current trauma processing and healing, relational challenges, as well as sexual and gender exploration. She specializes in sex therapy and trauma processing with EMDR.  

Mel takes a holistic approach to her work and believes that the treatment plan should be as unique as the individual, or individuals in front of her. She believes in each person’s capacity for change and that it takes courage and compassion to embark on a journey towards self-love.  Melanie takes a trauma-informed, heart and person-centred approach and credits her empathy and strong intuition for helping others navigate their own growth and healing. She is a lifelong learner and is currently studying at the Institute for Sexual Education and Empowerment.  She deeply enjoys helping individuals and couples access greater pleasure and intimacy in their lives.  Melanie believes you are the expert in your life and will work alongside you to help you access your own inner wisdom.  She believes deeply that every human has the capacity for change.  She respectfully and gratefully acknowledges that the land on which she works, lives and plays is the unceded traditional territory of the K’omoks First Nation.

Tanya Helle, MSW, RSW

Counsellor

Tanya Helle completed her Master’s Degree in Social Work at the University of British Columbia. She has over 11 years of clinical experience across a variety of settings. Among these are community mental health counselling, outreach based social work, crisis intervention, and working with LGBTQI+ communities and in inpatient and outpatient psychiatry. Her goal as a counsellor is to help you learn to see yourself as you truly are; a person who is deeply worthy of love, belonging and joy. She offers a safe, compassionate and non-judgmental atmosphere where you can explore aspects of your life where you may feel stuck or have unmet needs. She uses a caring, respectful and collaborative relationship using a variety of therapeutic approaches tailored to each client’s needs, including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, EMDR, EFT tapping, Non-Violent Communication, Solution Focused Therapy, and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy. She is particularly interested in the impact of loss and trauma, and in providing interventions that support trauma recovery.

Tanya has a broad range of clinical experience working with individuals and groups across the life span in the following areas: Depression, Anxiety Disorders, Gender and Sexual Identity, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Complex Trauma, Complex Grief, Death and Dying, Chronic Pain, Family and Relationship Issues, Self-Image and Self-Worth Issues, Suicide Assessment, Self-Harm Behaviour, and Chronic Mental Illness. She is registered with the BCCSW and the BCASW.

Michelle Lafreniere, MA, RCC

Counsellor

Michelle is a Registered Clinical Counsellor, who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology. Her background is in working with clients struggling with addiction, interpersonal relationships, and disordered eating. Michelle takes a strengths-based, client-centered approach and believes that clients and counsellors should work together to solve problems and achieve personal goals.

Michelle is passionate about helping her clients set and maintain boundaries, learn to identify, and express their emotions, and make decisions for themselves based on their personal values. At Strength Counselling, Michelle works with individuals and couples.

Ajay Booth, BSW

Counsellor

Originally from Mi’kmaq territory on the East Coast of Canada, Ajay has lived on Vancouver Island and called unceded Snuneymuxw First Nations territory their home for the past 7 years. Ajay graduated from Capilano University and Vancouver Island University and has a background in Social Work, activism, advocacy, community development, mental health and addictions and has worked with marginalized and vulnerable populations for over 15 years.

Ajay practices from a strength based, trauma informed, anti-oppressive lens, and seeks to utilize holistic and culturally competent teachings to empower their clients. Ajay utilizes a collaborative and integrative client centered approach, focusing on the unique and diverse needs of each client, while utilizing the Anishinabek Medicine Wheel teachings as a framework for practice; the balance of spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental wellness is essential to healing. Ajay has studied under Dr. Gabor Mate and is a certified Compassionate Inquiry practitioner and is trained in a diverse array of therapeutic approaches including: DBT, CBT, Mindfulness Therapy, Compassion based, Humanistic Approach, Interpersonal Positive, Play therapy and Group Therapy. Ajay specializes in working with issues around Sexuality and Gender Identity and Transition, Body Dysphoria, Complex Trauma, Grief, Addictions, Neurodivergence, Family dynamics, Interpersonal Relationships- including Polyamory and Ethical Non-Monogamy.

As a member of the LBGTQ2S+ community, Ajay identifies as Trans Non-Binary and uses They/Them/Their pronouns. Ajay also runs a community-based business Kaleidosphere Consulting offering consulting, mediation, life coaching and comprehensive LBGTQ2S+ educational workshops to help agencies and businesses offer more inclusive services to their employees and clients. Ajay looks forward to continually expanding their practice, by completing their Master’s in Social Work and incorporating more Indigenous ways of knowing, diverse modalities and plant medicine and spiritual theory into their practice.

Vanessa Rae, MC (cand.)

Counsellor

Vanessa completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Calgary, attaining her honours in Psychology while doing neuroscience research for her thesis. She is currently getting her Masters degree and completing her practicum hours.  Her passion is finding ways to heal and guide those who are struggling with mental illness, emotional distress, and trauma. Primarily, Vanessa’s interest is in eating disorders. Recovered from one herself she wishes to dedicate her life to helping others become anchored in pure self love, recovery, and health. At Strength Counselling, Vanessa has worked as our main administrative assistant and, has since, transitioned into the role of a clinician.  Vanessa’s current role is creating and delivering individualized programming for clients on her caseload.