Matty Devenish is the clinical director of VCAWC and offers individual, couples and family therapy. Matty has been in the field of counselling since 2006, beginning his training in residential youth addiction services. Since then, Matty has worked with hundreds of individuals and couples renegotiating their relationship to various problems in their lives. He is committed to working collaboratively with his clients and families as they work towards finding freedom from their struggles.
Matty works primarily from a therapeutic model called Narrative Therapy but also has a strong practice in mindfulness which can often be very helpful in creating meaningful change in people’s lives. Where Narrative therapy helps clients to reconnect to what is important to them - their values, hopes and preferences – mindfulness can assist clients to navigate daily life in a more connected and grounded way.
Matty is an experienced supervisor and teacher. Matty founded the clinic in 2019 and has been supervising students and associates since then. Matty has also taught various workshops all over British Columbia and has been invited to guest lecture at UBC on many occasions. As a clinical supervisor, Matty is passionate about supporting other counsellors in their therapeutic journey, exploring how Narrative Therapy can complement other modalities they may already be committed to.
Matty is a Registered Social Worker (RSW) in the province of British Columbia, with both a Masters Degree in Social Work (MSW) and a Bachelors Degree in Social Work (BSW) from the University of British Columbia.
Matty Devenish is the clinical director of VCAWC and offers individual, couples and family therap...
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Han comes to counselling with over a decade of supporting people. He has years of experience working with people in low barrier settings and has worked with people with disabilities, substance use and significant mental health challenges.
A major focus of Han’s work over the past six years has been supporting trans clients to articulate and explore their identity in an affirmative and hopeful way. He collaborates with clients to provide a mutual exploration of gender identity that is rooted in their social context and lived experience. Han is motivated to work with and alongside his own community to improve access to counselling for people who may not feel safe or have the resources for affirming mental health care.
Han primarily works from a Narrative Therapy approach, drawing additionally from Feminist Therapy and Existential Therapy. He believes strongly in the importance of therapy that is grounded, accessible and rooted in social justice, and works to ensure that clients feel heard, supported and affirmed. When he’s not working with people, Han can be found hiking slightly too fast to enjoy the views and trying unsuccessfully to improve his cat’s recall.
Han comes to counselling with over a decade of supporting people. He has years of experience work...
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For New Clients - please contact tommy@tommyspencetherapy.com before booking
-Tommy is an experienced therapist who is passionate about working with both teenagers and adults who find themselves facing challenges in their lives. He believes that meaningful change happens when problems are understood within the context that they occur and when individuals are supported to reconnect with their values and hopes.
Tommy has trained extensively in a therapeutic model called Narrative Therapy, a collaborative and conversational approach to therapy that helps individuals to renegotiate their relationship to unhelpful stories and patterns and to develop deep connections to their values, hopes and preferences. Tommy is a skilled meditation instructor. For those interested, mindfulness practice can be included as part of the therapeutic process to support well-being and a deeper connection with oneself.
Tommy has many years of experience in the helping profession including in non-profit, healthcare and independent practice settings. He is an Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia School of Social Work and has been an invited guest lecturer at several post-secondary institutes on topics such as Narrative Therapy and collaborative therapy with youth.
A Registered Social Worker (RSW) in the province of British Columbia, Tommy holds both a Masters Degree in Social Work (MSW) and a Bachelors Degree in Social Work (BSW) from the University of British Columbia.
For New Clients - please contact tommy@tommyspencetherapy.com before booking
-Tommy is an experi...
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Carly is a wonderful addition to our team. She comes to our clinic with many years of experience working in mental health, both in clinical and community settings. Carly has supported adults with various challenges including depression, suicidality, anxiety, low self-esteem, bipolar disorder, substance use, trauma, and difficulty regulating emotions.
Carly is passionate about working alongside individuals to foster self-determination and personal growth towards improving their overall well-being. Using a person-centred, strengths-based approach, Carly acknowledges client’s innate capacity to draw from their own resources and resilience to overcome personal problems. Whether struggling with unhelpful thoughts or behaviours, processing difficult emotions or navigating a challenging experience, Carly provides a compassionate and collaborative space for clients to reconnect with their values and work towards meaningful change.
Carly approaches both her personal and professional life with intention and curiosity. She remains open to learning from her clients and other professionals to deepen her own understanding of the human experience.
Carly is a Registered Social Worker in the province of British Columbia (BCCSW). She has specialized training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) through Wilfred Laurier University. Additionally, her practice is informed by Mindfulness and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) techniques as well as training in Narrative Therapy and is excited to incorporate this modality into her practice.
Carly is a wonderful addition to our team. She comes to our clinic with many years of experience...
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