Our Therapists
Angela Leong (BA, MA)
Founder, Registered Clinical Counsellor (#16727)
Rachel Simpson (BA, MA in progress)
Counselling Intern
Salma Faragalla (BA, MEd in progress)
Counselling Intern
Jess Rodwell
Sexologist and Somatic Sex and Relationship Coach
Nicole Thomson (BA, MA)
Registered Clinical Counsellor (#14744)
Dr. Nicholas Wong (BScH, MD)
Breathwork Practitioner
Daniel Kline (MA, MCP, RCC)
Registered Clinical Counsellor, AEM Clinic Supervisor
Accredited by
Angela Leong (BA, MA)
Founder, Registered Clinical Counsellor (#16727)
I believe that healing occurs at three levels: individually, relationally and sexually. One starts with knowing oneself individually and healing one’s inner child wounds, defence mechanisms, and maladaptive world views. Thereafter, one should learn relational skills of being with others. Once you are skilled in emotional intimacy, embodiment, mindfulness, we can start to look at barriers for stepping into being in divine sexual pleasure.
Healing Individually:
”One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.”
— Carl Jung
I use Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) as the main theoretical modality for psychological healing. The goal is to process emotions until completion to reclaim the authentic state of being joyful, sensual, calm, curious, connected, creative, and courageous. Via the therapeutic container, we begin to peel back the layers of the onion to reveal the “true self”. AEDP sees depression and anxiety and other psychological symptomatology as simply superficial indicators of a more layered internal experience. It is by granting ourselves the freedom to be totally transparent and allowing any nascent, unprocessed feelings to emerge, do we start to spontaneously heal.
In addition to providing space to process emotions, my approach to therapy regards psychedelics as valid epistemology (way of knowing). Together, we will consider how plant medicines, and other altered states of consciousness have informed your philosophies and ways of being in the world. The fact that psychedelics allows one to access a layer of healing that is different from psychotherapy is equivalent to how one needs to integrate mind, body, spirit if one wants to fully heal.
My method involves a thorough assessment of trauma history, family of origin dynamics, and cultural conditioning. The more we are able to name in the outset via guided questioning, the richer your counselling experience will be.
Healing Relationally:
”The quality of your life ultimately depends on the quality of your relationships.”
— Esther Perel
Relationships bring meaning to life. We literally cannot carve a sense of self without them, as Dan Siegel has so aptly articulated in his book Interpersonal Neurobiology, that how I make sense of myself is how others react and respond to me.
But things get dark and confusing when the mirror doesn’t reflect love, pleasure, connection and acceptance. This is where a therapeutic setting can be necessary in helping folks with discernment. Therapy can help you discern where you stand as an individual within a relationship and what psychological variables of your own are involved in your intersection of the problem. Therapy can also help you stay centred in calmness and openness for the other person's perspective.
My relationship counselling work is queer (LGBTQIA2S+) inclusive, and sex-positive.
My clients often identify as relational anarchists, creative spirits that seek to design their relationships, rather than assume the status quo. They are seeking to speak their truths for their most authentic expressions of their relational-sexual arrangements.
Using my combined trainings in Emotionally Focused Therapy, Gottman, and Sex Therapy, I tailor make a program for each couples/throuple/etc. for their unique relational, sexual and personal expressions as they enter my office. After gaining a clear understanding of each individual’s positionality, I help my clients translate messages from their deep soul, and I help the other(s) hear it accurately. Whether or not a relationship chooses to remain in union and to what degree of closeness ultimately depends on what each party chooses.
Healing Sexually:
"Never forget that you have every right to have a satisfying sex life.” — Dr. Ruth Westheimer
Sex is one of the most intimate forms of relational connection. Having good sex takes complete embodiment of one's soma and mindfulness skills. It requires the courage to initiate, the vulnerability to be truly intimate and the communication skills to direct your partner(s) towards what turns you on. As you can see, being a fully embodied sexual being requires all the skills that was built in individual and relational therapy, including un-doing any conditioning from culture, religion or society that tells you how to be. Underlying many sexual dysfunctions are actually issues of anxiety, feeling uncomfortable in one's own skin, or fear of rejection. A large portion of my sex therapy treatment is walking people through exploring their erotic template, the origins of it, and creating a broader, more fulfilling erotic template.
I have a Masters of Arts in Counselling Psychology from the University of British Columbia (UBC).
My master’s thesis was a qualitative analysis on the experiences that individuals with traumatic brain injury have in counselling. It was regarded by an international expert in the field, Dr. Ron Ruff to be an important piece of literature to consider when providing treatment for individuals with traumatic brain injury.
I also have a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from UBC. My bachelor’s research looked at gene and neuronal expressions that mediate learning and pain behaviour in the animal model C. elegans.
I am licensed as a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) by the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors.
- Tantra Level 2 w/ Krista + Naomi @ Heart of Tantra
- Psilocybin Assisted Psychotherapy for Alcohol Use Disorder (Fluence 2023)
- Understanding Ketamine (Fluence 2023)
- Tantra Level 1 w/ Krista + Naomi @ Heart of Tantra
- The Biology of Good Relationships by Helen Fisher (2022)
- Strategic Couples Therapy by Dr. Stan Tatkin (2022)
- The Sex Starved Marriage by Michelle Weiner-Davis (2022)
- Healing from Infidelity by Michelle Weiner-Davis (2022)
- Polyvagal Theory: A Science of Safety by Stephen Porges (2022)
- Sexual Attitude Re-assessment - Ohio Center for Relationship & Sexual Health - (2021)
- Emotionally Focused Therapy Externship with Dr. Sue Johnson (2020)
- AEDP Immersion with Dr. Diana Fosha – London, UK (2020)
- Intensive Sex Therapy Training Program with Dr. Markie Twist (2019 - University of Guelph)
- Psychedelics for Clinicians 101/102 by Dr. Ingmar Gorman and Dr. Elizabeth Neilson (2019 - McGill University)
- Queering Psychedelics by Jae Sevelius, PhD (2019)
- Entheogenic Education: Psychedelics as Tools for Learning by Dr. Kenneth Tupper (2019)
- Spirituality in Counselling by Teresa McLellan, MA, RCC at the BCACC Skills for Mindful Living Series
- Hello Again: A Fresh Start for Parents and Their Adult-Children by Dr. Gabor Mate and Daniel Mate (2018)
- Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level 1 (2018)
- The Masculinity Paradox (Sessions Live 2018) by Esther Perel
- Therapeutic Enactment Group Intervention Level 1 training for Professionals (2018)
- ADHD: The 7 Clinical Types by Daniel Amen, MD (2017)
- Multicultural Counselling/Therapy: Challenges to Western European Notions of Healing by Dr. Derald Wing Sue (2017)
- In An Unspoken Voice: A Clinical Example by Dr. Peter Levine (2017)
- Illuminating the Nature of Consciousness and Time with the Wheel of Awareness Practice by Daniel Siegel, MD (2017)
- Evolution of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: Where Have We Been, Where Are We Now, And What Is In The Future? by Donald Meichenbaum (2017)
- Homework Assignments by Judith Beck, Harville Hendrix, Helen Lakelly Hunt, & Bill O’Hanlon (2017)
- The Transition of Addiction in the 21st Century by Dr. Ross Laird (2017)
- Adapting Psychotherapy for the Brain-Injured Patients with Dr. Ron Ruff (2015)
- Relationship conflict
- Pleasure and connection enhancement stategies
- Sexual dysfunction
- Consensual non-monogamy, polyamory, open relationships, relational anarchy
- Kink, BDSM navigation
- Infidelity/betrayal
- Understanding and navigating Erotic Template development
- Psychedelic Integration or Ketamine Preparation Sessions
- Sexual trauma
- Dating and attachment wounds
- Mother/father wound or Parent-Child conflict
- Childhood trauma (abuse, neglect, being of witness)
- Race and culture
- Concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation
- Psychology of High Performance
I am born and raised in Canada to Chinese immigrant parents. I identify as a queer, cisgendered psychonaut (someone who explores altered states of consciousness). However, I also see myself as a transpersonal being.
I knew I wanted to become a therapist when I studied Advanced Placement psychology in high school. In my personal journey, I have explored many alternative methods of healing, such as psychedelics, reiki, breathwork, meditation, neurofeedback therapy, and shamanic healing.
Most recently, my personal path recently has involved reclaiming deeper understandings of my cultural identity, my sexual expression and following the Tibetan Tantric Buddhism path.
In my downtime, I read and I write. I'm currently curious about the laws of quantum physics and their relationship to how we understand our connection with others. I have found emotional expression through movement and dance, espeically Jamaican dancehall. I love to ski, climb, crawl and swim the various terrains of planet earth.
*Use the BOOK NOW link to book a free 20-minute consultation and to see rates!
SERVICE LIST:
- Individual Counselling
- Couples (+) Counselling
- Sex Therapy (available for individuals and couples+)
- Psychedelic Integration
- High-Performance Coaching
- Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy
- Psychology Consultation (for business owners, etc.)
Age Group: Adolescents, Adults, Mature Adults
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