Associates
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Lara Ellison
MSW, RSW Pronouns: She/her Lara Ellison has been professionally involved in various mental health programming since 2006. Starting her work at Peak House, a youth residential alcohol and drug treatment centre, she has been involved in many mental health settings in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Lara works with youth and adults navigating their relationships to various problems in their lives. Lara also has experience working as a professional Doula. She has supported families through their birth experiences, with a focus on renegotiating the narratives that accompany new families experiences alongside pregnancy, birth and post-birth identities. Lara has worked and trained within the local Narrative Therapy community at The Vancouver School for Narrative Therapy since 2013. Through this approach, Lara is committed to, and experienced in supporting folk who are renegotiating their relationships to addictions, anxiety, depression, trauma, post-birth self identity, family and parenting concerns, grief and loss, and concerns related to sexuality, gender identity, sexual orientation, homophobia and transphobia. |
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Tommy Spence
MSW, RSW Pronouns: He/him I am excited to be working with Tommy Spence as an associate in my practice. 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 often works with individuals facing challenges such as:
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. It is Tommy’s sincere privilege to be invited into the lives of those he works with. To book a time to meet with Tommy please contact us. |
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Jess Lenihan
MSW, RSW Pronouns: She/her I am thrilled to have Jess Lenihan join as an associate in my practice. Since 2005, Jess has worked in diverse social service programs supporting both adults and youth addressing a wide array of challenges. The majority of her past work is related to resisting housing insecurity and working alongside community members to navigate systems related to food security, health care and income/employment. These experiences have gifted Jess with an understanding of the complexity of how problems present themselves and an ability to walk alongside those she works to navigate through the issues they are dealing with. Jess’s practice is informed by Narrative Therapy, feminism, post-stucturalism and anti-oppressive practice. Jess holds the understanding that people are not problems, that problems are problems. She knows that you are an expert in your own life and thus have the unique skills and knowledge that will sustain you in the collaborative act of therapy. Your own expertise will support you in finding movement towards preferred ways of being. She recognizes that people/relationships/communities are multi-storied. Not one experience or story captures the totality of who that person/relationship/community is. She is excited to explore this with you. Jess has a Bachelors (BSW) and Masters degree in Social Work (MSW) from the University of Victoria and is a Registered Social Worker (RSW) in British Columbia as well as a member of the BC Association of Social Workers. She has additional counselling training through a feminist-narrative praxis immersion program with the Prochoices Narrative Therapy Community Clinic. To book a time to meet with Jess please contact us. |
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Carly Spoelstra
MSW, RSW Pronouns: She/her Carly is a wonderful addition to our team. She comes to our clinic with over seven 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 understanding and regulating difficult emotions. Carly is passionate about working alongside individuals to foster self-determination and personal growth towards preferred ways of being. She understands that clients' stories are often shaped by broader societal narratives about gender, race, class, sexuality, and other identities. 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) with a Master of Social Work degree from the University of British Columbia. She has specialized training in Narrative Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), as well as Mindfulness and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). Carly draws on these approaches to offer a personalized and holistic approach to meet the unique needs of each client. |
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Colleen Crawford-Sulyma
MSW, RSW Pronouns: She/her Colleen is a very welcomed addition to our team. She brings a very calm and centre approach to her work, with experience across diverse healthcare and community settings. Colleen has supported adults and youth with disabilities, chronic health conditions, neuro-diversities, mental health, grief, and the impacts of ableism and discrimination. Her approach to working with clients is highly exploratory and collaborative and centres clients as the experts in their own lives with the skills, abilities and strengths they need to overcome challenges they face. Colleen brings a disability justice-informed lens to her work, and centres her work in empowering people to access these skills and abilities in order to move in the directions they prefer in their lives. Colleen’s collaborative approach to practice is enriched by training in Narrative Therapy, Trauma-Informed, Disability Justice and neurodivergent affirming approaches. |
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Jesse Eckert
RCC Candidate, MACP & MSc Pronouns: He/Him Jesse brings a warm, empathetic, and collaborative approach to his counselling practice. He wants clients to feel seen, heard, and supported on their journey toward growth and healing. He believes you are the expert in your life and sees his role as a guide—someone to walk alongside you as you navigate life’s challenges. Jesse understands that life can be complex and challenging, whether you are experiencing anxiety, depression, loss, trauma, or relationship struggles. He believes there is value in exploring life’s darker moments while also embracing humour, curiosity, and lightness in the healing process. In sessions with Jesse, you can expect to untangle old narratives, explore new possibilities, and find moments of warmth and celebration along the way. He hopes to help you reconnect with your strengths and values and hopes for the future, taking meaningful steps towards a life that feels more aligned with who you are. Jesse’s approach is strength-based and collaborative, drawing from Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Mindfulness. He has worked in the helping field for many years and has extensive experience supporting diverse individuals and communities in Canada and abroad. These experiences have deepened his understanding of different cultures, identities, and systemic challenges, all of which continue to shape his work as a counsellor. Jesse works with individuals facing challenges which include: Anxiety, Addiction, Anger, fear and shame, Avoidance, Grief and loss, Life transitions, Relationships, ADHD, Eco-anxiety. Jesse holds a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology and a Master of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management. He is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and is committed to ongoing learning and clinical supervision to best support his clients. |
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