Counselling for people Who carry a lot and need a place to set it down
A steady, collaborative space to think clearly, feel honestly, and find the next move that actually fits your life.
How I work
A grounded, collaborative approachTherapy with me is steady, respectful, and centred on what matters most to you.I don’t diagnose your personality or look for what’s “wrong.”We start from your strengths, your values, and where you want to go.
What we focus on
We stay close to your present experience — the pressures you're navigating, the responsibilities you're holding, the moments that feel heavy or unclear.From there, we look at the life you want to move toward: small signs of change, a sense of direction, conditions that help you feel more like yourself.And we pay careful attention to what's already working — the resilience, the anchors, the moments of clarity that are easy to overlook.
My style
I work in a way that's practical, concrete, and non-pathologizing, shaped by many years of Buddhist practice and study. Sessions tend to feel calm and unhurried — focused without being heavy, supportive with pressure. Clients often tell me it's a place where they don't have to perform.
What the first few sessions look like
The first session is mostly about meeting each other. You tell me what brought you in, whatever shape it arrives — sometimes that's a clear concern, sometimes it's a harder-to-name sense that something needs attention. I listen, ask questions that try to be useful rather than exhaustive, and we get a feel for whether this is a good fit.The next session or two tend to be about getting oriented — what you're hoping might be different, what's already working that we don't want to lose, and what kind of pace feels right.
I don't use long intake forms or a battery of assessments. I'd rather spend that time actually talking with you.From there, the shape of the work follows what you need. Some people come for a focused stretch of six or eight sessions around a specific situation. Others stay longer, using the space as part of how they think and move through their life. Both are fine. We'll figure it out together.
Who this approach helps
I work especially well with people who appear composed on the outside while carrying stress, overwhelm, or uncertainty within.This often includes people in high-pressure or high-responsibility roles, high-functioning or masked neurodivergent adults who value non-judgmental support, men navigating overwhelm, emotional confusion, or relational strain, spiritually inclined or contemplative clients, and creatives holding themselves to high internal standards
If this feels like the right fit
I’d be glad to meet you and learn more about what you’re hoping for.
About Me
Hi, I’m Conlan.I’m a clinical counsellor based in Vancouver.My clients are often thoughtful, capable, people — the kind of others rely on.They’re used to holding things together.
They’re not used to having a space where they can set things down.That’s what I offer.
My Approach
I work from a grounded blend of Solution-Focused Therapy, which helps us find clarity, direction, and small steps that make a real difference; Narrative Therapy, which helps us understand the stories shaping how you see yourself and where they came from; and Mahayana Buddhist psychology, which informs the way I listen — with presence, curiosity, and the belief that change emerges here, in this moment.My graduate training focused on what makes therapy actually work — not which model is fashionable, but the craft of responsiveness, collaboration, and fit. That interest still shapes how I practice. Our work together is practical and centered on what matters most to you. You won't jargon or judgement. Just honest, steady conversations that help you see things more clearly.
The rest of my work
Alongside my private practice, I work as a clinical counsellor in a public Vancouver Coastal Health substance use program. That work keeps me close to the realities of of recovery, harm reduction, and the ways people rebuild — and it grounds everything I do in something
un-precious and real.
Outside of counselling
My own background includes years of study and practice in Mahayana Buddhism, with a particular interest in the Chinese Chan 禪 tradition. I read classical texts, write Dharma materials for lay practicioners, and support people who want to explore their own practice in a grounded and accessible way. It's a long-standing part of my life rather than I technique I borrow from, and it shapes how I show up in the room more than what I say there.When I’m not working, I spend time reading, training in fitness and martial arts, cooking, and studying languages.
Fees & Contact
Rates:$170 per 50-minute sessionReceipts are provided after each session.I am fully licenced, insured, and registered with the Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), Canada's largest national certifying body.Many extended health plans cover counselling; I encourage you to check your benefits for details.
Location & Format
Sessions are offered online to clients across Canada.Working this way lets me offer flexibility and privacy, and it works well for most of the people I see. If in-person matters to you, it's worth mentioning in our first conversation — I can let you know my current thinking and whether that might be possible down the road.
Booking
If you’re interested in working together, the easiest place to start is a brief consultation.It gives us a chance to meet, talk about what you’re looking for, and see whether this feels like the right fit.Please use the form below to reach out.I read every message personally and respond within two business days.