Birch Tree Counselling

Strength - Resiliency - Growth

Seek Help With

  • Chronic Pain Management

  • Trauma

  • Grief and Loss

  • Stress & Anxiety

  • Interpersonal Relationship Challenges

  • Parenting Challenges

  • Self Esteem

  • Depression

Chronic Pain Management

Have you experienced pain for at least six months in duration?
Is this pain persistent?
Has it been difficult to find a medical treatment that eases your symptoms?
Do you find yourself unable to attend work or social events?
Do you find yourself unable to live the life you want due to the pain?
Are you noticing that the pain has taken over your life?

People who experience chronic pain are not faking their pain, they are usually putting on on a brave face and faking feeling well.

Chronic pain can be an incredibly frustrating experience for those who suffer from it. Chronic or long-term pain is also known as persistent pain. This means it has lasted longer than a period of three months and may not respond to typical medical treatment. This process is usually an exhausting one.

If you have felt misunderstood or ashamed on your journey of seeking relief from chronic pain, Birch Tree Counselling will meet you with compassion. We can work together to find some solutions that may work for your unique experience. Our hope is to provide you with a space of comfort, no-judgement, and safety.

Birch Tree Counselling

  • Trauma and PTSD
  • Anxiety and Depression
  • Art Therapy
  • Grief and Loss
  • Family Therapy
  • ADHD
  • Attachment-based Therapy
  • Parent-Child Conflict

Birch Tree Counselling works with children, adolescents, and families, offering individual counselling, family counselling or couples counselling. Our integrated approach includes Narrative Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Play Therapy, Expressive Arts Therapies, Theraplay, EMDR, Cognitive- Behavioural Therapy and Psycho-educational tools.

emdr

EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing. This therapy uses a patient’s own rapid eye movements to take emotionally charged memories out of traumatic events. Therapists can reprogram the memory of a traumatic event to more positive or neutral emotions.

sandplay-therapy

Sandplay Therapy

A form of expressive therapy using figurines / miniatures to create stories in the sandtray. The stories reflect thoughts, feelings, strengths, or concerns. It gives the client power to visually show the Therapist what is happening in their own world.

theraplay

Theraplay

A child and family therapy for building and enhancing attachment, self-esteem, trust, and joyful engagement. Based on the natural patterns of playful, healthy interaction between parent and child, it is personal, physical, and fun.

Claire Aries

“Inspired by the resiliency of the human spirit, it has been a privilege to act as witness to the stories of the people I have worked with so far.”

Claire Aries – MC, CCC, Registered Provisional Psychologist, EMDR Therapist and Level One Certified Theraplay Practitioner

completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia in the Okanagan. She went on to recieved her Master of Counselling Psychology through City University of Seattle, completing her Practicum at the Third Academy, a school for children and youth with Special Needs.

Claire has many years of specialized experience working with children, youth and families who have developmental disabilities including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Learning Disabilities, ADHD, Attachment Disorders and many others.

Claire has comprehensive experience in working with children and adults who have experienced complex trauma across the lifespan. Claire believes in a trauma-informed, client-centered approach to Therapy. She has specialized training in EMDR, creative approaches (including non-verbal and expressive arts therapies), play therapy, sandplay therapy, theraplay, and sensorimotor treatment interventions.

Claire's approach uses unique, creative interventions which include (but are not limited to): Narrative Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (with Mindfulness), DBT, CBT, and a strength-based approach to support her clients. She believes that the counselling process starts with the ability to connect to the person in front of her. It is important to her that your experience with counselling should be adapted to meet your unique needs. Claire wishes to act as a co-author and ally in supporting those who come to her for counselling. She believes that Therapy is not "one size fits all" and is flexible to what works best for her clients.

Claire is currently a Canadian Certified Counsellor, a registered Provisional Psychologist, an EMDR Therapist, and Level-One Theraplay Practitioner in Canada. Claire is working under the supervision of Aspen Gowers and Zeljko Puric.

The Birch Tree

A powerful metaphor for the human spirit, the birch tree represents strength, resiliency and growth. It is a symbol of birth and renewal and represents new beginnings.

"Be messy and complicated and afraid and show up anyways." Glennon Doyle Melton

Mondays, 1pm – 8pm

Fridays, 1pm – 8pm