Welcome.
I’m Ryan, and I offer therapy for individuals, families, and couples—adolescents (ages 10+) and adults of any age—facing a range of challenges to their mental health, including:
religious trauma (click here for more)
neurodivergence (click here for more)
family relationships (e.g., parenting and couples)
unruly emotions (sadness, shame, anxiety, anger, etc.)
academics (e.g., perfectionism, imposter syndrome, procrastination, and career planning)
This page offers some basic information about me and my approach.
Training and Background
-
Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association
Canadian Certified Counsellor (#112534) 🍁
-
M.A. in Counselling Psychology
Yorkville University
Ph.D. in Religious Studies
University of British Columbia
I’ve also earned a handful of other degrees related to the Bible—some of which I’m not exactly proud to report 😬
-
Trauma-Focused ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) (Psychwire/Harris, 2023)
NIRI: Narrative Therapy Informed Relational Interviewing for Couples/Relationships (Vancouver Narrative Therapy Institute/Madigan, 2025)
Holy Hurt: Mending Wounds, Embodying Healing (McBride, 2026)
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Treatment (PESI Canada, in progress/2026)
In addition to formal training, I engage in regular consultation with colleagues and supervisors.
-
🤓 university instructor, teaching assistant
📝 writing tutor
🪕 musician, banjo teacher
🔨 construction worker, landscaper
I’ve also volunteered in various church and intercultural ministry settings, as well as a drug treatment centre.
Professional Values
-
🌿🌱 I do not impose solutions. Instead, we work together to understand your unique situation, values, motivations, challenges, and hopes for life.
-
🎨 We tell stories, conjure images, and make meaning out of the chaos of life. We might also share poetry, create art, or explore the power of words. Delight is an important part of my approach.
-
I am not a bot. I feel emotions, too! That is actually an important part of my work as a therapist. We consider our bodies, our brains, our limitations, our social networks, our aspirations, our species’ evolution—all the things that make us human.🐒🤖
-
You’re not crazy. You’re not lazy. Rather than pathologizing your struggles, we work to understand where they’re coming from and how you want to face them. And we go at the pace that feels right for you.😌
I’d rather not take your session time talking about myself, but I understand you may want to know a little more about me as a person. So here some things that matter to me, personally:
On a Personal Note
I grew up as a pastor’s kid and nearly became a missionary-in-the-jungle. But I had questions. Lots of questions. Eventually, my search for answers led to a PhD in Religious Studies. Along the way, I took a liking to many of the gods and goddesses of the ancient world (though, I don’t think any of them actually exists).
skepticism
Why this statue of a goddess from the kingdom of Mari, in ancient Syria? ‘Cause I’m a huge history nerd and a fan of feminism, too.
I received an ADHD diagnosis as an adult, and I’m a parent of neurodivergent kids. On a daily basis, I navigate the unique challenges our society poses to autistic, ADHD, and other neurodivergent ways of being. So I keep busy dismantling my own internalized ableism and learning to delight in weirdness.
neurodivergence
creativity
I love graphic novels, poetry, drawing, and building things out of wood. But my absolute favourite pastime is playing fiddle music on the 5-string banjo.
I’m the fortunate caretaker of a 1995 Earl Scruggs Standard Gibson Mastertone banjo.
My ancestors were homesteaders, coal miners, ranchers, and refugees. Tough folk who worked hard to give me a good life. Yet I know my privileges today are also entwined in the legacy of colonial domination. I want my work and play to advance justice and joy for everyone settled on Treaty 7 territory and beyond.