Welcome!

Welcome to my blog. My name is Steve and I'm a counsellor in private practice in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

My primary interest is people - what motivates them and the often ingenious and sometimes heroic way that so many people manage to survive and thrive. It's only natural then, that I decided to make a career based on just that.

In my practice I focus on that part of the population sometimes known as the "worried well", the "walking wounded" or even the "working wounded"; people who, like anyone else, have their share of baggage, stressors, and challenges, but manage to carry on as best they can.

Anyone, however, can reach a point of being overwhelmed. Sometimes it's when too many ordinary stressors occur at once, or perhaps a loved one is in crisis, times of loss and grieving or transition through life's stages, or struggling to cope with a low mood. It's often at these times that relationships can fray, and daily routines seem like too much.

I'm going to address these issues in my bog, as well as provide information about the nature of counselling and talk therapy - what it is and isn't, what a person can expect, and perhaps clear up some commonly held misconceptions. I'll also touch on what people can do to help themselves not just survive, but thrive.