My name is Daniel (he/him) and I am a straight, non-disabled, second generation Chilean settler with mixed Hungarian and British ancestry who was born and raised on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded shared territories of the Katzie [kut-zee], Kwantlen, Kwikwetlem [kwee-kwet- lum], Semiahmoo [semi-ah-moo] and Tsawwassen [tsawah-sen] First Nations, and home to the Surrey-Delta Métis Association. I continue to do personal work to acknowledge my own privilege and understand how it has shaped my lived experience.

The most important thing to me is authenticity. In my personal life and in my work as a therapist, it is important to me to bring in my whole self. So much of what makes suffering unbearable is being alone in it. In therapy, I intend to genuinely meet you in your suffering, as a human being first, and help hold whatever you are going through. I want you to know that I believe that you are fundamentally good and that you have been trying your best, likely for a long time. Even though you may feel at your end, or unsure of how to make a change, I know you have strengths that have gotten you this far and values that you can find your way back to. I love what I do, mostly because I get the privilege of being with people when they are their most personal, most authentic selves, and I get to walk alongside them in their suffering and find a way through together.

I work from a trauma-informed, attachment-based, and emotion-focused approach. Here’s what that means:

Trauma-informed: I have training in what trauma is and how it impacts the brain and the body; I am sensitive to how past experiences of trauma may be impacting your present life; our sessions will prioritize choice, collaboration, respect, safety, and skill-building.

Attachment-based: I am informed by attachment theory and I believe that early childhood relationships and experiences can shape thoughts, emotions, behaviour, and relationship patterns in the present. I also value the trusting relationship that we build together over time and I believe that our secure relationship is part of what can make counselling a healing experience.

Emotion-focused: I hold emotional experience in high regard and I believe that increasing awareness, acceptance, expression, and regulation of emotion is key to understanding ourselves and living an authentic life aligned with our personal values. This also means that I am comfortable with feelings of all shapes and sizes in the therapy room and I aim to offer you attuned, non-judgemental, empathic support to process emotions in real-time together.

My Credentials: I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC, ID: 22380) in good standing with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors. I have a Master of Arts degree in Counselling Psychology from Trinity Western University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology (Business Administration minor) from Simon Fraser University. I am also active in conducting qualitative research; I am currently involved in a project on men’s successful transition to retirement and another on new dads and their experiences of being more compassionate towards themselves.

Areas of Interest & Specialization: Although I am trained as a generalist and I have experience working with all genders, backgrounds, and concerns, I have a developing specialization working with acute and developmental trauma. I have completed specialized training in Observed and Experiential Integration (OEI Level 2), a body-based trauma-processing therapy, in order to help clients re-process painful experiences from their past and lead more connected lives. I also have specialization working with men, specifically, and helping them navigate their emotions, relationships, unwanted behaviours, and experiences with masculinity. I also work with anxiety, depression, self-harm, suicidality, addiction, grief and loss, stress management, and life transitions for all genders, ages 16+.  My work is further informed by additional training I have taken: San'yas Indigenous Cultural Safety, Trauma & Resiliency Informed Practice, Mindful Self-Compassion, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Emotion Focused Family Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

I draw from all of my training to create a tailored approach that fits your own goals for counselling, personal values, and personality strengths.

Alongside my counselling private practice at ThriveLife, I work as a clinical counsellor and group therapist in community mental health with the Fraser Health Authority. To honour confidentiality and conflict of interest policies, I am unable to see clients at ThriveLife that are currently or have ever been a client of any mental health team connected to Fraser Health.

Other Services That I Offer: I am also available for facilitating workshops and speaking engagements in the areas of Trauma & Resiliency Informed Practice, Mindful Self-Compassion, personal and professional self-care, and masculinity & fatherhood.