Counselling and EMDR for Complex Trauma & Relationship Challenges with Nicole in Vancouver

Counselling with Nicole Atkins

Nicole Atkins, trauma, relationship & EMDR counsellor in Vancouver

Registered Clinical Counsellor
MCP, City University
(she/her)

When you are struggling, it can feel incredibly isolating, and easy to believe that there is something wrong with you because you’re hurting.  Growth often begins when we have a place to be honest about our experiences and feel genuinely accepted, supported, and cared for. 

From there, we can begin making changes that are more honest with who we are and the desires we hold. 

Book a free 15 minute consultation with Nicole

Nicole offers in person and online Registered Clinical Counselling and EMDR

Please note that Nicole will be accepting new clients in early September

Perhaps, from the outside, it looks like you have it all together.

I often work with those who others know and see as capable, responsible, and used to handling whatever life throws their way.  If this sounds like you, it’s likely that beneath the surface, you’re carrying more than anyone realizes. 

It might be that you are navigating a major life transition such as a relationship ending (or anticipating an end), a loss, a diagnosis, a career change, or a shift in your identity.  Or perhaps you’ve spent so much of your life meeting other people’s needs or expectations that you’ve lost sight of what you need or who you even are.

It’s common to go through periods when emotions feel overwhelming and difficult to understand or manage. Sometimes we come to believe we are “too sensitive” or “too much,” and this can lead to keeping our feelings tamped down.  You might even worry that if you allow yourself to feel or express these strong emotions, they will become too overwhelming. I understand that the thought of opening the door to those feelings can be frightening. 

If any of this resonates with you, know that you are not alone in feeling this way.

Common counselling concerns, focuses & clients I love supporting:

  • Burnout

  • Depression

  • Highly Sensitive People

  • Historical Domestic Violence

  • Grief & Loss, including Anticipatory Loss

  • Self Worth & Self-Esteem

  • Spiritual & Religious Distress

  • Miscarriage & Traumatic Birth Experiences

  • Individuals navigating kink and BDSM in relationships

    Areas of Specialization:

  • Trauma and Complex PTSD

  • Anxiety (Panic Attacks, Social, Phobias)

  • Life Transitions

  • Emotional Overwhelm

  • Relationship Dynamics & Challenges including Abuse, Infidelity, Co-dependency

  • Family of origin challenges, including abuse and neglect

  • Nicole offers in person and online sessions:
    Wednesdays 9am-2:30pm
    Thursdays 9am - 2:30pm
    Saturdays 10am - 2pm

    • Validating

    • Collaborative

    • Gentle & warm

    • Welcomes humour

    • Authentic & human

    • Offers a growth mindset

    • Able to challenge clients

    • Able to be directive and guide sessions

    • Focuses on logic & mindset

    • Focuses on offering skills & tools

    • Focuses on the mind-body experience

    • Offers insight & understanding patterns

    • Focuses on emotional experience & processing emotions

A Little About Me as A Counsellor

I was drawn towards becoming a counsellor because I believe that our relationships with ourselves and others are the most meaningful and impactful part of being a human.  I love supporting people in creating healthier, more fulfilling relationships and lives that feel authentic to who they are.  

My background is in engineering, a profession I chose because I wanted to make a positive contribution to society, and because I happened to be good at math and science.  While I continue to be appreciative of my engineering experiences and the technical skills I developed, this work had always felt disconnected from the people I hoped to help.  It was this realization that prompted me to pursue becoming a therapist, initially focusing on supporting individuals navigating grief, traumatic loss, suicidal ideation, mental health diagnosis and mentorship.  Over time, I have accumulated experience in a variety of areas, including life transitions, anxiety and depression, trauma and relationships.   

I consider it a privilege to be entrusted with my client's stories.  Walking alongside you, witnessing growth, the mending of wounds, and helping you rediscover your most authentic self brings me immense gratitude.  

My Approach

I approach counselling with a deeply client-centred perspective. This means I value the unique journey that each person undertakes and the wisdom they hold.  In this collaborative process, I support you in holding the reins in setting the goals, boundaries and direction of our sessions together.  I firmly believe that our life challenges are woven through our experiences in relationships, diverse situations, and various institutions, shaping both adaptive and maladaptive aspects of our being.

As a counsellor, my goal is to create a safe and trusting space where you can explore, grow, heal, and embrace positive transformations.  I am committed to assisting you in cultivating a more compassionate and deep connection with yourself and your relationships with others.  I believe each individual has inherent strength and resilience, but sometimes, we get stuck.  My role is to provide support as you reconnect with those inner resources and find your way back to where you want to be.

Therapy is not a one-size-fits-all, but I’d love to leave you with a sense of what therapy might look like:  One of my favourite things to do as a therapist is to support clients reconnect with their strengths, wisdom and kernels of amazing-ness that they may have lost sight of.  We all have an innate capacity to be well, but sometimes difficult life experiences & relationships, losses, trauma, or overwhelming circumstances can disconnect us from who we are. 

Part of our work may also involve challenging the critical inner dialogue that keeps you doubting yourself, slowing down enough for your nervous system to be acknowledged, and developing new ways to respond to what is coming up in your life and your internal world.  Together, we can explore the beliefs, experiences, and relationship patterns that may be keeping you stuck and find meaningful and sustainable ways to create more ease in your life.

I hold a Master of Counselling from City University of Seattle, a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alberta, and I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors. 

I work primarily with adults and welcome people of all cultures, genders, sexual orientations, abilities and relationship styles, and am sex positive/kink friendly.

COUNSELLING APPROACH

My integrative and client-specific approach to counselling includes the following education and approaches:

COUNSELLING FEES

50 min individual session: $165
80 min individual counselling: $260

50 min sliding scale sessions: $120 - 160
- please inquire for availability -

We typically accept payment via e-transfer; in efforts to keep our overall rates lower, we also offer the option to pay by credit card with a 2.4% processing fee

Connect with Nicole for Counselling

To learn more about Nicole’s approach to counselling, ask questions about how she might be able to support you, and schedule your first session, please book a 15 minute virtual consultation below.

Book a free 15 minute consultation with Nicole

If you do not see a time available that works for you, or have any further questions, please contact Nicole via the form below, and share what you’re looking for support with!