Therapist, Registered Clinical Counsellor

Melanie is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Indigenous Studies. She provides counselling in Kelowna, BC and online across British Columbia, working with youth, adults, and families facing challenges such as anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma, neurodivergence, self-harm, grief, self-esteem, and life transitions. With compassion and authenticity, Melanie meets clients where they are at, supporting them on their journey toward mental health, resilience, and healing.

Approach to Counselling

If you’re feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or unsure where to start, Melanie offers a warm and compassionate space to slow down and feel truly understood. She provides counselling in Kelowna and online across BC, supporting adults and parents navigating ADHD, concussion recovery, caregiver burnout, parenting challenges, anxiety, and life transitions.

Melanie’s approach is client-centered, trauma-informed, and holistic- focused on helping you reconnect with yourself and find practical ways to feel calmer and more balanced. She integrates evidence-based tools with empathy and curiosity, drawing from your strengths while creating a space that feels safe, non-judgmental, and grounded.

With experience supporting caregivers, neurodivergent clients, and those managing chronic stress or recovery, Melanie helps you make sense of how your past experiences, relationships, and nervous system responses shape your day-to-day challenges. Her work is informed by a deep respect for diverse identities and lived experiences, and she is committed to supporting LGBTQ2SIA+ and Indigenous clients through culturally responsive care.

Melanie’s path to becoming a counsellor was deeply personal. Having found healing through her own counselling journey, she brings not only professional expertise but also lived understanding. She knows that reaching out can feel vulnerable and she strives to ensure that every client who walks through the door feels supported, seen, and not alone.

Counselling Modalities

Melanie’s eclectic and evidence-based counselling style draws from a range of therapeutic modalities, including Somatic Experiencing, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT), trauma-informed systems approaches, neuropsychology-informed practices, and strengths-based treatment. By blending these approaches, she tailors each session to the unique goals, values, and needs of her clients.

Areas of Focus

1. Anxiety & Depression

Melanie supports clients experiencing persistent worry, sadness, panic, or overwhelm. She helps clients understand the root of their symptoms, develop coping strategies, and rebuild a sense of confidence and hope.

2. Addiction & Harm Reduction

With a strong background in addiction counselling and harm reduction, Melanie works with clients struggling with substance use and related challenges. She helps clients reduce harm, build healthier coping skills, and work toward recovery goals that align with their values.

3. Grief & Loss Counselling

Melanie provides compassionate support for those grieving the loss of a loved one, experiencing anticipatory grief, or navigating major life transitions. She draws on meaning-making and integrative grief models to help clients process their experiences and find ways to honor their losses.

4. Parenting & Family Support

Melanie helps parents manage stress, strengthen communication, and navigate challenges related to raising children or teens. She provides guidance in building stronger parent-child relationships, supporting neurodivergent children, and balancing caregiving with self-care.

5. Trauma & Stress Recovery

With a trauma-informed lens, Melanie supports individuals recovering from difficult or painful experiences, including childhood trauma, abuse, or systemic oppression. She uses approaches such as somatic experiencing, mindfulness, and strengths-based therapy to help clients regain safety, resilience, and empowerment.

6. Self-Esteem, Identity & Neurodivergence

Melanie works with clients struggling with self-worth, identity development, or challenges related to ADHD, autism, or other forms of neurodivergence. She helps clients build self-acceptance, embrace strengths, and develop tools to thrive in daily life.

What to Expect

Sessions with Melanie are collaborative, supportive, and tailored to your unique needs. She offers a safe and compassionate space where clients feel met with empathy, curiosity, and respect. Melanie helps clients explore their experiences without fear of judgment, develop practical coping strategies for daily challenges, and build resilience and self-compassion. Her warm and encouraging approach fosters a strong therapeutic relationship that promotes emotional balance, personal growth, and a sense of empowerment.

Outside of Work

When she is not in session, Melanie enjoys spending time with her immediate and extended family. Her passions include gardening, reading, exploring nature, and walking along the beaches of the west coast.

Email: Melanie@lakesideclinical.ca

Phone or Text: 587-578-6352.