Curiosity was the initial spark that led me down this path. I found myself asking questions like: Why do people do what they do? What life experiences shape certain behaviors? What drives our feelings and thoughts? What does discovering oneself truly mean, and what does healing and restoration look like? As I explored these questions, I became increasingly aware of the incredible nature, capacities, and wisdom we possess. It became a process of finding meaning in my work, experiencing healing through connection, and recognising the importance of supportive relationships. Curiosity opened up a world of possibilities for me.

What excites me most about my work as a counsellor is the deep, collaborative relationships I get to build with each individual in the therapeutic space. It’s the process of getting to know someone and their stories, and then co-creating meaning together through shared discoveries. Ultimately, it’s getting to witness someone gradually come into themselves. The process of shared discovery and growth is what gets me going.

My hope is that they feel truly heard and seen, and whatever they brought into the session was met with compassion. I also hope that, to some degree, they leave with a sense of being able to view their own stories through a similar lens of curiosity, compassion, and acceptance, recognising themselves as active agents of change in their own journey.

Therapy can a big step, and it’s important that you feel safe in the process. You have the right to feel respected, heard, and supported, and it’s the therapist’s responsibility to create a space that is ethical, compassionate, and safe. Building trust with a therapist can take time, and it’s completely okay to give yourself the space to find the right fit.

Once you find that space, therapy can be a space that can hold so much for us, allowing you to explore the terrains of yourself with someone that truly holds this precious. Getting to know you, being responsible for you and caring for you can be difficult at times but it is important work that can bring in so much (clarity, healing, growth) not only for yourself but in your relationships.

I see this relationship as an extension of the supportive relationships in my own life. While I remain committed to the professionalism, ethics, and upholding safety and authenticity, my hope is that we can create a shared space where the full range of a relationship can unfold-one that also allows room for vulnerability, feedback, accountability, shared responsibility, and transparency. To foster collaboration, I intentionally adopt a partnership-oriented approach, take a non-directive stance, engage with curiosity, and maintain an ongoing feedback loop throughout our work together.

In my counselling work, one of my greatest learnings has been witnessing the transformative power of relationships; both with others and with oneself. It’s also been eye-opening to see how people continually respond, resist, adapt, and persevere, often without fully recognizing it in the moment. Sometimes, I see the work unfold naturally when people begin to understand and build this connection.

My strengths as a counselor is my ability to hold space for the full range of emotions and humanness, which I’ve learned to walk along with curiosity, gentleness, acceptance and compassion. I am intentional about creating a space where all parts of ourselves can show up, even the painful and wounded parts.

I have several hobbies, and sometimes it’s hard to keep track of them all. In my spare time, I enjoy pottery, knitting and sewing, reading, painting, and gardening. But on other days, I do the complete opposite-doing absolutely nothing and simply enjoying slow, lazy moments spent daydreaming, watching K-dramas and vlogs.

The therapeutic approach I use emphasises the interconnectedness of mind, body, and emotions. It focuses on understanding ourselves and our systems, exploring our bodily experiences in relation to the socio-cultural-political context, the relationships and experiences we’re born into/interacting with. The approach centers on building connections and working with the internal processes that support survival, healing and growth as we navigate. Additionally, I incorporate strength-based approaches, where conversations are guided by a person’s expertise, values, and skills.

In my work, I use inclusive language and remain mindful that my responsibility extends beyond this, creating a space that honors their identity, knowledge, and experiences, while recognizing their specific stressors in relation to harmful normative systems. To ensure I show up authentically, I commit to ongoing education and engage in conversations and supervision.