Christine Selder, M.Ed, RCC
Life has an interesting way of providing
challenges and opportunities for us to
experiment with and discover who we are and who we want to be. This most often happens in the context of relationships; the relationship we have with ourselves, our bodies, our friends, our families and our environment.
Counselling is a very personal career choice for me. My personal journey towards health on all levels has included reconnecting with my body in a loving way despite the discomfort it sometimes provides; learning that healthy boundaries benefit myself and those I am in relationship with; knowing that my spirituality must include my environment, my actions, my thoughts and my intentions; and finally, understanding loss as a place of change and renewal - an opportunity to recreate a part of myself anew.
This personal journey has had a large influence on my style of practice. When I see clients I do not judge their journey or place in life as good or bad. All the decisions and actions we take make sense in the context of our lives and where we come from. Crisis or discomfort can be a way of letting us know something we believe is no longer true or that something we are doing is no longer working for us.
My approach is holistic. I help clients using a somatic based approach that views trauma as a bio-physiological and psychological experience that affects the nervous system by activating the fight or flight response. I educate clients to monitor bodily sensations and notice activations that may precipitate anxiety or depression. I incorporate a feminist and social constructivist perspective that examines personal identity and narrative, and I am solution focused. Finally, I work with Jackson http://www.acaciahealth.ca/practitioners/jackson/ a standard poodle, (who is present at all sessions unless otherwise requested) to foster a sense of calm and peacefulness as he models ease in his healthy nervous system.
I am educated as a professional art teacher and completed a Masters Degree in Counselling Psychology at the University of Victoria. I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor and have sought out additional professional development in the areas of emotion focus therapy http://www.iceeft.com/home.htm somatic experiencing therapy for trauma http://www.traumahealing.com/ and spirituality.
I am pleased to work with adolescents as well as adults. Needs for therapy vary based on the individual. As such, I assist in the short term by helping clients to manage crisis, recognize strengths, and process specific issues. Depending on the situation this may take one to ten sessions. Sometimes longstanding issues require deeper work or gentle pacing. For those who want or require a longer term therapeutic relationship, I am pleased to be of service. I offer a free half hour consultation and I look forward to speaking with you about your needs.
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