Relational Somatic Counselling in Vancouver, BC, in-person and online across British Columbia. Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (RTC) specializing in CPTSD, trauma, neurodivergence, parts work, and IFS-informed therapy.

Relational Somatic
Counselling

What we do together

We are all shaped by what we've lived through. Every one of us has a unique inner system, a mix of memories, body responses, beliefs, and ways we learned to cope. These experiences leave imprints in the body, and over time they can start to influence how safe we feel, how we see ourselves, how we make choices, and how we show up in relationships.

When those early or overwhelming experiences don't get processed, they can pull us toward anxiety, shutdown, confusion, or a sense that we're constantly bracing for something. This is a nervous system in survival mode.

But the good news is that our bodies are designed to heal. We just don't heal well in isolation.

Relational Somatic Counselling blends talking with slowing down enough to notice what's happening through the lens of the body, sensation, breath, emotion, impulses, images. These are often the things that get missed when we're trying to understand ourselves only from the mind.

Alongside tools that you probably already know like analyzing and intellectualizing, we gently get curious about what's happening in the moment. This is where survival patterns start to loosen, and where you begin to feel the difference between the parts of you that protect and the parts of you that want connection, clarity, or change.

This work can be really supportive for folks with complex systems, people who grew up with misattunement, are neurodivergent, have CPTSD, or have lived through relational trauma. It's also helpful for people integrating psychedelic or spiritual experiences that felt too big or too fast for the system.

My approach

I help deeply self-aware people put down the lifelong work of surviving by creating a place where they can practise being true to themselves, even when it feels like terror, until they become the painters of lives that finally feel like their own.

Clients who are often described as "too much," "too complicated," who "process too much" or "too self-aware" frequently find themselves feeling deeply understood in my practice. I genuinely enjoy meeting the complexity of people's inner worlds. I do not see conflicting parts, survival strategies, or emotional reactivity as problems to eliminate. I see them as meaningful attempts to protect something precious, intelligent adaptations that deserve curiosity and respect. Combined with my training in relational somatic therapy, attachment, trauma, and IFS-informed practice, this creates a therapeutic experience that helps clients move from managing themselves toward trusting themselves.

Dried pink rose resting on an open book, evoking themes of healing and memory

A note on this work

"What was wounded in relationship
heals in relationship."

Mariah Moser

Ready to begin?

A free 20-minute discovery call, no pressure, just connection

Sessions are covered by most extended health insurance plans. In-person in Vancouver and online across BC.

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Relational Somatic Therapy · Parts Work · IFS-Informed

Somatic Counselling

The approach

Relational Somatic Counselling is a blend of talk therapy and body-based work.

We pay attention to the things your mind alone can't fully understand, sensations, breath, impulses, emotions, images, the quiet language of your system. The body speaks in images, sound, metaphor.

This is where we start to find the survival strategies and "parts" of you that show up when life feels overwhelming, confusing, or just too much. For some, it's anxiety or panic. For others, it's numbness, checking out, a freeze response, or a feeling of floating away. Some people even feel "nothing" at all. All of this makes perfect sense.

Many people who come to work with me have done therapy before. They understand their patterns really well on a cognitive level. But they still feel stuck. That's because insight doesn't always shift what the body learns in order to survive. And even for those who therapy is new for, understanding the language of the body can help you live a life based out of authenticity and a sense of self.

So instead of analyzing the past from afar, we explore what's happening inside you right now, in the moment. Slowly. Gently. With full respect for every protective strategy that got you this far. We don't push past or override any parts but instead slow down enough to attune to them.

This approach helps you build more capacity, understand your system, and meet old patterns in a new way. The relationship between us, attuned, grounded, safe, becomes the container that makes change possible.

Softly lit scene of a book with a dried rose, evoking gentleness and reflection

Who I work with

Many of my clients haven't felt fully understood in traditional talk therapy.

This work offers another way in.

For transparency

I'm a queer, neurodivergent survivor of CPTSD and shock trauma, and my lived experience informs everything I do. I aim to create a space that feels welcoming and accessible, and admit to being just a human that is always learning how to do that better. I'm comfortable working with a variety of relationship structures. Every relationship has its own energy and dynamic, and I'm interested in exploring that with you.

  • identify as neurodivergent
  • experience overwhelm or disconnection relationally
  • feel "behind" in life or in specific areas like romantic and physical intimacy
  • find day-to-day life overwhelming or confusing
  • have a big rich inner world or do not sense any inner world at all
  • feel too much, too often, or get flooded
  • feel very little or can't find words for what's going on
  • have layered, complex systems
  • struggle with decision-making or knowing what they want
  • feel unsure of their sense of self
  • are artists, sensitives, or creatives
  • have lived through trauma or CPTSD
  • haven't felt fully met in traditional talk therapy

Sessions

How to Begin

All new clients start with a free 20-minute discovery call, a chance to see if we're a good fit before committing to anything.

Free Discovery Call

Free · 20 minutes · Video or phone

A chance to meet, ask questions, and see if this feels like a good fit.

Session options

Choose the length that suits you

Sessions are available in three lengths. In-person in Vancouver or online across BC.

60 minutes
$135

A focused single session.

90 minutes
$175

Extended time for deeper somatic work.

Sessions covered by most extended health plans. Based in Vancouver, BC.

Yoga · Qi Gong · Functional Movement

Integrative Movement

Embodiment through movement

Integrative Movement

I offer accessible, integrative movement classes for folks with all kinds of bodies, abilities, injuries, sensitivities, and capacities. My teaching is rooted in somatic awareness, functional movement, therapeutic yoga, and a deep respect for how the nervous system learns. My goal is to help people find movement that feels nourishing, strengthening without strain, grounding without pushing, and supportive of the whole system.

Classes are currently available in person in Vancouver, and I'm creating an online platform for January 2026.

Class Offerings

  • Chair Yoga

    Building strength, stability and community in a safe and supported chair and wall-supported class with options for standing balance work.

  • Hatha Yoga

    Combining functional movement and Hatha builds strength, mobility and stability with breathing for overall well-being.

  • Yin Yoga

    A great addition to everyone's yoga practice, long held floor poses to work on softening connective tissue. Yin and Restore.

  • Slow Flow Yoga

    Synching breath with movement brings ease and play into a slow flow, leaving you feeling liquid.

Interested in movement?

Get in touch to learn about current class offerings

Relational Somatic Therapist · Counsellor · Movement Teacher

About Chandler

Background

Trained in the body's language

I'm a relational somatic therapist, counsellor, and longtime movement teacher. The body has its own language, and many of us carry complex inner worlds shaped by early experiences, sensitivity, trauma, creativity, traumatic events or neurodivergence.

My training includes certification in Relational Somatic Therapy, Orca Institute Counselling Therapist Certification and a year long experiential diploma in counselling for marginalized and discriminated folks through Citizen's Counselling.

Prior to training as a therapist I studied yoga and Yoga Therapy, which deeply shapes how I teach movement and how I work with somatic. I've also trained in mindfulness, meditation, Functional Movement, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition, Qi Gong, and dabbled in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

A personal note

At the moment my one on one sessions are geared towards folks who are looking for deep lasting connection with their sense of self. A knowing of what would bring them joy, towards safety, and building the relationships they desire.

If all I do as I grow older is soften more to loving compassion, then that is the life I want to live. I'd love to support you on your goals.

Credentials

Training & Certifications

Relational Somatic Therapy

Certified practitioner in relational somatic approaches to trauma and nervous system healing.

Orca Institute RTC

Registered Therapeutic Counsellor certification. Sessions covered by most extended health plans.

Citizen's Counselling

Year-long experiential diploma in counselling for marginalized and discriminated communities.

Yoga & Movement

Yoga Therapy, Qi Gong, Functional Movement, mindfulness, and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition.

Credentials & Training

Professional Summary

I am a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (RTC) working from a trauma-informed, attachment-based lens. My work integrates talk therapy with body-based awareness, supporting clients to build capacity, regulation, and deeper connection to themselves and others.

I work well with complexity… clients navigating anxiety, trauma, identity, relational challenges, and those who feel deeply or at times struggle to feel at all. My approach is collaborative, experiential, and rooted in present-moment awareness.

Alongside counselling, I bring a strong background in group facilitation and therapeutic movement, creating spaces that are accessible, relational, and grounded in nervous system awareness.

Education & Clinical Training

Orca Institute – Counselling & Hypnotherapy Diploma

  • 200 hours of supervised clinical practicum
  • 50 hours of clinical supervision
  • Training in client-centred counselling, ethical practice, and applied therapeutic skills

Citizen's Counselling Centre – Volunteer Counsellor Training Program

  • One-year experiential training program
  • Led by Jude Marleau (Clinical Supervisor & Counsellor Trainer, Victoria Citizens' Counselling Centre; Associate Faculty, City University of Seattle)
  • 30+ hours of triad-based counselling practice
  • 250 hours of volunteer counselling
  • 50 hours of supervision completed during volunteer placement
  • Supervision provided by supervisors approved to oversee RCC practicum students

Somatic & Relational Training

Opening To Grace – Relational Somatic Therapy Inquiry

One-year experiential training | Completed October 2025

  • Training in relational somatic therapy, attachment, and nervous system awareness
  • Emphasis on present-moment tracking, embodiment, and therapeutic relationship
  • Facilitated by Mariah Moser (RCS #2093, MPCC #3055, SE)

Gestalt Therapy Workshop (Intensive)

  • One-week training in Gestalt therapy approaches
  • Focus on present-moment awareness, relational process, and experiential techniques
  • Facilitated by Sean Frey (RCC, RPC – Gestalt Psychotherapist; trained at Gestalt Institute of Toronto; Somatic Experiencing)

Clinical Experience

Somatic Therapist & Integrative Counsellor (Private Practice)

Vancouver, BC + Virtual | 2025 – Present

  • Provide one-on-one counselling integrating somatic awareness, relational tracking, and experiential approaches
  • Support clients with trauma, anxiety, depression, life transitions, and relational patterns
  • Guide clients in developing nervous system regulation and embodied awareness
  • Maintain ethical standards, confidentiality, and professional boundaries
  • Engage in ongoing supervision and professional development
  • Work with diverse populations including artists, neurodivergent clients, and individuals navigating complex emotional systems
  • Offer low-barrier, sliding-scale services to increase accessibility

Group Facilitation & Therapeutic Movement

Yoga Instructor & Somatic Movement Facilitator

Various Studios & Saanich Recreation Centres | Ongoing

  • Facilitate trauma-informed yoga and somatic movement classes (Chair Yoga, Slow Flow, therapeutic classes)
  • Create accessible environments for individuals with diverse physical and emotional needs
  • Integrate breath, movement, and awareness to support regulation and connection
  • Developed classes with consistent full attendance across multiple venues

Workshop Facilitator – Somatic & Creative Integration

  • Designed and led workshops combining movement, writing, and emotional processing
  • Facilitated group spaces focused on expression, embodiment, and relational awareness
  • Supported participants in accessing creativity alongside emotional depth

Additional Relevant Experience

Artistic Director & Founder – Ambiguous Arts Festivals Society

  • Directed multidisciplinary arts festivals and community events
  • Managed teams, programming, and participant care
  • Developed strong skills in group dynamics, leadership, and relational attunement

Community Facilitation & Youth Work

  • Facilitated arts-based and emotional expression workshops for youth
  • Volunteer facilitator with Rock Camp for Girls & Non-Binary Youth (Montreal)
  • Created inclusive, supportive, and identity-affirming environments

Core Competencies

  • Trauma-informed counselling
  • Somatic therapy & body-based awareness
  • Relational and attachment-based approaches
  • Nervous system regulation
  • Group facilitation
  • Ethical practice and boundaries
  • Client-centred counselling

Professional Development & Supervision

  • Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (RTC)
  • 50 hours clinical supervision (Orca Institute), Supervised by Diane Auld (MTC, HT – Counselling Hypnotherapist, Master Therapeutic Counsellor, Hypnotherapy Teacher)
  • 50 hours supervision (Citizen's Counselling Centre) under RCC-qualified supervisors
  • Ongoing consultation and continued education in somatic and relational therapies

For clients

Insurance & Coverage Guide

Chandler is a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (RTC) with the Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada (ACCT). Many extended health plans cover sessions, here's everything you need to know to find out if yours does.

The short version: Coverage depends on your specific benefits plan, not just your insurance company. The first step is to check your plan documents or call your HR department. Many clients are covered, and if you're not sure, we can help you find out and advocate for coverage if needed.

How to Check Your Coverage

Follow these steps to find out if your sessions with Chandler are covered:

  1. Check your benefits plan documents

    Log into your benefits portal or look at your plan booklet. Search for terms like "counselling," "psychotherapy," or "mental health services."

  2. Contact your HR department or plan administrator

    Your HR team can pull up the exact details of your plan and confirm whether counselling by an RTC (Registered Therapeutic Counsellor) is covered.

  3. Call your insurance provider directly

    Ask specifically: "Does my plan cover sessions with a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (RTC) who is a member of the Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada (ACCT)?"

  4. Ask your employer to update your plan (if needed)

    If your plan doesn't currently cover RTC services, you can ask your employer to add ACCT members to the plan. Employers can request this change, and insurance providers usually comply when the purchaser asks.

If coverage was approved before but is now being denied: Don't give up. Clients who consistently and firmly insist on continued coverage often succeed. Use the letter templates below to support your case.

Advocacy Letter Templates

If you need to advocate for coverage, ACCT provides ready-to-use letter templates for you or Chandler to send:

Insurance Providers & Coverage Status

The following providers have agreed to reimburse sessions with ACCT counsellors (for plans that include counselling services). Your coverage still depends on the specific plan your employer has selected.

Covered, check plan

Pacific Blue Cross

Covers any ACCT designation (RTC, MTC, RCS) for plans that include clinical counselling services.

Covered, check plan

Sun Life

Approved ACCT, your plan must specifically state that Counselling or Psychotherapy is covered. Call 1-855-301-4786 to register as a provider, or ask Chandler.

Covered, check plan

Equitable Life of Canada

Accepts all ACCT designations for members in good standing.

Covered, check plan

ClaimSecure

Approved for ACCT members. Note: your plan must say "counsellors", if it says "clinical counsellors" only, you may not be covered.

Covered, check plan

Green Shield Canada

Covers ACCT members for plans that include clinical counsellors. Provider must be registered with the ProviderConnect Health Portal.

Covered, check plan

iA Financial Group

Industrial Alliance has accepted ACCT as an eligible association.

Covered, check plan

Manitoba Blue Cross

Covers RTC, MTC, and RCS designations for counselling plans.

Covered, check plan

Alberta Blue Cross

May recognize ACCT counsellors, however, most of their policies specify psychologists or social workers. Verify your specific plan.

Covered, check plan

ASEBP (Alberta School Employees)

Added ACCT to their approved list. Covers RTC, MTC, and RCS designations.

Covered, check plan

Victor Insurance

Added ACCT as an approved provider.

Case by case

Canada Life

No formal ACCT agreement, but Canada Life reviews claims individually. Worth submitting with supporting documentation.

Case by case

Manulife

No formal association review process, claims are assessed individually. Use the advocacy letters above.

Common Questions

What does RTC mean?

RTC stands for Registered Therapeutic Counsellor, a professional designation from the Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada (ACCT). Chandler holds this designation, which means sessions are recognized by many extended health insurance providers.

My insurance company isn't on this list. Am I still covered?

It's worth asking. Some providers not listed here still cover ACCT members, and plans vary widely within the same insurance company. Check your plan documentation, call your provider, and ask specifically about RTC/ACCT coverage.

How do I submit a claim?

After your session, Chandler provides a receipt that includes all the information your insurance company needs (provider name, ACCT designation number, session date, and fee). You submit this to your insurer through their normal claims process, usually online, by app, or by mail.

Can I use a health spending account (HSA)?

In many cases, yes. Health spending accounts are typically more flexible than traditional insurance and often cover counselling services. Check with your plan administrator to confirm.

I still have questions about coverage. Can Chandler help?

Yes. Reach out by email or during your discovery call and Chandler can provide the information your insurer needs, write a supporting letter, or help you understand your options.

Still not sure? Let's figure it out together.

Get in touch and Chandler can help clarify your coverage before you book.

Group & Community Offerings

Workshops & Classes

Gentle spaces for slowing down, reconnecting with the body, and tending to inner experience with care. Through relational somatic therapy, parts work, and restorative yoga, each offering invites a deeper sense of safety, presence, and self-trust.

See Current Offerings

August 2025 · Burnside Community Centre & Fernwood

Current Offerings

All workshops are trauma-informed, embodiment-focused, and community-rooted. No prior experience needed, come exactly as you are.

Building Our Base

A progressive five-evening series exploring the foundations of healthy movement and embodied awareness.

📅 August 3–7, 2025 ⏱ Monday–Friday · 5:45–7:00 PM 📍 Burnside Community Centre

Each evening builds on the last through a blend of yoga, mobility work, somatic exploration, and practical tools you can take into everyday life:

  • ·Day 1: Feet & Grounding
  • ·Day 2: Ankles, Knees & Stability
  • ·Day 3: Hips, Pelvis & Lower Back
  • ·Day 4: Core & Pelvic Floor
  • ·Day 5: Integration, Balance & Orientation
Single class, $20
Any 3 classes, $53
Full series, $67

Getting Back on Your Feet

For anyone navigating the period after a flare-up, injury, or episode of pain.

📅 August 8, 2025 ⏱ 10:00 AM–12:00 PM 📍 Burnside Community Centre

Recovery doesn't end when the pain settles. Drawing from pain science, Yoga for Everybody, somatic practices, and nervous system regulation, we'll explore gentle movement, practical strategies, and ways to rebuild trust in your body.

Cost, $35

The Art of Self-Care

A full-day retreat exploring self-care beyond productivity and perfection.

📅 August 22, 2025 ⏱ 10:00 AM–5:00 PM 📍 Burnside Community Centre

Through gentle movement, guided reflection, somatic inquiry, rest, and meaningful connection, we'll explore what sustainable self-care can look like when it's rooted in honesty, compassion, and presence. Come exactly as you are.

Cost, $75

Yoga for Everybody, Fernwood

A standalone 75-minute drop-in class coming to Fernwood.

📅 Late August, Dates Coming Soon ⏱ 75 minutes 📍 Fernwood, Victoria

A gentle, accessible Yoga for Everybody class will be offered in Fernwood during the final week of August. Dates and registration details will be announced soon. Join the mailing list below to be notified when registration opens.

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Book an appointment

Let's connect

Choose a time that works for you. All new clients begin with a free 20-minute discovery call.

Discovery Call
Free · 20 minutes · Video or phone
Sessions
60 min · $135
75 min · $160
90 min · $175
In-person (Vancouver) or online across BC
Insurance
Sessions covered by most extended health plans
Contact
counselling@withchandler.com
250-354-3570
Booking policy: Appointments must be booked at least 5 business days in advance. For urgent inquiries, please contact directly.

Month Year

This booking system integrates with Google Calendar. Submitting a request sends a confirmation email and adds a provisional hold.

Get in touch

Connect with Chandler

Whether you have questions about the work, want to learn about workshops, or just want to reach out, I'd love to hear from you.

Phone
250-354-3570
Location
Vancouver, BC, in-person & online across BC
Instagram
@_the_heart_of_it

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