Tell Us Your Story. What motivated you to start your business? Why are you passionate about what you do?

After serving the local community for a few years at the Child and Youth Mental Health with the Ministry of Child and Family Development and Ann Davis Transition Society, I set up my own independent private practice in 2019. I supported people through the global COVID-19 pandemic, becoming “differently abled” in the process. I am passionate about empowering others, sharing accurate and scientific information about mental health, relationships, trauma and healthy sexuality and consider offering professional counselling services and sexual health information an excellent form of community-based prevention work.

Describe and demonstrate, including metrics, your community support. How do you support and uplift your community, and how do they show that support in return? Minimum 25 words, maximum 2500 characters.

I support community by directly supporting and empowering the people within it, all throughout the year. I provide a safe, comfortable, non-judgemental, inclusive space where people can access professional counselling services and accurate sexual health information. I have supported people through various programs such as the Ann Davis Transition Society, First Nations Health Authority, Crime Victim Assistance Program and Work Safe BC. I have served as a Clinical Supervisor who trains and guides the next generation of counselling professionals who, in turn, support the people of our community through one of the programs which is the Chilliwack Youth Health Center.

Why do you deserve to win the Business Impact award?

I would be honoured to be nominated for this business impact award for small business BC as the work that professional Registered Clinical Counsellors do is most often in a private space and often out of the view of the public eye. I think it’s important to recognize and support the healthcare workers of our community that directly support and empower the people of the community.

Tell Us About Your Culture. How are you creating a sustainable and healthy workplace where everyone feels welcome? Provide examples of leadership you show in interactions with clients, vendors, contractors, staff and others.

I provide an inclusive space where youth, women, people with disabilities, sexual minorities including LGBT+ and transgender people and First Nations people are welcome and supported. And I lead by example with radical authenticity as a woman who is queer and differently abled.

Why do you think you should win the Premier’s People’s Choice Award?

I would love to be nominated for the Premier’s People’s Choice Award because mental and sexual health matters. Considering the nature of our role as health care professionals, the supportive work we do often goes unrecognized, yet it is an essential service in the support of personal, family and community-based well-being.