As the first point of contact at VCFI, Lorene brings a friendly and outgoing personality to her role as our Office Administrator. Our clients and office staff feel her positive “can-do” attitude.

Lorene’s sensitivity in working with people comes from her extensive experience in HR and administration in the home health care industry and also in the general labour sector. Her professionalism and dependability is exemplified in her key role at VCFI.

Lorene is a valuable part of our team as she respectfully and confidentially assists new clients in the first steps of connecting with a therapist at VCFI. Lorene will gather information from you to assist the directors in establishing a good match between you and your therapist. You may provide this information by contacting our office or completing our secure online intake questionnaire. Additionally, she is able to answer general inquiries which you may have regarding therapy and our EFT training programs.

As the first point of contact at VCFI, Lorene brings a friendly and outgoing personality to her r... Read More

Carol has deep respect for the courage shown by clients in seeking therapy. She sees her role as one of providing support, guidance and skills to make change possible, helping clients live more joyful lives. Her style is direct and transparent, incorporating compassion and humour. She is a Registered Psychologist with over 20 years of experience in individual, group and couples psychotherapy. She integrates well-researched methods such as cognitive-behavioural, interpersonal and emotion-focused approaches to assist clients in understanding their concerns and finding solutions.

In couple and group formats, Carol supports clients in finding ways to better communicate with one another. She creates a safe place for exploring, providing feedback, and growing together. In addition to practice within sessions, Carol emphasizes ways to transfer new skills and behaviours to the “real world”. Carol is skilled at helping all clients feel heard, understood, and respected.

Carol completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at UBC and has practiced in numerous hospital and outpatient settings. She has acted as a program coordinator and provides supervision for pre- and post-doctoral therapists. Carol is a Clinical Associate of the Simon Fraser University Psychology Department.

Carol’s areas of practice include:

Individual therapy for: depression, stress & anxiety, relationship concerns, eating disorders, grief and loss, coping with chronic medical illness, self-esteem, and sleep disorders.

Couples counseling for: overcoming relationship tension and conflict, improving and strengthening emotional connection, recovery from affairs, addressing tension related to trying to conceive and infertility, managing relationships in which one or both partners struggle with psychological concerns, and decisions related to commitment.

Group therapy for: couples seeking a workshop format to understand problematic interaction patterns and individuals seeking specific emotional or relationship skills training and peer feedback.

Carol’s schedule is:

Monday – 10AM to 5PM

Wednesday – 10AM to 5PM

Thursday – 9AM to 3PM

Carol has deep respect for the courage shown by clients in seeking therapy. She sees her role as ... Read More

Seeing a therapist for the first time is all too often an intimidating or overwhelming prospect. With the right guide, however, therapy can not only be a powerful force for change but also a safe, comfortable, and welcoming experience. Being granted a trustful space to explore the parts of yourself that may have prevented you in the past from achieving your goals or meeting your needs: this is the wonder and potential of therapy.

Patrick is a firm believer in the concept of therapy as beneficial to anyone who is interested in learning more about their own thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, and wants to use that insight to better themselves and their relationships. Patrick is structured and analytical in his approach but adept at evoking deep emotion required for lasting change. He will challenge you in a way that constructively promotes growth while creating crucial space for you to be seen and heard. Witnessing a person’s personal journey is an essential role for any therapist to perform, and Patrick’s presence will allow you to make sense of your next steps in that journey.

Patrick provides his clients with supportive counselling techniques and specific interventions grounded in multiple evidence-based treatments and therapeutic modalities, including pure Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT). He has practiced extensively in non-profit and public health settings, serving adults, youth, and children. In all therapeutic formats, Patrick is respectful of the different identities and narratives that clients bring to the counselling room. His warm and empathic approach will center you as the “author” of your own story.

Patrick’s areas of practice include:

Counselling for Individuals: depression, anxiety, stress, anger issues, acute and chronic traumatic responses, grief and loss, challenges with relationships, neurodivergent challenges (incl. ADHD and ASD), goal setting, identity and role clarification, mental illness management

Counselling for Couples: communication and boundary setting, interpersonal conflict and persistent negative relational patterns, trust breakdown and rebuilding

Counselling for Families: attachment-based parental coaching and skill building, parent-teen mediation, family restructuring (including divorce and separation), caring for children with special needs

Patrick’s schedule is:

Monday – 9:00AM to 6:00PM

Tuesday – 9:00AM to 6:00PM

Wednesday – 9:00AM to 6:00PM

Thursday – 9:00AM to 6:00PM

Friday – 9:00AM to 4:00PM (Virtual Only)

Seeing a therapist for the first time is all too often an intimidating or overwhelming prospect. ... Read More

Registered Clinical Counsellor #21905, Registered Psychotherapist #12354, Canadian Certified Counsellor #11244485, Certified Emotionally Focused Individual, Couples and Family Therapist

“It’s complicated.” “I don’t know.” These are often places where it starts. It can seem messy but Rikki believes in getting in there with you to make sense of the layers together. He is gentle yet transparent in his approach. He structures the session towards discovering what is important to you and what hurts, so together you can work towards a way of relating that helps. He listens to understand your challenges and guide you to carve out your own path at your own pace.

Rikki offers support rooted in evidence-based practices and is certified in using Emotionally Focused Therapy for individuals, couples, and families. Having worked with young children, youth, and adults of all ages in his past professions, he is cognizant of adjusting to the varying needs of his clients. When working with multiple people in the room, he actively engages with each person to ensure he gets their perspective. He keeps his ear out for factors like cultural differences, spirituality, sexuality, socio-economic status growing up, and challenges associated with your profession that may have an impact on you and how you show up in the world.

Rikki strongly believes that all persons, regardless of their differences, are deserving of dignity and thus strives to provide all his clients with the same high standards of care. He focuses on helping clients build a meaningful connection with their inner world and nurturing stronger relationships with the people who matter most to them.

Rikki’s areas of practice include:

Counselling for Individuals: Depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, anger, trauma, stress, burnout, grief & loss, stuck relationship patterns, life decisions, sexual identity, immigration adjustment, navigating cultural differences.

Counselling for Couples: Conflict and communication issues, loss of intimacy, stuck relationship patterns, navigating cultural differences, rebuilding trust and connection, decisions around commitment.

Counselling for Families: Behavioural challenges, communication; stuck interpersonal patterns between parents, parents and children or adult children, and siblings.

Languages: English, Hindi

Rikki’s schedule is:

Monday 10AM to 5:30PM

Tuesday 10AM to 7PM

Thursday 10AM to 7PM

Friday 10AM to 5:30PM

Registered Clinical Counsellor #21905, Registered Psychotherapist #12354, Canadian Certified Coun... Read More

As a psychologist, Jocelyne is passionate about her work with children, teens, and adults alike. At once warm and practical, she helps you make lasting changes with confidence. A mother herself, she appreciates the challenges today’s parents face in raising healthy, competent children.

Jocelyne’s study of relationships and experience with a number of special populations have led her to recognize the fundamental role that our relationships hold in overcoming adversity. Jocelyne is committed to helping you and your loved ones identify and build on your own sources of resilience through therapy.

Jocelyne completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Simon Fraser University. For over twenty years, she has conducted therapy with people from all walks of life. She is well versed in a number of therapeutic approaches including Emotionally Focused Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy, Narrative, Developmental, and Solution-focused therapies. She has worked in several community, hospital and forensic settings as a clinician and supervisor. She continues to enjoy supervising and training interns and graduate students.

Originaire de Montréal, Québec, Jocelyne parle couramment le français et elle est toujours heureuse de pouvoir travailler avec des francophones.

Jocelyne’s areas of practice include: Individual therapy for: Relationship challenges, stress and associated symptoms of anxiety and depression, grief and loss, life transitions, family of origin issues, self-esteem and identity, parenting.

Dyadic/family counselling: supporting parents and/or co-parents to be an effective unit; relationship counselling in support of parent-child and/or parent/teen communication and to strengthen bonds

Child/Adolescent therapy for: managing and adjusting to adversity including separation, divorce, blended families, chronic and/or life threatening illness, medical and psychological trauma, grief and loss, bullying, depression.

As a psychologist, Jocelyne is passionate about her work with children, teens, and adults alike. ... Read More

Registered Clinical Counsellor #1868 Certified Emotionally Focused Individual and Couples Therapist EFT Supervisor-in-Training for Couples Francine Marx-Zatzick

When you meet with Francine, you will be greeted by her warmth, openness and authenticity. She holds a deep curiosity and respect for people’s struggles. Her clients appreciate Francine’s candor and astute guidance, as they navigate their challenges together. She helps them to understand themselves better, which ultimately leads to a greater sense of well-being and becoming the person they truly want to be.

Francine brings almost 30 years of experience to her work as a therapist. She studied counselling and somatic psychology at JFK University in California, where she earned her Marriage and Family Therapy license in 2000. Francine has extensive training in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and Emotionally Focused Therapy. She carries a mindfulness-based approach in all of her work, helping people to become more self-aware, compassionate and comfortable with their emotions.

While she has worked in a variety of community-based settings with groups and families, Francine currently focuses on working with couples and adult individuals. She is committed to meeting people wherever they are at, and welcomes clients from diverse backgrounds, including gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. She recognizes the importance of helping people with their significant relationships, as well as with their relationship to themselves.

Francine brings a variety of experience supervising therapists at several counselling agencies. Most recently, she developed a supervision group at VCFI for therapists new to private practice.

Francine’s areas of practice include:

Individual Therapy for: anxiety & stress; coping with and recovery from trauma; relationship challenges; parenting including of neurodiverse children; issues around identity and life transitions, grief and loss, and addictive and compulsive behaviours.

Couples Therapy to: improve communication challenges, build trust and safety, manage concerns related to mental health challenges or trauma, improve closeness and connection, work out differences around commitment, and address parenting stressors of all kinds affecting the relationship.

Francine’s schedule is:

Tuesday – 8AM to 5PM

Wednesday – 8AM to 5PM

Friday – 8AM to 5PM

Registered Clinical Counsellor #1868 Certified Emotionally Focused Individual and Couples Therapi... Read More

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With a calming and compassionate presence, Jennifer invites couples and adult individuals to address their concerns with her in counselling. Her warmth, empathy, and acceptance of individuality foster a safe environment in which to delve into personal questions from past and present. By considering attachment experiences and sociocultural context, Jennifer assists you in finding new pathways to well-being and healthy relationships. Her optimism about your potential will support you in drawing upon your inner strengths, while her gentle persistence challenges you to create lasting personal changes of which you can be proud.

Jennifer holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology and is registered as a psychologist in the province of British Columbia. She has been offering Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) to couples since 2006, when she trained for two years under the supervision of Dr. Sue Johnson, the developer of the EFT couple therapy model. Jennifer also greatly enjoys offering Hold Me Tight® relationship enhancement workshops for couples. In her work with individuals, she draws from a range of research-based therapy approaches, including emotionally-focused, short-term psychodynamic, and cognitive theories.

Jennifer has published articles and chapters regarding couples’ cooperation, relationship memories, and remarriage. Prior to private practice, she provided therapy in outpatient mental health, university counselling, and forensic settings.

Jennifer’s areas of practice include:

Individual Therapy for: Depression, Anxiety, Trauma, Stress and coping, Identity and self-esteem, Life and career transitions, Interpersonal concerns, Grief and loss, and Family of origin impacts.

Couples Counselling for: Relationship conflict, Communication, Lack of closeness and connection, Sex and intimacy, Recovery from affairs, Clarifying commitment, Pre-marital counselling, Remarriage concerns.

Jennifer’s schedule is:

Monday – 9AM to 5PM

Tuesday – 10AM to 5PM

Wednesday – 10AM to 6:15PM

Friday – 9AM to 5PM

With a calming and compassionate presence, Jennifer invites couples and adult individuals to addr... Read More

Through her warmth and compassion, Kristina strives to create a space where you can be yourself and feel heard. She brings patience and gentleness to her work, understanding the courage it takes to open up. She also honours and affirms diversity as no two clients’ experiences are alike yet connected through being human. Kristina deeply values the power of the therapeutic relationship, recognizing that trust and safety are essential for meaningful growth.

Her practice is collaborative, and trauma informed. She sees her role as supporting and walking alongside you as the “expert” on you and working at a pace that feels safe for you. Her approach is relational, emotionally focused and body-centered, meaning that she will take time to tune into your emotions and bodily sensations as they hold wisdom and insight. In addition, Kristina draws from neurobiology, to guide you in better understanding the mind-body connection. She incorporates various therapeutic modalities such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), and Parts Work (IFS).

In our work together, we will explore how past experiences may be influencing the present while also focusing on the here and now. By gently exploring patterns, emotions and sensations, we will explore how they are expressed and their impact on you. Kristina’s goals are to explore what may be holding you back from the life you want and cultivating deep and authentic connections with yourself and others – towards embracing your true self.

Kristina is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC). She has a Master’s degree in Counselling and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology.

Kristina’s areas of practice include:

Individuals: Trauma, grief and loss, anxiety, depression, relationships and dating, life transitions, sense of self and identity (i.e. self-esteem, self-worth), interpersonal challenges (i.e. emotional regulation, boundaries, communication)

Couples: Communication, intimacy and deepening connections, conflict and tension

Languages: English, Farsi

Kristina’s schedule is:

Mondays — 10AM to 6PM (Virtual)

Tuesdays to Fridays — 10AM to 6PM

Through her warmth and compassion, Kristina strives to create a space where you can be yourself a... Read More

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