Hello. Thank you for wanting to learn more about me.
I work with you to create an environment to understand yourself and to create opportunities for freedom of choice. Be it freedom from your past, a present crisis, or future concerns, counselling is a unique experience for every student I work with. Counselling is an opportunity for you to share your thoughts and feelings in a confidential environment. This means that what you share with me stays private (within a few exceptions that I will explain to you when we meet).
I have been working with individuals and groups toward positive change since 2007. This journey began with my work as a diversity educator with Inclusive Leadership bringing people from diverse backgrounds together to nurture and mentor leadership in ourselves, our communities and beyond. I have a Masters degree in counselling psychology with additional research and training in mindfulness, group counselling and trauma counselling. I have a Bachelors degree in psychology with additional studies and research in anxiety, attention, nature-connections and mindfulness. I am a certified therapist in mindfulness-based Hakomi, I have completed the basic training (level I and II) in EMDR and I am a certified Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) facilitator. I also teach suicide awareness and prevention courses here at VIU.
Across the span of my life so far I have found myself in a variety of different settings both personally and professionally. In my youth I was a passionate snowboarder, in my twenties I spent 10 years working in forestry as a timber cruiser roaming the mountains measuring trees. In my spare time I still roam the mountains but now it’s hiking and biking that take me there.
Art Phipps
Counsellor