Heike Dumke

Individual and caregiver counselling to help you navigate cognitive, emotional, and life changes:

• Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)
• Cognitive Rehabilitation & Wellness
• Brain Health & Cognitive Ageing
• Caregiver Support
• Physical Injury Rehabilitation Counselling
• Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment (CRCI)
• Anxiety
• Stress Management

Dr. Heike's professional experience includes working in the fields of cognitive ageing as well as brain injury for more than a decade. Within the field of cognitive ageing, she has spent years researching lifespan development, including ageing issues such as healthy and pathological ageing (i.e., dementia, mild cognitive decline) and brain health (e.g., cognitive wellness). She has published in this field and is currently writing blogs on ageing issues, which you can read at her website.

Dr. Heike has been dedicated to neuro-informed care for nearly two decades, beginning her work with a WorkSafeBC brain injury program in January 2008. In 2013, she expanded her reach by launching her private practice, Mind Your Brain, to deliver those same specialized rehabilitation services directly to the community. While her clinical journey advanced further in 2022 when she transitioned into a post-injury rehabilitation counselling role within another specialized WorkSafeBC program, she continues to provide these critical community services today—including dedicated, specialized rehabilitation counselling for ICBC clients navigating recovery from motor vehicle accidents.

Throughout this time, she has developed specialized expertise in cognitive rehabilitation therapy (CRT) through advanced training, including Brain Tree training (United Kingdom), and clinical experience. This allows her to address thinking and memory difficulties that often underlie the emotional challenges people experience following acquired brain injury or other conditions affecting cognitive functioning (e.g., cancer treatment-related cognitive changes).

As a counsellor integrating brain health, cognitive wellness, cognitive ageing, and brain injury rehabilitation principles, Dr. Heike can provide insights into what drives the challenges that a person may experience.

Depending on a client’s specific concerns, Dr. Heike is able to address cognitive as well as emotional challenges that clients may present with. Emotional difficulties may result from challenges experienced due to ageing or brain injury (e.g., traumatic brain injury/concussion, brain infection, stroke, brain tumour, chemotherapy). However, cognitive challenges can also contribute to feelings of irritability, frustration, grief, anxiety, and loneliness/social isolation. Addressing these underlying cognitive factors can help support emotional well-being. Dr. Heike often accomplishes this through education about emotions, cognitive wellness, myths of cognition (e.g., memory functioning), and practical strategies while supporting a client's emotional well-being.