Practice information:

At Central Island Counselling, our clients will immediately find an advocate with compassion, acceptance and expertise.  We provide the highest standard of private clinical counselling services to adults, youth, children and families in the Nanaimo area and beyond.  We value privacy, professionalism and creativity in care.  We have specialized training in treating trauma and the many debilitating symptoms that can arise from trauma.  Our mission is to safely guide each client while they rediscover their internal resources.  It is our aspiration to help those who are suffering to reignite hope and increase the joy and meaning in their lives.  You are not alone and there is a path forward to healing.

Professional Bio:

Gillian earned her Master’s Degree in Social Work with a specialized training in Clinical Counselling from Florida Atlantic University in 2004. Gillian is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) as well as a Registered Clinical Social Worker (RCSW).  She has been passionately working in the counselling field for the past 18 years in various diverse settings including residential mental health and substance use treatment for youth and adults, school-based counselling, outreach counselling, outpatient counselling and counselling in the acute care setting.  She has worked for two of the top rated substance use treatment centres in North America.  She has also worked provincially for Child, Youth Mental Health (CYMH) as a Clinician and for Island Health providing outpatient youth and family substance use counselling and social work services in the acute care settings.

Gillian is known for connecting with her clients in a creative way and understands the importance of a genuine relationship.  She offers counselling in a setting that best supports you to achieve your goals, and promotes your safety and comfort. This may include meeting in an office, over secure video, or in the community.  Gillian uses a client-centered, culturally competent and holistic perspective to understand every individual clients’ relationship with their identified goals for counselling.  Together, Gillian and her clients, develop a plan of care using only evidence-based and best practice approaches.  Gillian offers animal assisted therapy and expressive play therapy.