About Adrian
I am a Canadian Certified Counsellor with Masters degrees in philosophy and in counselling psychology. I have been a registered member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association since 2008.
Life doesn't always change when we expect it to. Sometimes a relationship, career or life circumstance shifts and we aren't sure how to find our footing. Sometimes we reach a new chapter and realize that the life that worked for us before may no longer be the life we want now.
I’m a psychotherapist and retirement coach who helps people navigate transitions like these with greater clarity, self-understanding and confidence.
My approach is practical and forward-looking. I create a space where people can slow down, make sense of where they are, and explore what they want their lives to look like moving forward.
Before becoming a psychotherapist and retirement coach, I spent 17 years as a teacher and a school counsellor in B.C. and overseas. The work I did supporting children, families and organizations gave me a deep understanding of the many ways that change moves through human beings, and how bewildering it can be at times for all of us to deal with.
Additional Training and Experience
Two-time alum at the Modern Elder Academy
Training in Jungian psychology
Masters degree in philosophy
Compassionate Inquiry Training with Dr. Gabor Maté
Training in attachment theory with Dr. Gordon Neufeld
Training at the Vancouver School for Narrative Therapy
Trauma Recovery: EMDR level I and II training
Guest lecturer on the topic of school anxiety at the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia
Contributor to the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association Blog
Retreat leader and guest faculty member at The Haven on Gabriola Island, BC
Presenter, Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association conference
What Draws Me to the Work of Retirement Coaching?
Retirement brings us all face-to-face with some very difficult questions: Who am I now? What matters to me? What do I want this next chapter of my life to look like?
These are questions that I have explored for decades and continue to explore daily in my own life. These explorations - often guided by poetry, Stoic philosophy, and depth psychology - have enriched my life greatly. This is partly why I am drawn to doing the same kind of work with others.
I also offer specialized retirement transition coaching for firefighters. I help with the unique challenges that can come with leaving a career so closely connected to identity, community and purpose.
Ways We Can Work Together
I work with many clients online. I also offer outdoor “walk & talk” sessions for those in the Nanaimo or Vancouver BC area who would like to combine conversation with time outdoors.
Whether as a psychotherapist or as a retirement coach, my role is the same: to listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions and walk alongside people as they find their own way forward.
Who Am I Beyond the Office?
Outside of work, I love backcountry hiking, kayaking and spending time in nature. I’m also an avid drummer and love playing in classic rock cover bands.
I believe that a meaningful life is something we continue to shape through the choices we make, the relationships we nurture and the things we make room for.