Hello, my name is Harkamal and I identify as a cis-gendered, able-bodied male and first generation settler of South Asian descent. I live and work on the unceded ancestral territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
I hold a MA in Counselling Psychology and am an active member with the BCACC. Over the past 13 years, I have worked as a Registered Clinical Counsellor primarily in the public health sector in a clinic setting. Over the span of my career, I have provided counselling services to individuals facing challenges related to substance use, behavioral addictions, clinical depression, severe anxiety, complicated grief and loss, and effects of trauma, including single incident and complex trauma. I have received training in several evidence-based therapeutic modalities such as motivational interviewing, acceptance and commitment therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and narrative therapy. In addition, I am trained in body-oriented psychotherapies to address and manage PTSD symptoms, including EMDR and Somatic Experiencing.
Throughout my career, I have worked extensively with individuals who identify as marginalized and face multiple social barriers, including housing insecurity, poverty-related stressors, and discrimination based on their gender, race, and culture. This experience has informed my counseling approach, which is trauma-informed, strength-based, intersectional, and client-centered, rooted in collaborative principles, anti-oppressive practices, and an ethic of social justice.
Apart from my work with individuals, I have experience and training in working with couples to address relationship ruptures and conflicts. My couples training and certification involves Gottman Couples Therapy (level 1 and 2) and Emotionally Focussed Couples Therapy. I also have training in providing group facilitation in addressing relationship violence involving men.
Embedded in most models of therapy is the belief that healing is the outcome of a relational process. If we are wounded in an unsafe relationship, the wounds must heal in a context of relational safety. Thus, I am committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for my clients.
I am currently providing both in-person and virtual/online and telephone counselling, and I offer a free 20-minute telephone or online consultation to help potential clients see if my counselling services might be a good fit for them.
Thank you for considering me as a potential therapist, and I look forward to the opportunity to work with you.