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A Warm Welcome

I acknowledge that I currently reside on the unceded ancestral lands of Treaty 8 Territory Nations, the traditional territory of the Cree, Dene, and Métis Indigenous communities.

About

About Me

Hello Everyone!

My name is Nicholas but feel free to call me Nick ☺

I’m a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC), and the owner/operator of Growth & Grove Counselling located in Dawson Creek, BC. I’m now accepting virtual/video clients across BC as well as in-person clientele. If you’re considering working with me in a counselling setting, I think it’s important to get a sense of who I am to make sure we’re a good fit. After all, research shows one of the main determinants of success in counselling is the connection within the therapeutic relationship. Thanks for taking this moment to learn about who I am, professionally and personally.

I first and foremost identify as a helper. Throughout my life, I’ve been drawn to various helping capacities, personally and, ultimately, professionally. As a teenager I experienced sudden vision loss, which dramatically shifted my life path. After finding support through a local vision loss organization, CNIB, I then volunteered and eventually worked with them, becoming a peer mentor, vision mate, and group facilitator, assisting others who had experienced vision loss. Throughout these experiences, I realized I not only had a natural knack for helping others, but valued the connection gained from supporting others. Fortunately, following various procedures my vision stabilized but these experiences impacted the person I am today.

I eventually branched out to support other populations, helping individuals with acquired brain injuries, veterans, youth and young adults, and people struggling to obtain &/or maintain employment. In order to enhance my capacity for helping, I enrolled in school focusing on subjects such as psychology, interpersonal communication, and, ultimately, counselling. Gaining a Masters in Counselling Psychology provided me with a solid framework to support others and allowed me to enhance my helping skills even further.

Flash forward to today, I spent 2 years working with the public health unit mental health team here in Dawson Creek, BC, supporting individuals with mental health &/or substance use concerns. Throughout this experience, as well as previous helping roles, I’ve learned a lot about myself, including the importance of taking care of oneself. I realized that in order to be the kind of helper I’d like to be, I must branch out once again, but this time in my own capacity. Therefore, I started my own business whereby Growth & Grove Counselling services was formed.

I consider it a privilege to be able to help individuals explore their concerns, supporting them as they raise their awareness to improve their sense of well-being. I’ve come to understand that everyone is motivated by different factors, so I take an individualized approach to meet a person where they’re at. In my practice, I appreciate and emphasize the importance of collaborating with clients to enhance their mind-body connection, be it through mental, emotional, physical, &/or spiritual wellness. While I consider myself a “generalist” in terms of counselling, my areas of expertise and interest include: grief and loss, life transitions, existential issues, and concerns related to identity.

Services

Details of individual and group services to come...

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs to come....

Resources

Resources to come...

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Prior to working with Nick, I was very hesitant to begin counselling. I had not had many positive counselling experiences, if any, and sharing personal experiences and feelings with others has always been something I have struggled with. Nick has always gone out of his way to make sure I feel comfortable, listened to, and validated. I’m so thankful for Nick and the safe place I have found in Growth & Grove.

- S.B.

Testimonials

what our clients say about us

Nick has a wonderful, unique approach to the mental health world very akin to a breath of fresh air. After years of feeling like just another patient in other types of mental health care, or being told that I'm fine when it felt like my world was falling apart - Nick is a very welcome change to my mental health support team. He is one of the few professionals I've had that have challenged me and my way of thinking, which has led to a lot more growth and healing than I could've possibly imagined. I honestly can say I don't know where I would be without his support.

- E.

I struggle with depression, anxiety and PTSD. Counselling with Nick is where I found a safe place to be vulnerable and get some relief from the heavy feelings I was carrying. He has provided gentle guidance to challenge my thoughts and invite exploration into what my values are and plan a route back to myself.

I highly recommend Nick to anyone considering making an appointment

with a counsellor.

- C.E.