Andrea has been a teacher for the past seven years. She completed her Master's degree in Counselling at Yorkville University. Skills she hopes to transfer to counselling are being able to create a safe environment, a feeling of belonging and mutual respect. She is excited to pursue counselling, as it is something she has always wanted to do, but she wanted to gain some life experience first. Personal traits she has are being able to show empathy, and kindness and making whomever she is talking to feel that they are being heard!

 

While attending UVIC to obtain her Bachelor of Psychology degree, and taking public transit, she realized that strangers would always approach her and tell her their deepest thoughts and feelings. She knew counselling would be in her future if people she had never met before decided to feel comfortable enough to share with her! She is also very interested in human behaviour and hearing everyone’s unique story. She loves learning about other cultures and did her teaching practicum in Oaxaca, Mexico. She loved the laid-back lifestyle and the importance of family while being there.

 

She enjoys being active such as playing tennis, golf, and cycling. Her husband and she did a relay triathlon with her dad on their third date! She also loves to bake and read! She is a new mother and had an ectopic pregnancy prior to their son. She has gone through the grief cycle and wants to create awareness and healing with maternal health.

 

She hopes to work with a wide range of clients to gain experience, but she is interested in maternal counselling as it helped her personally deal with postpartum anxiety.