Alex Henderson

Hi There,

 My name is Alex, I am a new counsellor completing my master’s while I work at Nimble here in Vancouver. My perspectives and approach to counselling have been shaped by my own experiences as a client who tried several roads before eventually learning how to properly care for myself. My approach is person-centred which means I believe that every person is unique in their experience and their person and therapy should reflect this. I am also a holistic thinker which to me means that I see the world systemically- everything from our brains to our bodies to our lives are comprised of interconnected systems and we cannot change one part of a system without coming up elsewhere. That means that I aim help build sustainable patterns of change and not to effect only one aspect of your experience. This doesn’t mean that I am not solution-oriented or willing to work on a specific problem but that I prioritize feasibility and longevity when working to change patterns of behaviour and emotion.

 On a personal note, my approach to therapy is built around trauma-informed and anti-oppressive thinking, philosophies that I have found personally meaningful. My style of therapy is focused on honesty, something that I take very seriously but that I approach with humour and light-heartedness when it is appropriate. I really believe in the value of connection and I know that a great deal of what is helpful about therapy is collaborative. Therapy works best when we can share with one another and sharing is only possible when we can treat each other as collaborators. I carry a congenital defect that has made chronic pain a defining feature in my adult life and while it is not something I enjoy, it has been a powerful teacher. Furthermore I worked (and struggled) as a chef for years before turning to counselling and while I am firmly out of the kitchen not, the impact of those experiences on my personhood have been foundational. Pain has taught me patience and precision and kitchen’s have taught me humour, practicality and the importance of relationships, all of which are dynamics I bring to the therapy. Whether you are experiencing crisis, wanting to unpack events of the past or explore interpersonal and emotional dynamics or something in-between, I am here.