My Approach to Helping
My name is Jane Ngo (pronouns: sheher) and I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS). I offer counselling for people seeking a stronger sense of purpose, increased self-esteem, self-acceptance, and clarity in their lives. I create a healing space for individuals to recover from the relentless effects of intergenerational and childhood trauma, anxiety, depression, and social conditioning that leaves people feeling disconnected from their authentic selves.
My approach to therapy comes from a Person-Centred Theory. I wish to be a companion alongside someone’s emotional experience by facilitating a warm and empathic climate wherein positive change occurs. My greatest hope as a counsellor is to act as a person who truly sees, hears, and understands another person. I believe that you are the expert in your life and I will provide you with a soothing space to gain a clearer understanding of yourself, your emotions, and your choices.
I use a Strength-Based, Person-Centered, Attachment-Focused, and Culture and Trauma-Informed lens to gain a clear understanding of your story. Together, we will create a safe and trusting space to heal from pain, gain increased resilience to stress, and rediscover trust in yourself and others to have healthy and meaningful relationships.
I bring mindfulness into my sessions to help clients gain a stronger mind and body connection in order to develop effective emotional regulation. I support couples who struggle with communication barriers and trust issues in their relationships. Using an emotion-focused and attachment lens, I help romantic partners develop practical communication skills to resolve conflicts in a healthy manner and gain comfort with vulnerability to have deeper relationships.
I meet all my clients with empathy, compassion, and acceptance. I take utmost care to listen to you and tailor my approach to suit your needs and goals so that you feel seen and heard. It can be hard to know where to begin when first starting therapy. I will help you navigate the unknown world of therapy if you feel lost. I am committed to bringing my authentic self into sessions so that you leave therapy feeling accepted and more reconnected to yourself.
If you feel courageous and ready to start your healing journey, please reach out for a free 15-minute consultation.
More Info About My Practice
Client Benefits:
My clients have reported the following benefits from working with me as their counsellor:
- Healthier friendships, family, and romantic relationships
- Improved sleep and functioning
- Increased self-esteem and confidence
- Improved work and school performance in the form of job promotions and salary raises
- Improved communication and coping skills
- An experience of self-love and self-acceptance
- Greater ability to manage unpleasant emotions to feel calm and in control of one's life
- Increased resilience to stressful events
I am currently accepting new clients without a waitlist for virtual counselling with weekend and evening availability.
Specific Issue(s) I'm Skilled at Helping With
I am skilled at helping people struggling with depression, grief and loss, medical-related trauma, and phobias because I started my helping career at BC Children's Hospital where I supported children, teens, and families dealing with these issues.
How My Own Struggles Made Me a Better Therapist
A Challenging Childhood Led to a Counselling Career:
I was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada to Vietnamese immigrant parents. My parents modeled hard work, determination, and grit to me from a young age, as I watched my dad work a minimum of 16-hour days as a welder and my mom bounce between housekeeping jobs while raising three kids.
Stress and Survival Defined My Parents' Lives:
They escaped Vietnam during the war and became refugees in the Phillippines before taking off to Canada, where they had my brothers and me.
Mental Health Was Non-Existent:
I watched my parents struggle with mental health challenges like depression, intergenerational trauma, and acculturation stress until it hit me. The trouble with growing up in a bilingual Asian home was that I didn't have the words or knowledge to understand what was happening. My younger self knew that life was tough sometimes, but mental health was non-existent.
I now understand that my parents did the best they could, but my mental health struggles left me with endless questions about myself and my feelings. I took to the internet to help me find solace until I transferred what I learned to my graduate studies to become a Registered Clinical Counsellor.
I completed my graduate studies at Adler University during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a grueling but rewarding process. My work days during this period reminded me of my father's energy-crushing schedule. I am now a Registered Clinical Counsellor dedicated to creating a safe and empathic climate for everyone I meet. I work with teens, adults, and romantic partners to unpack their histories and find freedom from oppression to live authentic lives.
I am dedicated to being the soothing presence ready to meet you where you are so that you don't have to feel as lost and alone as I once felt.