Karen Benbassat Ali MA., RCC

For over fifteen years I worked in visual arts education and exhibitions at museums and galleries in Vancouver. In these roles, I learned the power of observation—of looking for ruptures and incongruences to better understand the meaning beneath the surface of what we think we see and know. Working with large and diverse groups of adults and youth, I would facilitate sometimes difficult conversations about a wide scope of issues and concerns, often taking a global perspective. My previous graduate study focused on the visual expression of various types of trauma embedded in the process of colonization, war, and addressing cultural difference.

Together, we will form a plan that is tailored to your needs as an individual, drawing from a variety of approaches that have been shown to be effective at creating change. From mindfulness to body-based therapies to a deep examination of family history through patterns and repetitions, we will work to increase your awareness and use helpful tools and strategies to manage life’s challenges and transitions.

Our relationships and interpersonal connections, both at home and at work, are critical markers of our identity, sense of self, and place in the world. They can serve as blueprints for our conflicts and challenges—for everything that feels wrong with us. But they can also be a place of support, growth, and connection. Using a strengths-based approach, I work on a variety of issues, from relationship challenges and conflicts to anxiety and depression, that can stem from trauma and early attachment issues. I welcome the opportunity to work with you, inviting you into a safe space to more deeply examine the areas of your life that feel difficult, misunderstood, and challenging to speak about.

I can assist through:

Online and Telephone Counselling

Individual Counselling

Youth Counselling

Group Counselling

Areas of Expertise

Anxiety

Depression

Trauma

Relational Challenges

Divorce and Separation

Anxiety and Depression

Post-partum Depression

Grief, Loss and Bereavement

Stress Management

Parenting

Soul Work, Life Meaning and Purpose

Sexuality and Sexual Identity

Approaches include:

Brainspotting

Narrative Therapy

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

Mark Wolynn’s Approach to Intergenerational Trauma

Traumagrams

Somatic Therapy

Expressive Arts Therapy (Writing and Art)