You Were Told to Come Here. That's a Hard Way to Start.
You don't have to pretend otherwise. This wasn't your idea.
Most people who show up for court-mandated counselling aren't just resentful, embarrassed, or numb — they're all three, sometimes before they find parking. That's not a problem to work through before we begin. That's just an honest starting point.
I'm not going to ask you to believe in this. Willingness and enthusiasm are different things, and you only need one of them. The men who've gotten the most out of this work weren't the ones who were excited to be here. They were the ones who were willing to be honest — even when that honesty was just about how much they didn't want to be here.
I've been working with court-mandated clients for over 7 years. In that time, I've worked alongside probation officers, ICBC, MCFD, and family courts. I've run groups for men on emotional management and substance use. I've worked with individuals dealing with IPV, addictions, alcohol use, and parenting requirements. I've seen people reunite with their children, rebuild relationships, get out of legal trouble, and move forward — not by going through the motions, but by doing the actual work. I know what this process looks like from every angle. I'm not guessing at what you're facing.
You didn't choose this. I'm not going to pretend otherwise. But I'll work with you like this time matters — because it can.
What to Expect — Including What Gets Reported
This section matters. I’d rather be direct about it than have you spend four sessions wondering what I’m writing down.
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Everything begins with a free 15-minute phone consultation. This is a chance to ask me directly what the process looks like, what documents I provide to the court, and whether you think we can work together. There’s no commitment involved.
From there, we’ll schedule a full intake session. This is where we go over what the court has asked for, what I’ll be documenting, and what we’ll actually be working on.
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Everything you say in session is confidential, with three exceptions. I’m required by law to break confidentiality if:
1. You disclose an intention to harm yourself or someone else
2. There is an active risk to a child
3. I receive a court order requiring disclosure
Outside of those three situations — what you say stays in this room.
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At the end of a court-mandated program, I provide a completion letter confirming:
· That you attended the required number of sessions
· The general focus area (e.g. anger management, addictions)
· Whether you engaged in the process
I do not provide session transcripts. I do not share specific disclosures you made. I do not summarize our conversations in detail. What I provide is a letter of participation and completion.
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Sessions are 50 minutes ($180). Most court-mandated programs run between 6 and 12 sessions depending on what’s been ordered and what we’re working through together.
Direct billing is available for most extended health benefit plans. A sliding scale is available — if cost is a barrier, tell me. I’d rather find something that works than have you drop out halfway through.
I offer in-person sessions in Surrey and virtual sessions across British Columbia. If you’re in the Lower Mainland, in-person is available. If you’re elsewhere in BC, we work over video
Areas of Practice
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You're here because of a court order, a probation condition, or a diversion program following an incident. That's the situation and it doesn't define what comes next. In this work, we slow down the moments that escalated and look at what was actually happening underneath them not the reaction itself, but what was building before it. You'll learn to recognize your triggers earlier, understand the patterns that fuel them, and develop responses that hold up under real pressure not just in a calm room, but in the moments that actually test you.
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A bail condition, probation order, or court-mandated treatment program brought you here and that's where we start. No judgment about how you got here, and no pretending it's simple. What we do is look honestly at what the substance has been doing for you because it was doing something, and that matters. We'll work on understanding what was underneath it, what needs it was meeting, and what a sustainable path forward looks like beyond willpower alone.
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You may be here because of an ICBC requirement, a court order, or as part of the process toward license reinstatement after a DUI charge. This is a space to look honestly at what was actually going on not to assign blame, but to understand it. We'll explore the role alcohol plays in your life, what was happening at the time, and what you want things to look like going forward. No lectures, no shame just an honest conversation about where you are and what you want to do with it.
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A separation agreement, family court order, MCFD or referral from a mediator or lawyer has brought you to this work. Most people were never taught the skills that make relationships function not in any meaningful way. In counselling, we look at the patterns that keep showing up, explore how you communicate under stress, and build real skills: asking for what you need, disagreeing without it becoming a rupture, and staying present when it's hard. None of this is about fault, it's about learning what most people are still figuring out.
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A no-contact order, peace bond, bail condition, or family court requirement has brought you into this process. You're here, and that's where we begin. This work goes deeper than completing a program—it's about honestly understanding the patterns that caused harm, how those patterns developed, and what real accountability looks like in practice. We'll look at your own history, what you've carried, and what it means to make a lasting change — not for a court, but because it matters
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You're here because of a court requirement, as a condition of supervised visitation, or through involvement with child protection. That can feel heavy — and it's okay to say so. What we do in this work isn't a checklist or a performance evaluation. We look at how you show up as a parent, what gets in the way, how your own upbringing shaped what you learned, and how to build a real, grounded relationship with your kids — one that holds up over time, not just while someone is watching.
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An HR requirement, a condition of continued employment, a union grievance process, or an employer referral has led you here. Whatever the specifics, something built up and came to a head — and this is the space to understand what that was. We'll look at what was happening underneath the incident, how you navigate difficult environments and pressure, and how to protect your reputation and integrity going forward. The goal isn't to talk about what you did wrong — it's to figure out what you actually need so it doesn't happen again.