Alliya Williams
Bachelor of Arts (Psychology)
Registered Clinical Counsellor (Intern)
Here's what I believe.
I believe that life can hold many truths at once. Suffering and connection, uncertainty and possibility, vulnerability and resilience, and choice within constraints are tensions that can coexist with a meaningful life. Counselling can offer a space to co-explore these tensions, cultivate the resilience already within you, so you understand what matters for your growth. I hope to support you in navigating uncertainty, discovering new possibilities, and making choices that feel nourishing and aligned with who you are. All while creating a space for you to bring your full experience without needing to have everything figured out. Because nobody does!
Why I Care.
I care because I value how human connection provides us with someone else to hold onto, beyond ourselves. The experience of being held and with another who is emotionally present has been an anchor of safety for me, and I want to provide that for you. I understand how there can be safety within our invisibility. I care because my wish is for all humans to be seen, included, and known. We are two humans experiencing the world in different ways, and our experiences matter… your experience matters. I care because I believe every person deserves to be seen by others and oneself. Wherever we may go together on this journey, and wherever you may go after, I hope you remain curious about the person you are, and the ongoing process of becoming.
My Education & Credentials.
I have a Bachelor of Psychology from the University of Victoria. And right now, I am in the final stages of the Master of Counselling program at Gonzaga University. Much of my experience has been accumulated in Victoria, B.C and my hometown, Kamloops. Beginning in 2022, I have gained experience working with children, youth, and adults in community mental health and crisis intervention and supporting people who have had involvement with the justice system. I have developed a genuine appreciation for this work. I value getting to know the person in front of me, with curiosity and respect for the experiences, relationships, and circumstances that have shaped their life. My experience has also focused on supporting autistic individuals and people navigating substance-use concerns.
CREDENTIALS:
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B.A. (Psych)
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Master of Counselling (In progress)
CLIENT FOCUS:
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Youth 14+
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Adults
COUNSELLING FOCUS:
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Neurodivergence (ADHD, ASD, AuDHD)
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Substance Use
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Anxiety
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Teens
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Life transitions
RECENT TRAINING:
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Healing Between Worlds with Ryan Denault
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Autistic Burnout with Kelsey Ashe, Healing Spaces
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Mental Health First Aid Essentials - Mental Health Commission of Canada
Why People Work With Me
I am both gentle and direct in my approach, while letting you be where you need to be. Joy, silliness, comfort, discomfort, pain, and vulnerability are all part of counselling and can flow as we sit together. I allow emotions and conversations to develop organically. Sometimes emotions are confusing, hard, weird, or difficult to experience and put into words.I will be there with you as you become aware of what is happening, while supporting you to safely venture beyond your comfort zone.
My intention is to understand you as best as I can as we discover who you are. I will be right in your river with you. There is room for all the parts that make you, you, including the parts you may not know.
I understand how life can move and move and move, so fast, and we find ourselves acting in ways that don’t align with who we believe we are or what we want. I understand how we can get there, and I understand how impossible it can seem to move a different direction. Together, we can slow down and discover what meaningful living looks like for you within an unpredictable world that we all experience in our own unique way.
And while our work together is about you, I am okay with being known, too. I value a counselling relationship where we can meet one another as two humans, while keeping your experience at the centre of our work.