Thriving Roots Counselling Services offers counselling sessions for youth, families and adults to explore and expand their relationship to the natural world, while creating a therapeutic environment through evidence-based counselling practices. Counsellors provide support for folks who are looking for an alternative approach to office-based counselling services. Thriving Roots is based on a philosophy that creates opportunities for deep connection to self, others and the natural world in order to strengthen these bonds that can help support clients with an array of challenges.

Why Nature-based counselling?

Counsellors follow the clients' curiosities and needs while finding effective approaches to build in skills and support clients to explore their strengths and challenges in a compassionate way while engaging with the natural surroundings to create more connection, belonging and fun.

Nature-based counselling is an experiential form of therapy because we are engaging with the natural world to help us grow and develop with the idea that people are connected to and impacted by their natural environment. We often use therapeutic games, reflection questions, sensory experiences, mindfulness practices, and regulation/restorative activities to help clients meet their needs and overcome challenges.

Who is it for?

Thriving Roots Counselling Services are for youth (6+), teens, adults and families who enjoy an outdoor, nature-based approach. There is an indoor office or possibilities to meet up online due to inclement weather or to build confidence and rapport before taking the sessions outdoors. Many folks seek out our services because they have exhausted the indoor, office setting approach or because they already feel more comfortable outside.

In-person, office-based sessions are currently available on Fridays at Vanya's Hillside office. *Occasionally office-based sessions are available on Saturdays, pls request this using the waitlist option or email Vanya directly: vanya@thrivingroots.org.
 
Counselling can support your personal development by responding to your particular circumstances, whether integrating and processing anxiety, grief/loss, trauma/PTSD, family or relationship challenges, stress/burnout, life transitions, or disconnection from self and the natural world. Our counsellors help you recognize and build on the strides you’ve already made in your life’s journey while helping you develop more skills to navigate the challenges.

Our counselling services are informed by research and practice in wholeness-focused, trauma-informed, somatic/body-oriented, mindfulness-based, and nature connected approaches for adults, families and youth ages 6+.

Sessions are available at our office (Hillside) or in person outdoors at selected parks and trails.
*Nature-based sessions: Pls book an initial session in person at the office or online via a telehealth session before we book your first outdoor, nature-based session.