Galina Freed, registered clinical counsellor

Hi! I am Galina (they/them). 

I am a trauma therapist and an EMDR-trained clinician. Apart from working in private practice, I also work as a mental health counsellor for international students at a college in Vancouver. 

I am passionate about supporting immigrant, neurodivergent, and LGBTQIA folk in navigating educational and workplace challenges. I work extensively with people who experience workplace stress, workplace trauma, and moral injury – a type of traumatic response that can result from violating our own values at workplace. 

A great deal of my work is situated within the queer community. I support clients through gender identity exploration and sexual orientation exploration, navigating community and interpersonal relationships, and addressing religious trauma. 

I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor with BC Association of Clinical Counsellors. I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with a minor in Statistics from York University, and my Master of Counselling degree from Athabasca University, where my research focused on mental health stigma. 

Here’s what my therapeutic approach is based on:

Science. I’ve been a science nerd since High School and that applies to my clinical work as well! I am passionate about knowledge translation – reviewing the latest experimental findings in psychology and bringing them to the therapy room. In the mental health community it is know as "evidence-based practice"- i.e. use of approaches that have been reliably found effective through a large number of studies. 

Radical Transparency. I don’t keep any trade secrets in the space between us. I believe in being fully open about any interventions that I propose, their risks, and their benefits, so you can decide if they align with your goals, your understanding of the world, and your values.  

Working with words and going beyond words. Sometimes, it can be extremely helpful to be able to give language to the things we experience. Naming our experiences can help us feel less alone and more connected to others. At the same time, talking can be exceptionally difficult, and sometimes it can make us feel worse. The good news is: we don’t need to be limited by words. There are ways of communicating and processing feelings through art, music, movement, breath, and more. We will work in the way that makes counselling most accessible to you. 

• ·EMDR | Alivia Maric + Eve Wilensky
• ·Compassion-Focused Therapy | Marie Bloomfield 
• ·CBT and Exposure & Response Prevention for Treatment of GAD, Panic Disorder, OCD, Social Anxiety, & Phobias | Kimberly J Morrow + Elizabeth DuPont Spencer
• ·Motivational Interviewing, Levels I and II | Christine Urquhart
• ·Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP) Intensive Training Course | Robert Rhoton + Erik Gentry 
• ·Indigenous Cultural Safety | San'yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training Program

In my spare time I can be found in some queer spaces in Vancouver’s downtown; in nature, hiking the local trails; and around BC, participating in climate justice education and climate activism.