Tracey Dahl

In the room with neuroscience, attachment and the core self

Sometimes we feel unsettled, worried or stuck. Maybe it is a sense that we must to do something different to get out of a rut, but all our efforts don't create the changes we want. Our life begins to feel unsatisfying, flat, or meaningless. Processing emotional pain or relational struggles by yourself can be very overwhelming. And it can be unbearably lonely.

At the heart of my work is an understanding of attachment and neuroscience- how we connect with others to feel affirmed or safe and how our bodies and brains send information along the nervous system. When we have fear and anxiety, we can become immobilized by the sensations coursing through our bodies and rampaging around our thoughts. But here in the room with me, you are not alone; we can manage the fear and anxiety together. The primary goal is to help clients feel what they may have avoided in the past because it seemed too big and overwhelming.

Another foundational piece in this work comes from the perspective that humans have an instinctive drive towards healing and wholeness. Clients I sit with are amid grief, uncertainty about their next life steps, dealing with having an empty nest, or caring for aging parents. Or they feel physical and emotional pain because of a distressing historical event or present life situation. Most tend to have some levels of or experiences with anxiety.

And then, as they learn to feel and deal with life circumstances, we can tend to the historical places that need healing. Feeling seen, heard and understood is powerful. I am honoured to witness clients having transformational experiences and end sessions with more clarity and a greater sense of who they are at their core.

During an AEDP session, I believe we make room for new experiences because clients no longer have to manage all the parts of the struggle by themselves. We face whatever comes up in the moment and follow it through from beginning to end. Together we will undo the aloneness. Being with a trusted other can make all the difference.

The Work (My Approach)

I am a trauma-informed Registered Clinical Counsellor, Certified AEDP Therapist and an Approved Clinical Supervisor with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors. I work collaboratively and experientially with clients to explore areas in need of healing and transformation. My approach includes emotion-focused, experiential, and attachment-based therapies such as Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP). AEDP is an experiential approach where we process emotional experience, undo aloneness, privilege the positive and help you live more fully. 

Behind the Scenes

Away from my work, I lean into the simplicity of connection, nature, and spending meaningful time with my family.