Counselling Practice Website
Practice Information
Do you sometimes feel like it is difficult to get through the day? Do you often feel low and like your progress is somehow blocked? Are you at a point in your life where it seems like nothing is changing? I understand that struggling can make us feel hopeless, unmotivated, and frustrated. My human experience allows me to identify with the challenges you are facing, because I face them too. It is my calling to help others at a human level on this journey of healing, and through counselling, you can feel empowered to reclaim your confidence and take back control of your life. You will not be seen as someone who is needing to be fixed or who is broken, but as a whole being who is currently struggling. Let me help you deal with the challenges and transitions that show up along the way, and lead you to a more empowered and authentic life. I believe that everyone has the capacity to be resilient and heal from their past. With the right therapist, you will feel a level of safety in your sessions and will be offered effective tools that will set you up to do the therapy work and succeed.
I work with people who are struggling in a number of areas including depression and anxiety, life transitions and grief, self-esteem issues, coping skills, co-dependence and people pleasing, relationship problems, and psychedelic integration. In-person, in-nature, video, and phone sessions are all available depending on your comfort level and what best fits your needs. Sessions are also available during weekdays and evenings. Each session is tailored to fit you and your experience, and will allow you to feel in control of your own healing. I aim to pull from several different models of therapy that will create a safe, yet challenging environment for your inner growth. Some of the models that I use in sessions are compassionate inquiry, inner child work, narrative therapy, solution-focused therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, and dialectical behaviour therapy. In our sessions, you can expect to move at your own pace while being gently encouraged to reflect on the areas of your life where you would like to see growth. Over time, we will work together and break down some of the blocks that are keeping you from the results you want to see in your day to day life.
COUNSELLING RATES
The regular rates at Somatic Swell Counselling for a Canadian Certified Counsellor affiliated with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association are as follows:
- $145 + GST for 50 minute sessions
- $217.50 + GST for 75 minute sessions
Somatic Swell Counselling does accept clients on a sliding fee scale. Please ask about this when you are booking your session, and we will discuss the details and availability.
***If you have health benefits, please check with your provider to ensure that your sessions will be covered as we do not direct bill***
The list of benefits and risks of counselling outlined below are not exhaustive, but will give you an informed idea about whether or not therapy is right for you. It is much more likely that therapy will be beneficial, but it does bring about a certain amount of risk that should be considered. Clients are strongly encouraged to discuss any concerns, doubts, or fears about their progress in therapy, including any benefits or risks that are not listed but may be associated with their situation.
NICOLE ALEXANDER, MEd, CCC
My Background
My passion for helping others began at a young age and has taken me down a deep path of self-exploration through inner child work and Hakomi therapy. By doing my own work in therapy, I learned to have more compassion for myself and others, to broaden my life perspective, and to question my relational patterns. I ultimately found more freedom in my life and the choices I made, and grew both as a person and a therapist.
I spent much of my young adulthood travelling the world through Asia, Europe, South America, Australia, and Africa. This extensive travel humbled me and really showed me how other people live, love, and struggle. It also showed me how resilient people are and how they can overcome even the greatest adversities. My passion for helping others solidified as a result and increased my faith in our own inner healing.
My formal training includes a Bachelor of Arts with a major in psychology from St. Mary’s University, and a MEd in counselling psychology from the University of Lethbridge. I have worked in a hospital setting providing counselling to adolescents in crisis, and have helped them and their families find the strength and support to re-enter their communities. A lot of my recent work has been in Somatic Experiencing and psychedelic integration, which has included my own personal journey in this realm. I have also completed trainings in Somatic Experiencing (Beginning I, II, and III), Psychedelic Integration, Compassionate Inquiry, self-esteem, male and female sexuality, and sex positivity.
MEET GOOSE
Goose is a friendly, snuggly, and happy Goldendoodle that sometimes attends in-office and outdoor sessions. You might also spy him in the background of a zoom session. Goose brings a calm energy to the therapy room, as well as a wagging tail and the occasional dog lick. His favourite treats are apples, peanut butter, and carrots, and he loves running along Dallas Road with all of his pupper friends. He also rates napping as 10/10.
BENEFITS OF COUNSELLING
- Improvement in general mood
- Increased self-esteem, confidence, and relationship satisfaction
- Gaining coping skills to manage stress more effectively
- Set and achieve realistic goals
- Get help to express feelings and manage strong emotional reactions
- Greater ability to communicate needs, feelings, and thoughts more openly to others
- Less engagement in unhealthy or destructive behaviours and replacing them with healthy behaviours
- Coming to terms with past experiences
- Increased ability to set boundaries
- More self-acceptance and decreased levels of anxiety and depression
RISKS OF COUNSELLING
- Lack of progress towards therapy goals
- Relationships with other people in your life may be impacted
- Uncomfortable or painful feelings may get worse at the beginning of therapy (this is usually temporary)
- Counselling may bring up painful memories causing you to feel guilt, sadness, anxiety, anger or frustration
- Feelings of vulnerability when sharing sensitive information
- Financial cost of therapy
- Feelings of distress when therapy ends
- Gaining insights about yourself that are difficult to accept and work through
- Experiencing your own comfort or resistance when being challenged by your therapist
PSYCHEDELIC INTEGRATION
Disclaimer: Somatic Swell Counselling does not provide psychedelic substances nor do we offer information on where to access controlled substances. The only legal way to access controlled substances is through an approved research study. If you wish to participate in a clinical trial, visit clinicaltrials.gov. Psychedelic Integration therapy is not about encouraging the consumption of psychedelics, it is about post-consumption management and harm reduction.
For individuals who are planning to participate in a psychedelic journey, or who have already explored psychedelic journeying and are looking to integrate their insights with the help of a counsellor, psychedelic integration is offered by Somatic Swell Counselling.
Psychedelic integration aims to help bolster healing and change, and to make sense of the symbolism and insights that arise during a psychedelic journey. As a psychedelic integration therapist, I provide a non-judgmental and compassionate professional relationship that will challenge you and allow you to objectively see your own truth. My approach is gentle and emotion-focused, and works from a trauma informed and attachment-oriented perspective. This means that we may explore family dynamics and the significant experiences that make up your past in order to heal painful patterns. I will utilize a range of coping skills and techniques to support you in healing that will allow you to express yourself more freely, and to know yourself on a deeper level.
Specialized Training
- Psychedelic Therapy and Integration
- Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy with TheraPsil
- Somatic Experiencing (Beginning levels I, II, and III
Client Fee (Individuals)
Availability
Latest Blog Post by Nicole Alexander
Have you ever noticed how your body tenses up when you’re stressed — maybe your shoulders creep toward your ears, or your stomach feels tight? That’s your nervous system doing its best to protect you. Somatic Experiencing (SE) is all about helping your body release that stored tension so you can feel calmer and more grounded. Developed by Dr. Peter Levine, SE is a body-based approach to healing trauma and stress. Instead of focusing only on talking about what happened, it gently guides you to notice what’s happening inside your body right now — sensations, breath, muscle tension, even…