What is Ubuntu?
Ubuntu means I am because we are.
It comes from the African proverb, Umuntu Ngumuntu Ngabantu -
A person is a person through other people.
There is a sweetness and an openness of heart to Ubuntu. We help one another. We feel the interconnectedness with ourselves, each other, with the land and the whole world. In the Sub-Saharan African cultures where ubuntu originated, connection is valued and isolation is a responsibility of the community not just the individual.
Ubuntu is why I do the work I do. Actively taking responsibility for caring about ourselves and each other makes life rich in meaning. I am also grateful for the times I have been on the other side, receiving support. Those experiences have given me a deep compassion and respect for how hard it can feel to be a person in this world.
How I work
Person-Centred
My approach to therapy is person-centred. Generous listening, deep understanding, and unconditional acceptance are powerful agents of change. I am as passionate about grief, death, and dying as I am about young people and the art of growing up in this world.
Like most counsellors, I follow an eclectic approach - this means I draw on different modalities (listed below) - but the interventions and approaches we use will always come a close second to the person-centred therapeutic relationship. I help create an environment for real change, where you can discover what you need to be more wholly you.
Modalities
Rogerian Person-Centred Therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Mindfulness and Holistic Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)
The Dual-Process Model for Grief
Attachment Theory
Positive Psychology
Ecotherapy
Clinical Interests
‘Psychoeducation’ means breaking down psychology talk into understandable terms. Depending on what will bring value to our work, I draw from neuroscience, grief as learning, development in young people, eastern psychology, mindfulness, parenting, trauma, and traditional ways of being in our work together.
My own life experiences are only helpful insofar as they have shaped the personal and clinical growth required to hold a compassionate and grounded space. And in that space you can be received more deeply than in day-to-day life.
About me
PARENTING. I’m a single dad to two teenage boys, and being their father is my most important & cherished role. We immigrated from South Africa a decade ago for a better life. I have both lived and clinical experience supporting kids & teens with neurodivergence - something I am passionate about.
NATURE. I move, run, and play on land that was here long before me, in forests that know much more than I do. I stop often and connect with the trees. The sunrise gives me a feeling of reverence. Nurturing a deep connection with nature is equally as healing as talk therapy, and it’s an active part of my daily life.
DEATH & DYING. I volunteer at Hospice, supporting people to die a good death - which is different for each person. Support may mean a cup of tea, a hug, or quietly holding space for family members who are going through a significant loss in their life.
MUSIC has been a part of my life since I was very young. I sing, chant, and play the guitar. Where I grew up, the baristas will sing out loud together as they make your coffee. I’m grateful to have met many people in Canada who appreciate the power of music to connect and restore us.
SERVICE. I work with the VCH outreach team in North Vancouver - supporting people with substance use, mental health, and housing challenges. I offer group therapy, 1:1 peer support, and relationship building. Having compassion means being able to see ourselves in another person.