who I am
I'm Isabella, a supervised counselling student finishing practicum and a somatic coach, offering compassion-based, shame and trauma-informed care to individuals virtually from Vancouver. my own healing journey led me here, and somatic work was the missing piece I had long been searching for. now it lies at the heart of everything I offer and guides the way I live my life.
I’m a nature and animal lover, an auntie to one nephew, and a lover of learning. getting outside for a morning hike, cozying up with a book on a rainy day, or gathering with loved ones are some of my favourite ways to spend my time.
why I do this work
I followed the "traditional" path from high school straight to university, always deeply curious about what makes us who we are and how our experiences shape us in different ways. I finished my psychology degree wanting to be a counsellor, but at that time, I didn't believe I had what it took. I let my dream soar away and followed another passion instead, working with young children, hoping to be part of the stories that shaped them, and perhaps offering them love where it wasn't offered at home. as I began approaching my 30s and entering my saturn return (if you're an astrology lover, you'll know what I mean), a deep burnout and a longing for more fulfillment led me back to my true purpose: counselling. I'm so glad I listened to the call.
when I was introduced to somatic work, it felt like the missing piece of a puzzle I had long been searching for. for many years, I didn't trust myself, my inner wisdom, or my body, believing my worth was tied to my doing.
I discovered somatics and began building a deeper relationship with my body through my own healing journey, and as if I had emerged from an eclipse, I was finally able to see all the light I'd been missing, and the rich knowledge my body was holding. somatics became the doorway that led me back home to myself and gave me a new reference point for what it means to live a more embodied life. it has become my guiding force, both in my own life and in supporting others toward the knowing that a fuller way of living, and being, is possible.
as I continue my training in shame-informed approaches, one thing keeps becoming clearer: shame lives underneath so much of what we carry. the not-enoughness, the hiding, the quiet voice that says if they really knew me, they'd leave. I've lived inside that voice, believing my worth had to be earned, criticizing my own body, hiding the messiest parts of myself. what I've come to know, in my own healing and in sitting with others, is that shame softens when it's met with compassion. it can't survive being truly seen by someone who stays. so this is the work I offer, and this is why, so that we may sit together in the places you'd rather hide, until you can feel, in your body, that you are still worthy of love there.
how I work
my work is compassion-based, and shame and trauma-informed, with a focus on bringing the body's voice into the room, alongside the verbal story for deep emotional healing. I work gently, slowly, although that doesn't mean I'll let you off the hook too easily. I'll hold your wounds and wisdom alongside you and I'll help name a pattern when I see it. my focus is helping you feel seen and less alone in what you're carrying, in the space we share together. I work with men, women, and genderfluid individuals who are not looking to be fixed, but for someone to just see them, to sit together in silence and uncomfortable emotions as they arise. I believe there is so much healing power in the present moment, and in our time together, there is nowhere else to be and nothing to rush.
who I work with
I work with people who cannot quite name what they feel. people who grew up where emotions were not talked about. people whose worth feels tied to how much they achieve. people who have done talk therapy and still feel it in their body. people who struggle with their relationship to their body. people who are tired, anxious and burnt out. people who get stuck in their mind, overthinking or ruminating in loops. people in transition, to motherhood, new life stages, new identities. and underneath it all, often, people carrying shame. you do not need the right words to begin. we start where you are.
training
- bachelors degree in psychology
- professional counsellor diploma, (in progress)
- life skills coaching certification
sessions are held virtually. you can book a free conversation through the contact page.