Natalie Sweeney

Natalie Sweeney, MA

Natalie provides support to children and families, offering both consultation to parents and play therapy to children & youth. Natalie believes that each client is an expert in their own life experiences, and she strives to create an open and collaborative counselling relationship. She acknowledges each family’s internal wisdom and experience, while providing support for individual clients and families to explore and develop new ways of being, doing, and thriving.

Natalie provides counselling from a client-centred and strengths-based orientation, with a focus on Attachment Theory. She uses a holistic approach focused on interpersonal connection, client empowerment, and goal-directed action, using a collaborative, egalitarian, and non-pathologizing stance. In working with young children, the core of Natalie’s counselling practice is child-centred play therapy, to build a strong therapeutic alliance with the child. She will incorporate other therapeutic modalities and techniques based on the individual client issue and needs of the family or child. Natalie uses interventions from art therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, as well as psychoeducation and expressive play therapy.

Early Childhood Education is where Natalie began her journey and love of working with children and their families. She brings years of experience supporting children and families from diverse backgrounds to provide a safe, supportive, and enriching learning & healing environment. As part of her development as a counsellor, Natalie has experience working within non-profit organizations, with children and families that have experienced unstable, broken, and injured attachments. Through this, and other work in the community, Natalie has honed her skill in applying the science and strategies of attachment theories, family systems theories, and trauma-informed practices to help increase positive affect, build stronger relationships and improve life satisfaction.

 

SERVICES

Counselling, therapy and consultation with kids, youth and parents to meet their mental wellness goals including solutions for the following challenges (and others not listed here!):

● Emotional and Behavioural challenges
● School avoidance
● Anxiety and worry
● Sibling rivalry
● Emotion regulation skills
● Aggression
● Coping skills
● Life Transitions
● Family related concerns
● Self-esteem
● Parenting concerns

 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC)

Education
M.A. Counselling Psychology - University of British Columbia (2022)
B.A. Psychology - McGill University (2017)