Registered Clinical Counsellor
Alison Shaji — Registered Clinical Counsellor in Nanaimo, BC
MA Clinical Psychology, RCC
Alison helps clients understand themselves more fully — often by looking at where their patterns began, in the early experiences that quietly shaped how they see themselves and others. She combines the depth of psychoanalytic exploration with practical, evidence-based tools to create therapy that is both grounded and genuinely alive.
Alison Shaji
MA Clinical Psychology, RCC
✓ Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC)
✓ MA in Clinical Psychology
✓ Psychoanalytic Therapy
✓ DBT · EMDR · CBT · EFFT
✓ Inner Child Work
✓ Shadow Work
✓ Empty Chair Technique
✓ Therapy in Malayalam & Hindi
My approach
I'm here to help you understand yourself more fully — often by looking at where your patterns began, in the early experiences that quietly shaped how you see yourself and others. Together, we do that gently and at your pace. My aim is to help you uncover what has been holding you back and reconnect with the strengths that have been carrying you all along.
I mix the best of both worlds: the rich depth of psychoanalytic exploration with modern, hands-on tools like DBT, EMDR, CBT, EFFT, and eclectic modalities such as inner child work, shadow work, and the Empty Chair technique.
Every session is a chance to explore, experiment, and transform — a space where healing feels alive, not stuck. My goal is to create a collaborative, non-judgmental environment where you feel genuinely safe to go wherever you need to go.
"We are not what happened to us. We are what we choose to become."
Therapeutic modalities
Psychoanalytic Therapy
Exploring unconscious patterns, early experiences, and relational dynamics that influence current thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.
DBT
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy — skills-based work for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and building more effective relationships.
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing — processing traumatic memories to reduce their emotional intensity and impact on daily life.
CBT
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy — identifying and reshaping unhelpful thought patterns to build healthier ways of thinking and responding.
Inner Child Work
Reconnecting with and healing younger parts of yourself that may still carry unresolved pain, fear, or unmet needs.
Shadow Work
Exploring the parts of yourself that have been suppressed or denied — bringing them into awareness so they no longer drive behaviour unconsciously.