Rewrite Your Story.
Reclaim Your Life.
Break old patterns, build new strength, and step into your next chapter.
My name is Jennifer Christopherson
Registered Counselling Therapist | BA, BSW, MACP, CCC
Since the late 1990’s, I have worked in health care and human services. My focus at the time was supporting those needing access to resources and support during their most challenging times.
As my work and life experience grew, I felt increasingly drawn towards supporting others who were struggling, so I began my own journey both professionally and personally.
My path to becoming a therapist was not linear. As someone familiar with childhood trauma, poverty and dysfunctional family patterns, I was drawn to learning more about why people do what they do and how we can grow and learn from those experiences. I wanted to know how we understand those early experiences and redefine our path forward. Human nature has always fascinated me.
Being the spouse of a disabled Canadian veteran enhanced my understanding of military culture and navigating systems that are difficult at the best of times. Relocating all over Canada, single parenting with few family supports, navigating chronic illness, burnout, autism and entering the LGBTQIA2+ world as an ally for one of our children. These experiences deepen my understanding of resilience, identity, and the many ways people adapt to overwhelming circumstances.
With the diagnosis of autism and ADHD in our family came a deep learning curve, which in turn led to identification and diagnosis for other family members, including myself and my spouse. This opened the door to my realizing that there is little to no support for neurodivergent individuals and how we can understand the realities of masking, burnout, sensory overwhelm, and the emotional labour that often goes unseen.
I practice from a trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming perspective, offering a space where clients can show up as their authentic selves without judgment or pressure to fit a mold.
Where It Began
My lived experience growing up in an environment that was shaped by fear, instability, abuse and neglect. As I aged, I realized that I had developed coping skills to keep myself small, unseen and putting others' needs before my own. These early experiences left invisible wounds that shaped how I saw myself and moved through the world, long before I had the language to understand I was living with the effects of trauma.
The Turning Point
My curiosity about how and why people abuse turned into a need to understand human behaviour. This started me on the path to learn more about psychology, anthropology, human systems and how we can change for the better. To not repeat old patterns. My learning about trauma, resilience and the patterns that shape our lives through both personal and professional experiences has not been linear, but it has been lifelong.
Why I Do This Work
I feel like my journey to become a therapist wasn’t just a career choice. I have always been the person that people turn to when they are at their lowest. I offer a space where people feel safe and judgment-free. Where people can explore their reality and what has shaped that reality. I walk with them to honour your story at your pace, where your healing can evolve in a way that feels authentic.
FAQ
What can I expect at the first visit
I will book our first session for about 80 minutes. During this time, I will complete an intake with you so I can better understand why you have come to therapy, what your goals are, and we can work on a plan.
Rates, Insurance & Sliding Scale Options
A regular session is 50 minutes long and my current rate is $160/hr.
I am currently working on putting direct billing in place.
Many insurance companies will accept a receipt for a "counsellor or therapist" that is certified by a regulatory body such as the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA). Please check your extended benefits for more information.
If you are facing financial hardship, please contact me. I take on a limited number of sliding-scale clients.
My Education & Experience
I hold three degrees, which I have completed over the last few decades between working and raising a family.
I have a Bachelor of Arts with a dual major in Psychology and Anthropology. A Bachelor of Social Work and a Master of Counselling in Counselling Psychology.
I worked on all three of these degrees while working and raising a family as part of a military family. I have worked in a variety of environments, that shaped my current experience.
Do you offer in‑person sessions?
Currently, I only offer video and telephone counselling. I maintain a small case load to ensure that I can provide consistent and high-quality care to my clients while also looking after my own needs. I offer a reduced rate for those in need, so this does impact my ability to rent out an in-person therapy space. This allows you to access support from the comfort of your own home, with flexibility and privacy.
Free Initial Consultation
The most important part of choosing a therapist is feeling a connection with them. It is part of my practice to offer a consult session so we can meet informally to discuss your immediate needs and to ensure that you feel safe sharing the most inner details of your life with me. If you present with an issue that I do not have experience in, I can potentially refer you to a therapist who does.
