Lisa De vries

Lisa De Vries

Location: Chilliwack, BC + Online (throughout BC)
Populations: Individual Adults, Couples

(MA, CCC)

My passion in counselling lies in the quest to find hope, healing and freedom – in other words, to walk alongside you as you move from wherever you are stuck and experiencing pain, to the spacious place of thriving. I am invigorated by the process of transformation because it brings life, because it is the underdog story, and because overcoming is at the core of faith in Christ.

I have been a therapist for almost 30 years, and my work has provided a rich experience of meaning and joy in my life. I have worked in a number of public and private settings, but for the last 15 years, I have found a sweet spot in faith-integrative work. I love psychology and all that it offers to help us understand the inner workings of people and relationships, AND I love Jesus Christ and all He offers to help us live beyond our ‘self’ and our circumstances.

In my clinical work, I consider it a privilege to enter in to the hard, vulnerable spaces where suffering resides, connect there, and then collaborate to find a way through. I believe in the resilience and strength that are fanned to flame through close, safe, therapeutically rich connection, and I trust the power of God’s presence and intervention for those who seek Him in their vulnerability. Thus, I believe that clinical counselling that makes space for God’s movement is deeply impactful.

In my personal life, which has had seasons of intense suffering and others of beautiful abundance, I have come to trust that self-awareness, close relationships, practical skills, and scientifically-proven therapeutic strategies, all have a purposeful place within the landscape of a life lived with Jesus. And that a life lived with Jesus is one of intention, endurance, and ultimate freedom.

  • My clinical practice is grounded in a combination of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Observed and Experiential Integration (OEI), and faith-integrated techniques. I use these approaches because they are powerful to produce change, and because they make sense within a Biblical perspective of healing and freedom.

    I am sensitive to the impact of trauma and use body-based and spiritually-based grounding techniques to facilitate safety during the counselling journey.

  • As a therapist, I am a general practitioner of sorts. I have many years of experience facing common difficulties with anxiety, depression, relationships, spiritual life, sexual life, habit management, and trauma recovery. That said, I have learned that knowledge of an issue, is not the same as the wisdom to apply that knowledge in individual lives. I intend to explore beyond the symptoms, to the uniqueness of your story, your struggle, and your nuanced path to flourishing. 

    I am an engaged therapist who seeks to know you, to walk with you, and to challenge you as needed. I value authenticity in therapeutic relationships and am often filled with gratitude for the golden moments of genuine laughter, understanding, precious tears, and powerful breakthroughs it provides.

    • MA in Counselling Psychology, Trinity Western University

    • Observed and Experiential Integration – Level 1 and 2

    • Externship in Emotionally Focused Therapy 

    • Couples: Self- and Co-Regulation Training

    • OCD: Mindfulness-integrated Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

    • Burn-out and Self Care

    • Mindfulness in Therapy Practice

    • Goal Setting and Achievement

    • Positive Psychology and the Myth of Happiness after Success

    • Sessions are generally 1 and ¾ hours in length

    • $165/hr

  • I am an intense pursuer of the things I love. This mostly takes the shape of engaging with my family, but I also get pretty caught up with adventure, exploring the outdoors, and playing sports. When I find something new I enjoy, I typically do a deep dive…which provides lots of fun, but very little balance and self-control. I love to connect, I love to think, I love to grow.