About Patricia

I hold space for you so you can slow down, process your emotions and find clarity.

Values

Compassion. Connection. Community.
Kindness. Integrity. Spirituality.

My path has been a long journey of unlearning and transformation to become a better friend, partner, and human being.

I have spent many years learning to sit in the discomfort of doing what my heart knows rather than follow the path
set for me by my parents as the youngest child in a Chinese family. 

Patricia Petersen, attachment focused, EFT, couple therapy.

I was born in Singapore and immigrated to Canada in the 90s. I am of Chinese ancestry. I have lived in Australia, Japan, and Los Angeles.

I am strong, and a good listener. I can hold space when clients and friends are in need. I am calm in stressful situations, and I can easily adjust to what is needed in each situation. I have spent the last few years breaking down social and family expectations.

I cry often, and I laugh a lot. I am nourished by my small group of friends who are brilliant at showing up and holding space. Hence, I am fiercely protective of the people I love. I am supported by my spouse, clinical supervisor, therapist, and nature.

I am most at home in nature, especially in the forest or near the ocean. I am an avid reader, I love coffee, and I have been married to a wonderful man for over 10 years. We have a Bernedoodle named Bailey Huckleberry.

People often describe me as grounded, calm, intuitive, and warm.

My lived experience as a trauma survivor and a thriving human informs my work immensely. I am a person whose life experiences have helped to mature me into a solid community member and a well-attuned healer.

Patricia Petersen, Somatic based, attachment lens, Somatic Experiencing

On a professional note…

I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC), and I am a Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner (SEP). I am also a retired Acupuncturist and co-owner of a wellness clinic. I have over a decade of experience in the health and wellness field as an acupuncturist, yoga teacher, crisis line volunteer, and craniosacral therapist.

I am mindful and compassionate. I am willing to be vulnerable but firm at the same time. Clients seek me out because they know I have done the work. I have been through a difficult journey, which helps me understand your struggles.

I have worked with clients from diverse backgrounds and identities. I am keen to support clients from all backgrounds, especially those who identify as Asian and, more broadly, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour).

I will laugh and cry with you in sessions. I will support and guide you in your challenges, but I will also call you out if you sabotage yourself. Don’t worry, I do it in a very loving way.

I have experience working with clients who face various forms of systemic oppression, struggle with anxiety and depression, experience stress and fertility issues, and more…

My goal is to help you reconnect with yourself in a deep and meaningful way, so you can begin to remember what it feels like to feel safe and grounded.

Work With Me

You belong here.

Professional Background

Greatest Teachers

My greatest teachers include Elders who are older and wiser than me. They include Elders who were residential school survivors, and Elders in the Buddhist community (I am an ordained Buddhist).

I have participated in multiple wilderness quests, sometimes solo, sometimes with a close friend.

I have supported various clients through palliative care as well as people who struggled with addictions in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. These people were some of my greatest teachers.

 
 
 
 
 
Couples Institute Developmental Model

Education

Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology 

Dip. Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Bachelor of Commerce

Professional Training

  • Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner (SEP)

  • Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT) & Trauma, Levels 1 & 2

  • Couples Therapy Training

    • PACT (Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy) Training with Stan Tatkin

    • Emotionally Focused Therapy® (EFT) – Externship with Sue Johnson

    • The Developmental Model of Couples Therapy - The Couples Institute® with Ellyn Bader, in training

  • Indigenous Cultural Safety Training - Mental Health

  • Embodied Recovery for Eating Disorders (ERED) informed

  • Memory Reconsolidation with Jules Shore

  • Somatic Mentoring with Patti Elledge

  • The Polyvagal Theory in Practice with Deb Dana

  • DARe - Dynamic Attachment Re-patterning experience with Diane Poole Heller

  • Unravelling the Mystery of Memory in the Treatment of Trauma with Diane Poole Heller and Peter Levine

  • Frontline Workers Training on Diversity and Inclusion

My Life Philosophy

Life is short. Give hugs, share what you can, and feed your community.
Say prayers, speak your truth, and tell your people you love them. Every day.
Most importantly, be kind to yourself and others.

“Patricia has a gift for holding space, deep listening, and a strong understanding of how systemic issues impact people’s emotional, mental, and interpersonal well-being.”

She is warm and personable, can be firm when needed, and brings a variety of therapeutic modalities to her practice. I especially appreciate how Patricia is grounded in her cultural ways while making space for mine to be witnessed and celebrated authentically.
BIPOC folks looking for culturally relevant therapy – look no further!

~ LTB