Finding the right counsellor is an important part of the journey to finding your authentic self.
Before you make your decision, I want to make sure you know who I am.
Get to know your Burnaby LGBTQ Therapist
Alo, my name is Nita Agustin, and I go by she/they pronoun.
I’m your friendly neighbourhood LGBTQ therapist based in Burnaby, BC, ready to help you find yourself on this journey called life.
If you’re expecting a typical, “professional” looking counsellor, I will warn you, that’s not me. I show up the way I want my clients to show up - as my whole self. I laugh loudly. I speak openly and I encourage my clients to do the same :)
I’m committed to creating a space to make my curious youth clients feel safe, heard, validated, and affirmed no matter what they bring into the room.
As an LGBTQ therapist, I draw a lot on my personal experiences to guide me in my work with my youth and young adults clients.
Growing up queer in Indonesia and making a big move to Burnaby, BC, in 2011, has framed a lot of how I view the world and given me valuable insight on navigating LGBTQIA2S+ issues, cross-cultural changes, life transitions, and finding yourself.
When you come see me, I want you to feel at home and welcome to be yourself. I’m not here to be an authority in your life, but an ear to listen to, a shoulder to cry on, and a voice of compassion, understanding, and motivation.
As an LGBTQ therapist, these are what I do best
If you’re here because you’re curious and need someone to guide you through a challenging point in your life, I would love to be your guide. As a counsellor, I am not one size fits all.
I’m best known for helping clients find clarity in:
Exploration of personal identity & relationship
We never arrive and constantly evolve as an individual. The way we see ourselves and live our lives in our early 20’s looks starkly different from in our 30’s.
From my journey with clients, I witnessed how impactful having a sounding board to process how the many pieces of their self-identity fit, or doesn’t fit together. We moved from confusion to clarity.
We could talk about faith & spirituality, life or career aspiration, relationship issues, self esteem.
Some of the most common relationships issues clients share include boundary, communications, attachment pattern
My LGBTQIA2S+ clients typically process their gender identity, sexual orientation, coming out,…
Finding meaning and purpose in life
Have you ever wondered if what you are doing today will lead to where you want to be? This could be school- or work- related. Having a trustworthy listener is helpful to either validate that you are where you are supposed to be. Or, to have someone journeying with you through the process of making any changes or transitions in life.
Cross-cultural differences and adaptations
Do you feel overwhelmed with the prospect of making friends and building a new life in Vancouver, BC?
For those of you who have been living in Vancouver for a few years and visiting home regularly, you still feel homesick every now and then. And to make matters worse, you don’t feel like you’re fully Canadian, but wait… you are not fully (your culture of origin) either. So, who the heck are you then??
What fellow community members have to say about your Burnaby LGBTQ Therapist
Sara Jones
Professional Organizer and a mother
“Nita is incredibly passionate in her very well chosen profession as a youth and LGBTQ therapist. She truly lives the advice she gives about becoming your most confident and best self. She is my go to referral for youth looking for counselling.”
Alex Frolek of Stelex Solutions,
A strong believer of accessibility to LGBTQ mental healthcare
“Nita's approachability and warmth make people feel seen, heard, and supported in incredible ways. As an LGBTQ therapist, she has a lot of empathy and honest insights to share which resonate deeply with queer counselling….Her ability to create a safe, nurturing space allows for honest, open conversations that are so instrumental in people's journey of self-discovery, exploration, and acceptance. She is very personable and deeply understands the LGBTQ+ community and their unique challenges…If you're looking for genuine support and guidance that celebrates all facets of your identity, Nita is the therapist you've been searching for.”
Jen Greenwood
Independent Director at Pampered Chef and a mother of 2
“I have known Nita for over a year now, and I have found her to be a fun, kind, genuine & compassionate person (located in the Burnaby region of the Greater Vancouver district). She is uniquely qualified to provide guidance & assistance to anyone looking for an LGBTQ therapist
Nita brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. I would recommend her counseling expertise.
DEETS ABOUT ME…
On the professional side as LGBTQ Therapist:
I'm not your average therapist; I'm like the therapy equivalent of a quirky, offbeat indie film – I focus my practice on helping youths and young adults explore their curiosity and learn to live as their authentic selves. Which, in today’s world, can be tough. I draw a lot on my personal experience, my teachings and my love for connecting with people to help others.
On a more personal note:
~ I laugh….loudly and with my whole self. I encourage you to do the same.
~ I’m highly sensitive and spend lots of time reflecting on the meaning and purpose of life
~ I decided to live out my queerness in my early 30s, something which goes against the grain of Indonesian Chinese culture
~ I was born and raised in East Java, Indonesia (it’s the world’s largest archipelago country, with more than 17k islands!!)
~ I left Indonesia soon after completing high school
~ I moved to Vancouver, BC 2011 to study psychology
~ I love gardening and hiking in the summer
and during the colder months I read and write a lot more
~ I’m a self-professed foodie making my way through the multicultural delights Vancouver has to offer
Just in case you’re curious about how I show up in my work as LGBTQ Therapist
I have a holistic view on life and believe that there are similarities to our experience as human beings. Growing up in a fairly conservative culture makes me super aware of how the culture we grew up in and family we come from may impact our personal identity. I have experienced first-hand the guilt, shame, and anxiety when I tried to question or live life out of the box the society put me in.
Being validated and supported to live life in my own terms were very crucial in my personal healing and discovery journey. AND THAT’S EXACTLY what I hope to do in my work. I want to be your guide in claiming your voice and living out your authentic self :)
I completed a Masters of Arts in Counselling Psychology, and is registered as both Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC #19626) and Canadian Certified Counselor (CCC #10011137). I am a member in good standing with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA).
I am a life-longe learner, so I keep up-to-date with the ever-changing world we live in:
2024 Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes by Transcare BC and Health Canada
2023 Gender Affirming and Hormone Readiness Assessment Training by Matsui De Roo
2023 Queering Mental Health
2022 Gender Spectrum Family Symposium: Understanding Gender and Supporting Transgender Youth
2022 Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) presented by DBT Center of Vancouver
2022 Motivational Interviewing (MI) delivered by Christine Urquhart at Change Talk
2021 Observed and Experiential Integration Level I, presented by Rick Bradshaw at Sight Psych
2020 Delivering Telehealth Counselling: Using Video, Phone, and Text-based Methods to Connect with Clients
2019 Sand Tray/ Rice Tray Workshop delilvered by Dr. Bart Begalka
2018 Trauma and Empathy Workshop
Let’s get serious for a second. This is what paved the way for me to be a kickass LGBTQ Therapist
We acknowledge that as an LGBTQ Therapist Nita Agustin operates on the traditional, ancestral and unceded ancestral and unceded homelands of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples and are grateful to be on this territory.