https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1 daily 0.75 2026-03-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/c75419f0-78b3-4164-9f8b-ebf52d8bee93/Experienced-queer-therapist-Burnaby.jpg https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/why-do-i-lose-track-of-time-so-easily monthly 0.5 2026-03-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/2afca950-c44e-42bd-8230-7e93e70b7db6/Why-do-I-lose-track-of-time-so-easily.jpg Blogs - Why Do I Lose Track of Time So Easily? A Kind ADHD Reframe - You sit down to reply to a few emails… and suddenly an hour is gone. Or you start a “quick” task, like cooking or getting ready, and it somehow takes way longer than expected. Over time, this can turn into a frustrating pattern: underestimating how long things take, running late, or feeling like you’re always playing catch-up with life. If you’ve ever asked yourself, “why do I lose track of time so easily?” you’re not alone. I’ve been there too. For the longest time, I didn’t have a language for this experience. Then I came across the term time blindness and everything started to click differently. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/e4d8c91a-f852-4658-8143-262f4062bfad/Why-do-I-lose-track-of-time-so-easily-adhd.jpg Blogs - Why Do I Lose Track of Time So Easily? A Kind ADHD Reframe - Time blindness is a common experience for many ADHD folx. It describes difficulty sensing how much time has passed or estimating how long things take. For those of you who are not familiar with the term, time blindness is not a diagnosable condition, and it’s certainly not something to pathologize. For ADHDers, this might show up as: Time perception → Struggling to tell how much time has passed Time sequencing → Mixing up the order of events Time reproduction → Finding it hard to repeat tasks within the same time frame So if you identify as neurodivergent and find yourself wondering, “why do I lose track of time so easily?” time blindness may be part of the puzzle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/c9c8743c-33f7-4a54-9634-af510fc870e5/Why-do-I-lose-track-of-time-so-easily-adhd-neurodivergent.jpg Blogs - Why Do I Lose Track of Time So Easily? A Kind ADHD Reframe - Interest-Based Attention (“Hot Cognition”) Psst… ADHD brains are wired for what researchers call hot cognition. FYI for those who haven’t heard of this: it simply means your brain is more likely to pay attention to things that feel interesting, urgent, or emotionally engaging. That’s why with more monotonous tasks, like responding to emails, doing paperwork, or getting ready to leave, time can disappear… or drag in really odd ways. But with something interesting? You might hyperfocus and lose hours without even noticing. So if you keep asking, “why do I lose track of time so easily?” it may be because your brain tracks interest, not the clock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/8b2fab00-94ed-4905-82ff-391bf7925ad9/Why-do-I-lose-track-of-time-so-easily-adhd-neurodivergent-therapy.jpg Blogs - Why Do I Lose Track of Time So Easily? A Kind ADHD Reframe - Dopamine & Motivation Dopamine is a brain chemical that helps with motivation and attention. ADHD brains tend to have lower baseline dopamine levels. That means we often need: novelty urgency stimulation to get going. Without that boost, the brain may miss subtle cues that time is passing, like changes in light, energy, or routine. So again, when that question pops up “why do I lose track of time so easily?” you’re not out to lunch. It’s just operating on a different system. For a long time, I genuinely thought something was wrong with me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/29917de8-e170-4b77-b171-0d40e01096c1/Why-do-I-lose-track-of-time-so-easily-adhd-add.jpg Blogs - Why Do I Lose Track of Time So Easily? A Kind ADHD Reframe - Using simple tools like Toggl can help you notice patterns: When you focus best When you need rest How long tasks actually take This is how I learned my brain hates task-switching and thrives with spacious, focused days. 2. Try Using Timers (This One Saves Me More Than I’d Like to Admit) Okay, I’ll be honest I start using timers because I kept losing track of time in the most everyday situations. Like boiling water for tea. I’d walk away to “quickly” check an email… and come back to an empty pot 40 minutes later because the water had completely evaporated So I started setting timers as my little external reminders to support my brain. Now I use timer for things like: getting ready to leave the house making sure I don’t drift too far off when I switch tasks https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/a018ba06-91cf-445d-b510-3c3ba7de6232/Why-do-I-lose-track-of-time-so-easily-adhd-therapy.jpg Blogs - Why Do I Lose Track of Time So Easily? A Kind ADHD Reframe - Remember how we talked about dopamine earlier? If time blindness is partly connected to how ADHD brains regulate dopamine, then it makes sense that supporting your dopamine levels can also support your sense of time, focus, and motivation. This is something I’ve been experimenting with, finding small, everyday ways to give my brain a bit of a boost so it’s easier to stay engaged and aware of what I’m doing. Some things that neurodivergent folx found helpful: Eating foods rich in vitamin B6 (bananas, chickpeas, fish, and dark leafy greens) Having caffeine (hello coffee, tea, and matcha ☕) Going for a walk, especially when it’s sunny out Moving my body in ways that feel doable and nurturing (yoga, swimming? Or anything you can think of? Kicjboxing? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/af0da6be-bf38-42f8-b897-fd4181c38980/Why-do-I-lose-track-of-time-so-easily-adhd-therapy-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Why Do I Lose Track of Time So Easily? A Kind ADHD Reframe - Key Takeaways: If you’ve been asking “why do I lose track of time so easily,” you’re not alone Losing track of time aka Time blindness is a common ADHD experience, not a personal failure or shortcoming! Your brain tracks interest and dopamine, not just time in the neurotypical kind of way Small, supportive strategies can make a big difference (it was for me! And I am sure for you too!) The goal isn’t perfection, it’s working with your brain https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Why Do I Lose Track of Time So Easily? A Kind ADHD Reframe - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/what-does-it-mean-to-be-transgender monthly 0.5 2026-03-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/e2b1711d-8607-4f61-b1f8-caeb4d5ff1e8/What-does-it-mean-to-be-transgender.jpg Blogs - What Does It Mean to Be Transgender? Breaking the Myth of “Trans Enough” - I remember sitting with my journal more than 10 years ago, asking myself questions I didn’t yet have language for. I didn’t feel like a cis-hetero woman. The way women were “supposed” to show up in the world didn’t quite fit me. But the transgender folx I saw in mainstream media didn’t reflect the way I felt about myself either. So I felt stuck in the middle. I wasn’t fully she/her. I didn’t feel like he/him either. So what was I? Years later, I finally asked the question clearly: What does it mean to be transgender? And that question changed everything. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/6f33eaff-3183-4a59-bcdb-b49fae2d863a/What-does-it-mean-to-be-transgender.jpg Blogs - What Does It Mean to Be Transgender? Breaking the Myth of “Trans Enough” - When we ask what does it mean to be transgender, we’re really asking about identity, our internal sense of who we are. Transgender, gender diverse, gender non-conforming, and genderqueer are umbrella terms. They describe folx whose gender identity does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth. The key phrase is this: Internal sense of self versus society’s expectations. Gender identity is about how you know yourself. Not how others define you. Not how you look. Not what boxes you check. Not what’s between your thighs. It’s about your internal truth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/4ca8cf7b-4009-41d3-bd14-639e20095a5c/What-does-it-mean-to-be-transgender-burnaby.jpg Blogs - What Does It Mean to Be Transgender? Breaking the Myth of “Trans Enough” - “I’m not transgender enough because I don’t have strong dysphoria.” “I’m not transgender enough because I came out later in life.” “I’m not transgender enough because I don’t want hormones or surgery.” “I’m not transgender enough because I’m not visibly queer.” “I still feel somewhat resonating with my assigned gender, does that cancel everything?” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/e3ea1f0a-1b71-4fed-b92b-cb4d21ea4d85/What-does-it-mean-to-be-transgender-vancouver.jpg Blogs - What Does It Mean to Be Transgender? Breaking the Myth of “Trans Enough” - There’s often a (not so) quiet pressure to do something to prove transness: Change your body. Change your name. Change your wardrobe. So that you can pass. FYI, “passing” means being perceived by others as a particular gender without being questioned. It’s a social construct, not a measure of identity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/43466557-183d-4b65-90d8-0a8f5f836592/What-does-it-mean-to-be-transgender-vancouver.jpg.jpg Blogs - What Does It Mean to Be Transgender? Breaking the Myth of “Trans Enough” - When I stopped asking, “Do I qualify as transgender?” and started asking, “What feels aligned?” everything softened. That’s the shift. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/db1d72d6-5ce3-4797-ac39-6def3773ed1b/What-does-it-mean-to-be-transgender-burnaby.jpg Blogs - What Does It Mean to Be Transgender? Breaking the Myth of “Trans Enough” - Even within transgender communities, comparison may creep in, who looks more femme, more masc, or further along. But those comparisons mirror the same cis-normative systems we’re trying to dismantle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/e350f971-004d-4593-b55d-97e410222b3c/What-does-it-mean-to-be-transgender-north-vancouver.jpg Blogs - What Does It Mean to Be Transgender? Breaking the Myth of “Trans Enough” - It means: Your identity can evolve. Your expression can shift. You can feel fluid. You can feel certain. You can feel unsure and still be valid. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/77cb477d-49f4-4afa-ada6-2e83069dd2e5/What-does-it-mean-to-be-transgender-west-vancouver.jpg.jpg Blogs - What Does It Mean to Be Transgender? Breaking the Myth of “Trans Enough” - Often, when someone asks what does it mean to be transgender, what they’re really asking is: “Am I allowed to exist as I am?” The real problem isn’t whether you’re “trans enough.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/d1fd08ee-5b99-4856-bd27-db425978f5a8/What-does-it-mean-to-be-transgender-youth.jpg Blogs - What Does It Mean to Be Transgender? Breaking the Myth of “Trans Enough” - And self-trust looks like listening to your inner voice, even when it whispers. It’s checking in with yourself before you look to the world to tell you who you’re supposed to be. It’s making decisions based on what feels aligned and true to you, not what others approve of or promote. It’s letting your identity unfold at its own pace. And it’s trusting that feeling uncertain or stuck doesn’t mean you’re wrong or doomed, it often means you’re growing and evolving https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/9a7a389b-a048-4c6a-abbf-27942a405927/What-does-it-mean-to-be-transgender-west-vancouver.jpg Blogs - What Does It Mean to Be Transgender? Breaking the Myth of “Trans Enough” - It’s gently untangling internalized norms. It’s separating your truth from societal scripts. It’s building a grounded sense of self, whether or not anyone else understands it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - What Does It Mean to Be Transgender? Breaking the Myth of “Trans Enough” - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/neuroqueer monthly 0.5 2026-01-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/542640f7-95d4-4d3e-8b8d-002be88649fe/Neuroqueer.jpg Blogs - Neuroqueer Double Masking Fatigue: Why Existing Feels So Exhausting - Growing up in a collectivistic and conservative culture, I learned very early that I had to constantly adapt how I showed up, and which parts of myself were allowed to be seen, depending on who was around. I wore certain outfits with this friend group and different ones with that group. I talked about some topics with one clique and intentionally played it cool with another, because there was always an image to maintain. There were things I felt I had to do when certain “popular” peers were around, and other moments when I could finally let my hair down. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/73b606bf-facb-4c1c-ba6d-5f1d3a305876/Neuroqueer.jpg Blogs - Neuroqueer Double Masking Fatigue: Why Existing Feels So Exhausting - Neuroqueer masking refers to the conscious and subconscious ways neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+ folx constantly adjust how we behave, communicate, move, or express ourselves in order to fit into environments that weren’t designed for us. This can include hiding stims, forcing eye contact, changing how we speak, dressing differently, or downplaying our queerness, all in the name to stay safe, accepted, or unnoticed. Neuroqueer masking isn’t about being fake. It’s about SURVIVAL. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/86345679-3b12-4dd9-8756-f0f27538a090/Neuroqueer-masking.jpg Blogs - Neuroqueer Double Masking Fatigue: Why Existing Feels So Exhausting - See if any of these feel familiar: Have you forced yourself to stay at a hangout even though you wanted to stim, pace around the room, or put on noise-cancelling earbuds, but you didn’t, because that might look “weird”? Have you intentionally chosen clothes or hairstyles that felt more acceptable, even though you wished you could present differently? Have you rehearsed conversations , even something as simple as answering “How are you?” so the interaction would feel smoother for the other person? Have you forced eye contact out of fear of being seen as rude, even though scanning the room or looking away felt more better? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/d682cedb-3b3d-4447-ae04-c775b86e59c5/Neuroqueer-masking.jpg Blogs - Neuroqueer Double Masking Fatigue: Why Existing Feels So Exhausting - Showing up as ourselves starts to feel risky, because being authentic could mean being seen as “weird,” or worse, becoming a social pariah. So masking becomes our go-to strategy in the moment. It helps us blend in, smooth things over, and stay socially accepted. In many ways, it even makes us incredibly adaptable — just at a cost we don’t always notice right away. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/7dcfd88f-4d2a-48d0-9990-a086e62e4217/Neuroqueer-double-masking.jpg Blogs - Neuroqueer Double Masking Fatigue: Why Existing Feels So Exhausting Neuroqueer masking isn’t inherently harmful, it often starts as a protective AND survival strategy. But when it becomes constant, it disconnects us from who we really are. We spend so much energy scanning our surroundings and asking Which version of me is safe here? that we lose touch with ourselves altogether. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/d9a8e02e-681d-496c-9a43-2641fe177daa/Neuroqueer-double-masking-burnout.jpg Blogs - Neuroqueer Double Masking Fatigue: Why Existing Feels So Exhausting - Masking burnout doesn’t arrive all at once. It builds slowly, one disconnection after another, until the mind and body simply can’t hold it anymore. Many neurodivergent folx describe this as masking burnout, feeling so depleted that goes far beyond being exhausted. You might notice emotionally numb, completely checked out, super detached from yourselves and what’s around you .To the extent that even basic tasks, like calling a dental office to confirm your appointment or meal planning, felt super overwhelming. If this sounds familiar, you might find it helpful to explore more about neurodivergent burnout and how chronic masking impacts long-term wellbeing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/143d3530-255a-4146-9102-becee2d3e1c7/Neuroqueer-double-masking-burnout-vancouver.jpg Blogs - Neuroqueer Double Masking Fatigue: Why Existing Feels So Exhausting - As someone who is neuroqueer myself, I know that heightened self-awareness well, that internal pressure that whispers, This would be easier if I just roll along with the punches. I remember being in small group meetings where the facilitator addressed everyone as “ladies and gentlemen,” and then being referred to using she/her pronouns even while I was wearing a clear they/them pin I cringed internally. I noticed the urge to correct them, to clarify my pronouns, and then I stopped myself. I chose silence, because speaking up felt like it might make the facilitator, and everyone else in the room, uncomfortable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1dac93a4-5b15-4216-a16c-2a53f46a26bc/Neuroqueer-double-masking.jpg Blogs - Neuroqueer Double Masking Fatigue: Why Existing Feels So Exhausting - While I felt the impulse to ask questions, to gently challenge the assumption, or to name my own values, then I decided to hold that back. I didn’t know these folx well enough, and wasn’t sure whether they were open to hearing anything different, or whether doing so would turn me into that person in the room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/b241bbd8-43b7-4399-b1c4-96f93cd598a5/Neuroqueer-double-masking-burnout-queer-counselling.jpg Blogs - Neuroqueer Double Masking Fatigue: Why Existing Feels So Exhausting - Double masking forces us to constantly contort ourselves into whatever version feels most acceptable in the room. Pushing down sensory needs or aspects of ourselves while hiding or minimizing our queerness takes a massive amount of energy. I didn’t fully realize how exhausted I was until I finally found my people, my chosen family, if you catch my drift ;) Before that, it felt like living a double-agent life — constantly code-switching, adopting different language, mannerisms, and identities depending on the space. While code-switching can sound impressive on the surface, it requires intense cognitive and emotional effort over time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/109417cd-6aa2-4637-b87d-7bfa651a65fb/Neuroqueer-double-masking-burnout-queer-counselling-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Neuroqueer Double Masking Fatigue: Why Existing Feels So Exhausting - You might look “fine” on the outside while a part of you quietly wilts inside. Confusion sets in. Shame creeps up. Self-connection fades. If this feels familiar, there’s nothing wrong with you. Your nervous system has been working overtime, trying to keep you safe while receiving mixed messages about belonging. Learning more about nervous system regulation can be a gentle first step toward understanding what your body has been holding. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/ba0bcfb7-d07c-4327-bb1a-5d75884f764c/Neuroqueer-masking-burnout-shapeshifting.jpg Blogs - Neuroqueer Double Masking Fatigue: Why Existing Feels So Exhausting - If any part of this resonates and you’re feeling both drawn and hesitant at the same time, know that is totally normal! In fact, you’re in good company. Unmasking doesn’t mean ripping everything off at once. I often talk about identity like a pizza you don’t have to gobble the whole thing in one sitting. You can take it slice by slice, at your own pace. If that metaphor speaks to you, you might appreciate my post on the pizza of our whole identity: And if you’re longing to explore this with someone who understands neuroqueer masking, burnout, and identity fatigue, walking with a neurodivergent- and queer-affirming counsellor can make this process feel far less lonely. We can gently peel back the layers together, one slice at a time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Neuroqueer Double Masking Fatigue: Why Existing Feels So Exhausting - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/genderqueer monthly 0.5 2026-01-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1f9f8e6e-4184-4474-a8f7-9c89f7d92ad5/Genderqueer.jpg Blogs - Discovering My Genderqueer Identity: Thriving Beyond the Binary - I still remember the first time I heard the term genderqueer . It felt like a light switched on. If you’ve ever felt like the language around gender never quite fit, like you were trying on clothes that were always a size too small, this might resonate :) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/b4583f7c-ff7e-41c6-bdb2-fe612c8c2aa4/Genderqueer-Burnaby.jpg Blogs - Discovering My Genderqueer Identity: Thriving Beyond the Binary - I loved my own sense of gender expression, and I also wanted so badly to fit in. I know now I wasn’t alone in that question! So many genderqueer folx carry it quietly for years. Why did my hair gotta be a certain length or wear a certain dress to belong? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/46247f47-8808-4360-8c51-36572f82a272/Genderqueer.jpg Blogs - Discovering My Genderqueer Identity: Thriving Beyond the Binary - The term genderqueer has actually been around since the 1990s. It first emerged in activist and transgender communities as a way to push beyond the traditional gender binary. Back then, anyone existing outside of “male” or “female” was often called a gender outlaw. Today, genderqueer describes folx who don’t subscribe to society’s strict categories of “man” or “woman.” Our gender identity isn’t about what’s between our thighs, it’s about how we feel, express, and see ourselves. Learning what genderqueer meant didn’t box me in, it did the opposite. It gave me permission to exhale. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/efd7e730-7a04-48b7-aec2-82a5c549d4a1/Genderqueer-Vancouver.jpg Blogs - Discovering My Genderqueer Identity: Thriving Beyond the Binary - Yes and no. [wait what?!?] Non-binary is a broad umbrella term for anyone who exists outside the binary of male and female. This includes identities like genderqueer, genderfluid, agender, and bigender. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/9977e09c-0586-45c9-b005-56c2f2c3d720/Genderqueer-North-Vancouver.jpg Blogs - Discovering My Genderqueer Identity: Thriving Beyond the Binary - If and when not sure, at the end of the day, ASK the person in front of you how they make meaning of the term for themselves. Some people try on different words over time. Others stick with one that feels like home right away. There’s no timeline and no ‘right’ way to arrive. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/be70bcf0-101a-4886-8941-0aa5e948830c/Genderqueer-nonbinary.jpg Blogs - Discovering My Genderqueer Identity: Thriving Beyond the Binary - If you’ve ever questioned the way you show up in the world, the way you express yourself, whether your pronouns is right, or how you are supposed to identify… Know that you’re not alone If parts of my story feel familiar, the confusion, the longing to belong, the relief of finally having language, I want you to know that you’re in good company! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Discovering My Genderqueer Identity: Thriving Beyond the Binary - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/coming-out-later-in-life monthly 0.5 2025-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/d463a82d-af9b-4398-9af5-c3dc00892c07/Coming-out-later-in-life.jpg Blogs - Coming out later in life? Love letter from your LGBTQ therapist Vancouver - Coming out later in life can feel like getting hit with a truth bomb you didn’t see coming, even if it’s been quietly ticking in your subconscious for years. Maybe you’re 28 and just now realizing your hetero identity never quite fit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/eb172057-6fcb-4333-9fe9-0f791940d813/Coming-out-later-in-life-therapist-vancouver.jpg Blogs - Coming out later in life? Love letter from your LGBTQ therapist Vancouver - If that’s you? Hey. You’re not broken, behind, or late. Coming out later in life might not have been the plan, but it’s still your time. In my work as a queer therapist, I’ve heard it again and again: “I wish I had figured this out sooner.” That feeling is real and so is the grief, the joy, the fear, and the deep breath of finally being able to say, “THIS IS ME” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1fc59d5a-819d-4c4d-b519-24af53f0e6d9/Coming-out-later-in-life.jpg Blogs - Coming out later in life? Love letter from your LGBTQ therapist Vancouver - I think a lot of us expect coming out later in life to be a clean before-and-after moment. Like '“Boom! I’ve said the words, and now I’m free.” But here’s what often catches people off guard: how messy, bittersweet, and surprisingly beautiful it can be. Someone once shared with me: “I told my partner of sixteen years that I am definitively gay. I have considered myself queer since age 12, but coming out later in life to him feels like I have poured honey all over my heart and have filled in the little cracks and crevices that always ached to be filled.” How tender is that? That image of honey soaking into old wounds. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/d0d5fc02-7bd1-451d-95e8-146e0d4cf4ea/Coming-out-later-in-life-lgbtq-therapist-vancouver.jpg Blogs - Coming out later in life? Love letter from your LGBTQ therapist Vancouver - One of the hardest parts? Shame. And it’s sneaky. Shame shows up in those “I should have known sooner” thoughts. It bubbles up in grief over time lost, opportunities missed, or relationships changed. It whispers, “You’re too late,” “You’re selfish,” or “Why now?” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/3d2f1209-df88-4dab-93a6-73c7dc2550dc/Coming-out-later-in-life-lgbtq-therapist-vancouver.jpg Blogs - Coming out later in life? Love letter from your LGBTQ therapist Vancouver - It’s something you’ve absorbed from heteronormative systems, rigid gender boxes, religious scripts, or cultural expectations. Unpacking it doesn’t happen overnight, but you can let it go. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/88550e5e-786d-4f93-8630-28ab353cabbb/Coming-out-later-in-life-transgender-therapist-vancouver.jpg Blogs - Coming out later in life? Love letter from your LGBTQ therapist Vancouver - Here’s the emotional cocktail many folks describe: deep relief, mixed with a splash of mourning. Grief for the years spent hiding, masking, or being disconnected from this part of themselves. Grief for relationships that might (or will) change or end. Grief for the version of life that won’t play out. But alongside all that is celebration. Because stepping into your identity, no matter when it happens is something worth honoring. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/bbe2880e-f163-430f-a995-6762af1b1b99/Coming-out-later-in-life-bipoc-therapist-vancouver.jpg Blogs - Coming out later in life? Love letter from your LGBTQ therapist Vancouver - If you feel like the odd one out, I promise you’re (definitely) not! More and more people are coming out later in life than ever before. Whether it’s a Gen X dad realizing he’s gay, a 30-something mom embracing her bisexuality, or a 60-year-old finally putting language to their nonbinary identity It’s happening all the time. In fact, I’ve spoken to dozens of folks in my practice navigating this very thing. Some are still married. Some are in conservative communities. Some are starting over in small ways - new friend groups, new wardrobes, new pronouns. All are proof that it’s never “too late.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Coming out later in life? Love letter from your LGBTQ therapist Vancouver - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/transgender-vancouver monthly 0.5 2025-05-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/63a4c454-ffcd-406f-b860-d20cd7045617/Transgender-Vancover.jpg Blogs - Your Transgender Vancouver Therapist’s Tips for Your Hormone Readiness Assessment - HEY YOU, yes you :) If you’ve been thinking about starting hormone therapy and wondering how to prepare for your hormone readiness assessment, I’ve got you covered. As a transgender therapist in Vancouver who’s walked alongside so many folks on their gender journeys, I know how this part of the process can feel huge. Exciting, empowering, and maybe a little overwhelming too. So whether you're questioning your gender or personally identify as transgender, I want to offer some down-to-earth tips to help you feel grounded and prepared for what’s ahead on your gender identity journey. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/c955e7f3-ee31-4b79-8fb3-9a97adb174ef/Transgender-Vancouver.jpg Blogs - Your Transgender Vancouver Therapist’s Tips for Your Hormone Readiness Assessment - If you’ve got friends, peers, or online connections who’ve already done their hormone readiness assessment, reach out to them. Ask how the process felt, what surprised them, and if they’ve got any recommendations for gender-affirming providers or transgender therapists in your area. Their insight could save you time and make you feel more prepared. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/787bc1cf-1292-4c54-b04d-2e883eede1ad/Transgender-Vancouver-therapist.jpg Blogs - Your Transgender Vancouver Therapist’s Tips for Your Hormone Readiness Assessment - Whether you're in Vancouver or elsewhere, make sure you connect with someone who understands transgender health. They’ll be the ones walking you through the hormone readiness assessment and helping you feel prepared for hormone therapy. While your transgender therapist may not be the one prescribing your hormones, they should be someone you can talk to about your hormone options, side effects, and ways to manage them. A good therapist listens to your story and needs with empathy and expertise. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/7805904f-7723-4fe4-acc0-88309f6c74b0/Transgender-Vancouver-therapist-bipoc.jpg Blogs - Your Transgender Vancouver Therapist’s Tips for Your Hormone Readiness Assessment - If you're anything like me (hi, fellow Virgo), you probably like to know everything before making a big decision. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of information out there on the hormone readiness assessment. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/f30f82d8-7683-45e6-8e20-145abd473026/Transgender-Vancouver-therapist-youth.jpg Blogs - Your Transgender Vancouver Therapist’s Tips for Your Hormone Readiness Assessment - After you’ve done your reading or talked to others, take a moment to jot down your questions. Whether it’s about timelines, hormone effects, fertility stuff, or just “how awkward is this going to be?” Make sure to put your thoughts on paper! As someone who’s helped many transgender folx in Vancouver prep for their hormone readiness assessment, I promise: your future self will thank you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/e8ad9da0-f229-4abf-9997-80214406716c/Transgender-Vancouver-therapist-virtual.jpg Blogs - Your Transgender Vancouver Therapist’s Tips for Your Hormone Readiness Assessment - Sometimes you need space to unpack what’s coming up. Or maybe you’re not 100% sure what you want yet and that’s okay, too. I’ve worked with so many transgender folks in Vancouver (and all across Canada) who found therapy helpful as a place to feel seen, validated, and grounded. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/aae3bd93-0733-4a01-ba6a-0db8321fe7ac/Transgender-Vancouver-therapist-hormone-therapy.jpg Blogs - Your Transgender Vancouver Therapist’s Tips for Your Hormone Readiness Assessment - This is where community spaces like Qmunity and Transcare BC (seriously, check them out!) can be magical. As someone plugged into the transgender Vancouver scene, I’ve seen firsthand how healing it can be to sit in a circle with others who just get it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/930eda71-7b79-4150-9010-45368123e9d4/Transgender-Vancouver-therapist.jpg Blogs - Your Transgender Vancouver Therapist’s Tips for Your Hormone Readiness Assessment - This one is essential, and rings true in the lives of the many transgender folx I’ve met: build your support system. Surrounding yourself with other transgender folx isn’t just a one-time thing. It’s something you can start before your hormone readiness assessment, or after. Or both! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1a308694-ad1f-4ce4-aec1-6672c53dac73/Transgender-Vancouver-therapist-bipoc.jpg Blogs - Your Transgender Vancouver Therapist’s Tips for Your Hormone Readiness Assessment - So there you go—seven solid tips to help you feel more ready, less alone, and more confident walking into your hormone readiness assessment. This moment in your transition journey is big. It’s brave. It’s valid. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Your Transgender Vancouver Therapist’s Tips for Your Hormone Readiness Assessment - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/to-belong-to monthly 0.5 2025-03-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/9e79dd5c-913a-4786-84c5-7c6b184a0aa8/Finding-a-queer-community-to-belong-to.jpg Blogs - Finding a Queer Community to belong to - It’s been really fun sharing my stories with you about finding a community to belong to as a queer-identifying person. A big belief that I’m trying to challenge is the idea that counsellors need to take an impersonal role when it comes to their clients. Well, PLOT TWIST: I’m not like all counsellors. My experiences - combined with everything I have learned - make it easier for me to be present for my clients and to guide them. I work closely with youth and young adults who are making their way through the world, questioning themselves, and challenging the norm. And drawing from real-world experiences helps me help them. It also allows me to be more real. And that's all I of my clients too. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/9e811bea-b2a1-4a8a-9a5c-239f2eb136d8/Finding-a-queer-community-to-belong-to.jpg Blogs - Finding a Queer Community to belong to - Because when I felt like I was down and out, the queer community allowed me to feel like I had found something to belong to. And I can confidently tell my clients that finding your community goes a long way to easing your discomfort. It gives you a sense of belonging and ease your self-discovery process. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/a22ba94b-95c8-4a8d-b654-a54fb5dc9f24/Finding-a-queer-community-to-belong-to-for-me.jpg Blogs - Finding a Queer Community to belong to - But it is my experiences that give me the confidence to guide my clients in this direction. I've hidden behind my own shadow to save myself discomfort. I have denied parts of myself to please others. I my faith and found it again in communities that speak to me and accept me for who I am. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/ff14cab8-895f-4567-baa0-20a6dcc7230d/Finding-a-queer-community-to-belong-to-for-youth.jpg Blogs - Finding a Queer Community to belong to - When I think about the time before I came out, I can’t help but feel a dull, hollow ache. It’s a STRANGE FEELING of reflection because I know I missed out on so many opportunities. But at the time, I wasn’t ready to admit it to the world. Regardless of that sadness, I know this was an important part of my life story and a journey that was meant for me to take. That doesn’t mean I don’t look back and I see how lonely I was. It’s exhausting to keep pretending to be someone you are not. And if you’ve been following along, you’ll know that I didn’t come out until my 30s! For many years I ignored. and denied a huge part of myself. And in truth, I became an outsider in my own life. When I finally decided to accept myself as I was, I also decided to find others like me. And I did. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/ae694703-7fde-49de-bf77-5629501831b2/Finding-a-queer-community-to-belong-to-for-me.jpg Blogs - Finding a Queer Community to belong to - It started small, but I found some local groups to belong to that aligned with my interests. I made some good friends that I still cherish to this day. One of those interests was the church, and sure enough, I found a church group that not only made me feel like I had found my place but also accepted my queerness. You see, while I did have friends, the loneliness I felt for all those years was not a lack of people in my social circles, it was a lack of connection with those people. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/ba9cc839-fed3-49cc-a2e3-f31e37c6a4b8/Finding-a-queer-community-to-belong-to-for-me-in-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Finding a Queer Community to belong to - And that safety and security are what sets apart your community. Finding my community felt like a homecoming to truly feeling like I finally found a place where I can belong to without judgment or prejudice. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/a5f6361c-0d03-4b41-bc11-4267816a75d4/Finding-a-queer-community-to-belong-to-near-me.jpg Blogs - Finding a Queer Community to belong to - As a counsellor, I don’t only see one specific type of person. Yes, I do specialize in queer issues, but there’s more to what I do than that. I work with people who feel out of place in their lives - MISFITS, as I affectionately call us. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/3a986f81-edc4-4c0c-aeb3-e8c8d5438f31/Finding-a-queer-community-to-belong-to-for-me-virtual.jpg Blogs - Finding a Queer Community to belong to - Whether you identify as queer, neurodivergent, or even have a cultural difference - there is something about where you are in your life that feels disjointed or out of place. One of the most important things that I help with is giving you the space to explore these curiosities in a safe zone. And part of what comes up is the need for a support system in place that gives you the same safety and security. For some, that truly does come from their family. But others, might be like me and feel disconnected in some way. And need to find an external group that will help them feel like they can be themselves. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Finding a Queer Community to belong to - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/finding-myself-and-accepting-myself monthly 0.5 2025-03-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/3e5561b1-8c8c-4535-9d69-193463c0dd5c/Finding-myself.jpg Blogs - Finding myself is accepting me for me - There’s a quote by J. R. R. Tolkien - I’m sure you’ve heard it - “Not all those who wander are lost”. I bring it up because it resonates so much with the journey that I see queer folx take to finding themselves. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/68f0e72b-fa75-4645-934f-b12ebccd9d2c/Finding-myself-queer.jpg Blogs - Finding myself is accepting me for me - Society has a narrative that dictates the expected behaviors and roles we are “supposed” to assume to be happy and successful. And I’ll concede that oftentimes, these predefined expectations work well enough that we (as a collective) don’t notice things can be different, or better. It’s why this pattern still exists. But sometimes - especially with folx going through the motions of self-discovery, and their own gender identity, following the “safe” or “expected” path can be a form of hiding. A protective shell against a world that doesn’t accept you as you are. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/aaa4d784-5ea6-43db-b1b2-33172f83d593/Finding-myself-healing-journey.jpg Blogs - Finding myself is accepting me for me - My early years were spent hiding from myself or from my family. Hiding from my community and from God. It’s what I thought I had to do to live in peace and harmony. It’s a strange thing when you live your life pretending to be someone you are not. You get so caught up in the story you’re trying to weave that you start to forget pieces of yourself. It becomes easier to pretend the lie. That is… until one day, it isn’t. You see, the funny thing about hiding your authentic self is that even though you convince yourself so thoroughly that you can live this life, live the lie, it becomes a burden. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/7f5be467-520f-4f82-bd26-7817afa4d245/Finding-myself-personal-healing.jpg Blogs - Finding myself is accepting me for me - Finding myself happened when I felt like I had nothing left to give. And the truth is, that I wasn’t just hiding my queerness. It was hiding other parts of myself that makeup so much of who I am. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/d1abdb87-7180-48ea-bc3d-4fa7e1190c97/Finding-myself-healing-journey-and-personal-discovery.jpg Blogs - Finding myself is accepting me for me - Because really, we are the sum of all our parts. And when you suppress a part of yourself, the other pieces are incomplete. I want you to think of a puzzle. And how you feel putting one together, only to discover that you’re missing a piece. It doesn’t matter if it is a piece of the edge or a piece in the middle, the puzzle is unfinished. If you’re like me, you’ll find that incredibly annoying. When it comes to people, that annoyance manifests in different ways. It can feel like emotional detachment or dysregulation, it can feel like anxiety - or any mix of things that ultimately hold you back from living your life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/2b3f46a0-3227-4401-93cb-79f0406d6a71/Finding-myself-personal-discovery-journey.jpg Blogs - Finding myself is accepting me for me - Taking a good hard look at who I was, what I was holding back, and who I wanted to be. And the first step was telling myself that it was ok to be me. You know what’s not helpful? Blanket statements about how to be yourself without understanding what it is that is holding you back. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1f7edc03-7118-44d8-82d5-3bf7bdc0c449/Finding-myself.jpg Blogs - Finding myself is accepting me for me - You see, when people pretend to be someone they are not, or when they hide parts of themselves, they aren’t doing it because they’re deceptive. They’re doing it because they want to protect themselves. People might have an idea of what their coming out might look like to those around them. And they want to protect those relationships they have formed. Hiding is born from a want to protect themselves from being let down. They want to avoid conflict. And people do this at great risk to themselves. They deny themselves because they are scared of what others might think. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/89cf4510-09fa-4fd6-bac0-374a154ad3a5/Finding-myself-healing-and-belonging.jpg Blogs - Finding myself is accepting me for me - Honestly, I don’t even really know what that means to be “too much” - what am I too much of? Is there a limit to what I’m supposed to be? Regardless of their intention with that statement, it became the undoing of years of hiding. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/23a89bc2-f521-4289-9c29-7cc9c482c2a6/Finding-myself-personal-identity-exploration.jpg Blogs - Finding myself is accepting me for me - You see, I am not too much. I wasn’t even being myself. I was hiding a huge part of my life - of course, I was because I was attending a Christian university and if you’ve been following my story you know how queerness mixes with religion. How could I be too much, when I hadn’t even shown the world 100% of who I am? I embraced the gregarious laughter that I so often restrained. And permitted myself to dress in a way that represented how I felt as a person. I accepted that this is how I was made. And I let go of the grief that I held on to for many years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/32c95e71-3908-4a49-a87e-c7902fe18be0/Finding-myself.jpg Blogs - Finding myself is accepting me for me - Look, just because I’ve taken a similar journey in owning my narrative and my queerness, doesn’t make me an expert. But it does give me VALUEABLE INSIGHTS It allows me to understand the struggles and fears that my clients experience. The reason the ‘how to be yourself’ narrative is so important to me is that as a counsellor, my role is to help you live your life in a way that allows you to feel fulfilled. I like working with youths and young adults because it is at this point in their lives when they can decide to accept themselves a whole lot easier than when they’re older. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Finding myself is accepting me for me - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/queer-chosen-family monthly 0.5 2025-03-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/4baa5d67-44a7-4922-94a3-174c84a1592c/Chosen-family.jpg Blogs - Chosen Family: A journey to belonging - By now you’ve read the first parts of my story. **if not, get all the inside scoop on “How do I come out” and everything and anything to do with how to be queer and have a faith at the same time! Life is a journey from coming out late in life and the lesson it brought me, to losing my faith and finding it again. But one thing stays constant: family… More importantly: chosen family. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1d8002ae-e318-4440-81c3-882a0ce4a35a/Chosen-family.jpg Blogs - Chosen Family: A journey to belonging - One of the most difficult things that I have experienced - probably in my whole life, but especially since coming out has been LONELINESS. Now, I don’t mean loneliness because I’m always by myself. No, this loneliness is deeper and it is tied to that feeling of belonging that is missing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/097042ec-c791-4440-91cf-117b79a3dabe/Chosen-family-queer.jpg Blogs - Chosen Family: A journey to belonging - A chosen family is not necessarily related to you by blood or marriage. Instead, they are people you’ve drawn into your circle who hold space for you as you are. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/ebe571a8-bf1c-4c73-8e39-16771c3f9327/Chosen-family-queer-vancouver.jpg Blogs - Chosen Family: A journey to belonging - As a queer counsellor helping my clients on their journey to belonging is my mission. I know that sounds all businesslike and professional, but that’s not at all how I feel about it. For me, working with youths and young adults on this journey to belonging is special. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/fdcf3a5e-a8a6-4bcd-8b21-fd62496ca80d/Chosen-family-queer-vancouver.jpg Blogs - Chosen Family: A journey to belonging - My own experience of finding where I belong has given me a lot of perspective. And I am privileged to be able to share with the youth and young adults who sit across from me in session. One of the areas where belonging and chosen family fit goes back to my upbringing within the church. I realized that while I have people in my life who care for me, there were still things about me that they didn’t fully understand or accept. And this made it hard for me to connect with them completely. Did this mean I didn’t love them? No. Does this mean that you should accept people’s (misguided) opinions? Absolutely not - especially not when they cause you discomfort or harm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/7267e503-d718-4dc9-b56f-f13d8ec713c4/Chosen-family-queer-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Chosen Family: A journey to belonging - You can have a that family raised you, but a chosen family is one way you come into your own. I should note that many people in the LGBTQ community do struggle with feeling accepted by their family. This is why I’m such a big advocate for finding a chosen family. Because, unlike a nuclear family, your chosen family gives your life purpose and meaning in a way you may not have experienced before. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/43d80ff8-47d8-43a7-96db-ba9427f4a3b7/Chosen-family-queer-bipoc.jpg Blogs - Chosen Family: A journey to belonging - And finding your chosen family won’t happen overnight!! Having your chosen family might even start with just one person. But that one chosen family will mean more than any number of acquaintances ever will. That one chosen family person won’t be someone who you keep at arm's length because they see all your colours, accept all your flaws, and have your back. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/c9957e4f-5126-4d46-9f8e-9549a835a5c0/Chosen-family-lgbtq.jpg Blogs - Chosen Family: A journey to belonging - If there is one thing I’ve realized in my later years (hehe), it’s that making friendships and forming genuine connections can be difficult. However, I don’t want this truth to scare you. Making new friends can be tough, yes, but it isn’t impossible - especially not in our beautiful community. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/3c0d6c11-1b50-4042-ae47-c3767c463f84/Chosen-family.jpg Blogs - Chosen Family: A journey to belonging - However, where I see my place with my clients is helping them to understand what is important to them and what they need. You see, when you’ve spent so much time feeling at a distance from those around you, it can be easy to latch on to just anyone. But knowing yourself is the first step to finding the right people. Knowing that my client base is predominantly youth, I do have to say that youth are in a prime position to explore and dive into different activities and social circles to find the ones that speak to them. You can also lean into your friends - the ones who know and accept you. I consider myself fortunate to work with youth and young adults because, at that age, I needed guidance from someone who could help me understand what I needed to feel like I fit in. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/e282ddab-10cb-48ba-a474-d3cf00e642ae/Chosen-family-lgbtq.jpg Blogs - Chosen Family: A journey to belonging - And while just chatting with me won’t give you all the answers, I make sure to guide, prompt, and encourage you to seek those answers I don’t dictate action, but I do give you the space to think critically and introspectively about yourself. And this goes a long way when it comes to trying to find where you fit… where you belong. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/cc4d705d-ae65-4203-af58-9c466c89b1f4/Chosen-family-lgbtq-vancouver.jpg Blogs - Chosen Family: A journey to belonging - Putting yourself out there, meeting new people, and joining groups, and organizations that align with your values and beliefs, are great first steps to take. The more you move through the motions of meeting different people, the more you see who resonates with you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Chosen Family: A journey to belonging - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/have-a-faith monthly 0.5 2025-03-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/b812a0d9-9912-46a0-8de6-da4a86c4c432/Have-a-faith-therapist-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Can I be queer and have a faith? - Rounding up the year is going to be a little longer than usual. Why? Personally, I’ve realized that I’ve come so far in living life on my terms. I’ve grown and learned so much in a few short years and I want to share my story with you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/fb633549-2138-4cdb-9302-01f13a4a402d/have-a-faith-therapist-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Can I be queer and have a faith? - When I think about my experiences growing up surrounded by a community that fostered a deep love of God, feelings of grief and sadness come over me. I thought I have a faith when I converted into Catholicism in my early 20’s. I was taught that God created us in His image and that He does not make mistakes. We are taught to love everyone and accept ourselves and others just as we are. That is UNTIL YOU REALIZED THAT YOU’RE QUEER… and then suddenly your position within the church becomes less certain. My faith in God was and is something that I hold dear to my heart. To have a faith means having a force much bigger than myself guides my actions, eases my worries, and gives me comfort when I feel alone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/34e2c4c7-b850-4384-abd1-a9048a69f46b/Have-a-faith-bipoc-queer-therapist.jpg Blogs - Can I be queer and have a faith? - I didn’t come out for years, because when I finally understood myself, and who I was, I also understood that the Catholic church does not hold space for people like me. And that realization brought with it a world of heartache that I have seen reflected in my client’s eyes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/4c0fe8a4-c4d4-44f6-a229-dd54ce31f236/have-a-faith-queer-therapist-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Can I be queer and have a faith? - One of the most gut-wrenching parts about coming out was the fear of losing the tethers to the community that I love. Maybe you don’t have any religious affiliation and it’s difficult to connect this fear with a reality. But for me - in the early stages of my self-discovery - this was terrifying! As someone who always have a faith, religion was a cornerstone of a lot of my interactions. And the bible doesn’t look too fondly on those who don’t fit into a cis-stereotype. The struggle to be queer and have a faith for me was real. And I know all too well what my clients feel when they share their worries about coming out - especially when religion is involved. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/0fb88b6a-603a-4975-a148-df62b91a27fd/have-a-faith-bipoc-therapist-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Can I be queer and have a faith? - It stems from this worry that your queerness makes you other. I can attest to having had that feeling myself. Whether I was questioning if I was normal for not being heteronormative or feeling other because I dared to have a different path than those around me, I know what it’s like to not fit in. See, I had learned that there was no place for people like me in God’s house. I learnt that to have a faith means believing that we are all made in his image and we all deserve love and to be loved. We all deserve to belong. Yet, for people like me and like my clients the reality of “having a faith” is different. We learn that our place in this world is PRECARIOUS. The second we stop conforming is the second we are cast aside. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/e37d3ff3-9c04-48bd-9c19-52bac75c0db1/Have-a-faith-queer-therapist-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Can I be queer and have a faith? - When I felt like the church turned its back on me, I lost myself. I lost my faith. But I can tell you now, that my faith is stronger than it ever was. Part of it is because I found my community. I surround myself with people who helped me grow and let me feel safe. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Can I be queer and have a faith? - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/how-do-i-come-out monthly 0.5 2025-03-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/54ca0395-6953-42cd-b05d-6ed88ea52c5b/How-do-I-come-out.jpg Blogs - How do I come out: Owning my queerness - As we’re winding down this year, I find myself reflecting a lot on my journey both as a counsellor and as a queer individual. It’s been a long, hard journey, but it’s been so incredibly worth it in so many ways. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/3449f89d-88fc-4eda-a429-12b1bfbbfe71/How-do-I-come-out-as-queer.jpg Blogs - How do I come out: Owning my queerness - Now, before I get too far into this story, coming out is hard. I didn’t come out until my 30s and my age didn’t make it any easier. But it did give me a lot of opportunity to reflect, understand, and accept a lot more about myself than I ever thought possible. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/5a1ef2b8-7209-400c-a151-3d3bf0013c75/How-do-I-come-out-queer-bipoc-burnaby.jpg.jpg Blogs - How do I come out: Owning my queerness - But, when you sit across from me and ask “How do I come out?” I do my best to guide you. I take into account everything you’ve shared about your story, the interactions you have, the people who love you, the people who care, and I give you tools that you can use to make the transitions easier. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/a15e1f41-3bb2-48b0-ac5d-54ebd57cd053/How-do-I-come-out-queer-bipoc-vancouver.jpg Blogs - How do I come out: Owning my queerness - If there is one thing that I wish I could tell my younger self, it’s that denying parts of who I am, pushing uncomfortable feelings down, or even rejecting thoughts that might have given me insight was a huge disservice to me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1fe5f439-18ec-46ec-aaac-a27deaa82b65/How-do-I-come-out-queer-bipoc.jpg Blogs - How do I come out: Owning my queerness - Now maybe that’s not something everyone can do, but there is a detachment that happens in your teens. You pull away from the protective wing of your family to try and figure things out on your own. Make it stand out https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/7b03d7f6-c51d-41eb-85ba-48720f933558/How-do-I-come-out-bipoc-queer.jpg Blogs - How do I come out: Owning my queerness - I had to look at who I was, understand what I believed in, and who was important to me. I had to measure everything I knew about myself, against the building realization that I was queer. Even just admitting that to myself was a CHALLENGE. One that I’m incredibly proud of even now. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/e94c35cf-238b-4211-a08f-e090758ac839/How-do-I-come-out.jpg Blogs - How do I come out: Owning my queerness - It was at this point that I felt the most lost. On the one hand, I’d taken that first step to admitting things to myself. But what that looked like for the world I interacted with was a whole other story. It was so CONFLICTING. How do I come out when I know that people won’t understand? How do I come out when I'm worried I won’t be accepted? How do I come out when my life feels like a house of cards, ready to collapse? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/4a931da7-3081-44f7-a180-5d5d316ba25e/How-do-I-come-out-youth-bipoc-therapist.jpg Blogs - How do I come out: Owning my queerness - One of the hardest lessons I had to learn in my coming out journey was this: It’s not about me, Well, ok, coming out is absolutely about me. But other people’s reactions are not about me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/43d8e53a-c131-4903-990b-7bd761c050cf/How-do-I-come-out-youth-therapist.jpg Blogs - How do I come out: Owning my queerness - Coming out is a journey of acceptance and self-discovery. It’s something that you need to be ready for because you can only control your part of the story. And the process of getting ready can be arduous. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - How do I come out: Owning my queerness - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/gender-identity-as-seasons monthly 0.5 2025-03-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/a32970b5-be23-4692-8135-d8cc67bbcb96/Gender-identity-as-seasons.jpg Blogs - Gender identity as seasons: Is this really me? - Alright, I’ve sat on this for a while, but I feel like it’s time to finally talk about gender identity as seasons. Y es, IT’S TIME… You see, one of the ways that I like to support my practice and help folx navigate their gender identity is by reading through subreddits. Now, before you freak out, no I’m not dishing out counseling advice on gender threads. I appreciate insights that the internet provides on gender identity, gender issues, and more recently gender identity as seasons. I see many problems with my youth and young adult clients. However, resources like community boards and groups highlight many prevalent concerns affecting my queer community. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/127e284d-b870-467e-8c08-d8e7d2f8150f/Gender-identity-as-seasons.jpg Blogs - Gender identity as seasons: Is this really me? - Before I dive into gender identity as seasons, I want to acknowledge that gender is a societal construct that dictates the expression, roles, and behaviours of boys, girls, women, and men. We cling to the concept earnestly because it simplifies life. However, as our society evolves and expands to embrace the different facets of existence, the understanding of gender is growing and expanding with it. The gender roles we have held so close are pulling apart at the edges to reveal that gender is not as simple as black and white. It is NOT based on sexual orientation, nor does it always align with assigned-at-birth genders. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/6fda2fed-efc5-4648-b554-14cb726bdd3b/Gender-identity-as-seasons-Vancouver.jpg Blogs - Gender identity as seasons: Is this really me? - Gender identity as seasons rose to popularity in April 2024 when Transactivist Dee Whitnell posted a video discussing the concept. You might have heard this term before referred to as Seasogender, Genderseason. Like many things on the internet, gender identity as seasons was met with a lot of scrutiny and backlash. Seriously, some people need to learn the age-old lesson of saying nothing if you can’t say nice things. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/7e72938a-71e9-4ff6-9788-225e8725ff1f/Gender-identity-as-seasons-vancouver.jpg Blogs - Gender identity as seasons: Is this really me? - Spring makes you feel alive, woken up. The colours are lighter, you shed your bulky winter coats for sweaters. And come summer, we adapt again. We embrace the weather, the sunshine, and the joy of the longer days. It's a cycle for every season So why can’t we accept that people whose gender identity may be different than ours, too feel the shift in season manifest in an aesthetic way? When you identify as gender fluid or non-binary, society’s pre-defined gender roles and expectations don’t apply. You don’t have to “dress like a girl” if you are presenting as feminine. Or “be more manly” if your at-birth gender is male and you feel anything but. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/ce4b63f5-b59e-46c1-8cb3-4a4e2d762e03/Gender-identity-as-seasons.jpg Blogs - Gender identity as seasons: Is this really me? - Like I said before, changing seasons changes people. It's not a permanent change, but a change that aligns with the time of year. And while gender identity is a little more in-depth than following the latest fashion trends of fashion styles, the reasoning behind the changes has the same root. We all do things to make us feel more comfortable. We do things that make us feel good, feel seen, feel happy. If that “thing” for you is embracing a particular part of your gender identity in any given season, then I say, live it up! Embrace that part of yourself that wants to shine - whenever it wants to do so. Why? Because you should not limit yourself to the gender binary when that isn’t who you are. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/965edcdb-ac13-49e2-85b0-8560b32619a5/Gender-identity-as-seasons-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Gender identity as seasons: Is this really me? - The first thing I want to say is that: I see you. I’ve been you. I’ve stood in front of a clothing rack and flipped through the clothes that I’m expected to wear and thought “This just isn’t me.” I was a staunch “no pink” and “no dresses” person growing up. But they were part of my wardrobe and I felt like I had no choice. I HAD no choice because someone I respected or loved expected me to look and act a certain way. And I didn’t know how to speak up. I felt exposed and vulnerable. In those moments I felt like I was putting on someone else's skin and parading around pretending to be someone I was not. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Gender identity as seasons: Is this really me? - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/cost-for-testosterone-replacement-therapy monthly 0.5 2024-11-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/55f86ca0-38ee-49cc-a887-c83113edff01/cost-for-testosterone-replacement-therapy.jpg Blogs - Is Testosterone replacement therapy the only path to be more masculine FTM? - Transitioning is a deeply personal journey for any transgender folx. It’s not just about tinkering with the external physical changes, though more so about having internal peace about who you are and how you show up in the world. Gender transitioning aka gender affirming care, is the process transgender folks in Vancouver and beyond go through en route to living as the gender they personally identify with. There are three main aspects to gender transitioning for transgender folx: physical, social, and legal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/c8151e9c-5dd4-4acc-9369-b5160b7eebb8/cost-for-testosterone-replacement-therapy-west-vancouver.jpg Blogs - Is Testosterone replacement therapy the only path to be more masculine FTM? - Not necessarily! Many transgender and non-binary folx completed their testosterone replacement therapy and fully transitioned WITHOUT surgery. Some transgender folx in Vancouver feel the physical changes from testosterone replacement therapy are enough. Some transgender folx have no desire to pursue surgeries or other medical treatment. Again, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Just because most folx do not see the need to pursue surgery, does not mean that you can’t! That’s why it is super important to have people to bounce ideas off of. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/5b617b85-7c8f-4cf4-b567-290d325240ae/cost-for-testosterone-replacement-therapy-vancouver.jpg Blogs - Is Testosterone replacement therapy the only path to be more masculine FTM? - Roughly, what’s the cost for testosterone replacement therapy? There are so many factors to consider when we figure out the budget for testosterone replacement therapy. The cost may fluctuate on a monthly or weekly basis, depending on the testosterone replacement therapy dosage and your goals. Testosterone injections are typically seen as the most cost effective testosterone replacement therapy. It may range from $40 all the way up to $400 ish, depending on the dosage and frequency. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/7d89969a-10d6-404d-9f0e-c49f52586627/cost-for-testosterone-replacement-therapy-port-moody.jpg Blogs - Is Testosterone replacement therapy the only path to be more masculine FTM? - Oral testosterone tablets are another good option for testosterone replacement therapy, though some experts raised concerns about its effectiveness and side effects on the liver. Prescriptions typically cost anywhere between $100 to $400, depending on dosage and frequency. Gels, creams, patches, and dermal adhesive are seen as a middle of the pack testosterone replacement therapy option (it all depends, though). From what I know, they have similar price points between $200 and $500. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/266f1ce8-f70e-4fa0-ac7c-c96d1aabf0ff/cost-for-testosterone-replacement-therapy-north-vancouver.jpg Blogs - Is Testosterone replacement therapy the only path to be more masculine FTM? - Wondering how permanent is testosterone replacement therapy permanent? What if you change your mind… Words of wisdom I have heard from the medical grapevine: If at any point, you are having second thoughts and consider taking a break from testosterone replacement therapy, DON’T STOP COLD TURKEY Give your body some time to readjust and recalibrate from whatever impact from the testosterone replacement therapy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/e9200b0b-1f67-40c6-941b-678fab9f0a5b/cost-for-testosterone-replacement-therapy-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Is Testosterone replacement therapy the only path to be more masculine FTM? - If you choose to get on testosterone replacement therapy or puberty blockers, you need to have a follow-up appointment with your prescriber. In some cases, more than one health care provider –eg, a pediatric endocrinologist and a nurse practitioner – is involved in monitoring the effects and trajectories of the testosterone replacement therapy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/3ba1e969-977d-4e4d-b1c4-c1a76d3b90f5/cost-for-testosterone-replacement-therapy-coquitlam.jpg Blogs - Is Testosterone replacement therapy the only path to be more masculine FTM? - The frequency of your follow-up appointment may vary, depending on your health situation. Though, generally speaking, you may expect to have more frequent follow-up when you first start hormone therapy. Things will taper off once you have a stable dose for your hormone therapy. Your prescribing provider may request blood work done during some of your follow-up appointments. Blood work may be needed when you first start your hormone therapy treatment or when dosage is adjusted. Once dosage is stable, you may expect less blood work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Is Testosterone replacement therapy the only path to be more masculine FTM? - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/gender-affirming-care-bc monthly 0.5 2024-10-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/53e6f717-485b-4d2a-aa07-940589c44966/Gender-affirming-care-BC.jpg Blogs - Does gender affirming care for youth in BC have to include surgery? - “I never really feel like I ever measured up to a stereotype everyone expects me to be. There’s like an invisible box where everyone seems to just fit in and I just don’t belong in it.” Meet Jordan, a 15-year-old, who’s been feeling more and more disconnected from their sex assigned at birth. The sentence above is Jordan’s thoughts on repeat. For as long as they can remember, deep down they always felt like something did not quite fit in. Something was DIFFERENT. They were born with a penis, though they recounted all their life feeling more drawn to try out their sister’s dresses and experiment with their mom’s makeup and nail polish. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/dcca94a1-2aed-466d-a943-93a9792318d5/Gender-affirming-care-bc-canada.jpg Blogs - Does gender affirming care for youth in BC have to include surgery? - “Gender-affirming care in BC” has been such a buzz word that I think this topic deserves having its own post. Gender affirming care in BC is a wide range of support within our healthcare system, including medical, surgical, mental health, and non-medical services for transgender and nonbinary people residing in the province of BC. Gender affirming care is a wrap-around support to affirm individuals’ gender identity, especially if they do not personally identify with the sex assigned at birth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/0dd6909d-d23d-47f0-b6ee-32d5538c2f00/Gender-affirming-care-bc-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Does gender affirming care for youth in BC have to include surgery? - Someone said having early access to gender affirming care in BC is important, is that so? That is super true! Having early access to gender affirming care is incredibly helpful because early intervention allows folx to focus on their social transitions. There are so many moving pieces that gender expansive individuals go through on their quest to find alignment. So, having a head start on their exploration journey can increase their confidence and give them a sense of groundedness on what would bring alignment for them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/7c2b7b22-a963-4222-aa9f-704919861097/Gender-affirming-care-bc-vancouver.jpg Blogs - Does gender affirming care for youth in BC have to include surgery? - All sounds good, how does gender affirming care in BC looks like in practice? Gender affirming care is an umbrella term meant to express the many ways we can support someone’s gender expression. From my experience providing gender affirming care in BC, some ideas of how it may look like in practice: Using preferred pronouns when referring to someone Calling folx by their preferred or chosen name Therapy with a gender therapist Getting into hormone therapy In some cases, it may involve surgical procedures https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/a66b0ffb-dc92-40a7-acaf-939cef08e6f7/Gender-affirming-care-bc-langley.jpg Blogs - Does gender affirming care for youth in BC have to include surgery? - Hold on, does it mean gender affirming care in BC for youth always includes surgery? Heck, NO! This is one of the most common misconceptions about gender affirming care.. Bringing about alignment doesn’t always mean only focusing on the external. Well, for some folx, they feel so much more themselves if they can either ADD or LOSE or MODIFY certain body parts. Though, for some, having someone refer to them with their chosen pronouns and name is ENOUGH. All in all, you get to define how feeling good in your body, in your chosen gender identity look like. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/5c2568ac-7e33-4eda-88a3-fae3387fb6c9/Gender-affirming-care-bc-surrey.jpg Blogs - Does gender affirming care for youth in BC have to include surgery? - How can I find a legit gender affirming care provider in BC near me? A family physician can diagnose and treat youth with gender dysphoria – when someone feels distressed because their perceived gender identity does not match with the sex assigned at birth. A doctor, nurse practitioner, pediatrician, or endocrinologist are all able to prescribe hormone therapy. Once a client got on hormone therapy, they need to do follow up meeting with their prescriber. WPATH does NOT recommend doing surgery or any medical gender affirming care until puberty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/ecd17351-cd3d-4031-8cc9-bfd6eb58f34f/Gender-affirming-care-BC.jpg Blogs - Does gender affirming care for youth in BC have to include surgery? - Some folks find the experience of getting out of the house quite anxiety inducing. Little things like the possibility of being misgendered, mis-named, or finding gender neutral washroom are real! That’s where doing a VIRTUAL appointment would be incredibly HELPFUL. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Does gender affirming care for youth in BC have to include surgery? - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/gender-identity-therapist-vancouver monthly 0.5 2024-10-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/0c4c38a8-cb98-43fe-b53e-0f93df00127e/Gender-identity-therapist.jpg Blogs - Your Burnaby gender identity therapist breaks down how hormone therapy can transform your body - Hormone therapy is one of the components of gender affirming care in BC. This is a 2-part series on hormone therapy, and last week I shared a bit about what hormone therapy is and today we’ll learn some more about how hormone therapy can transform your body. If the term “gender affirming care BC” doesn’t quite ring a bell, hop on to another article where I did a deep dive on what gender affirming care BC is all about. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/7c307fd8-ef35-4385-97a4-343772db2af4/Gender-identity-therapist.jpg Blogs - Your Burnaby gender identity therapist breaks down how hormone therapy can transform your body - As we have established in another article that our gender identity exists on a spectrum. It’s not a binary of men and women like the world would trick us to believe. In reality, gender identity is more of a continuum between feminine in one and masculine in the other. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/930a9be4-01de-4fe1-a29f-40170896cdf0/Gender-identity-therapist-Vancouver.jpg Blogs - Your Burnaby gender identity therapist breaks down how hormone therapy can transform your body - I personally love picturing a cup of water when I think of gender identity It is FLUID. Just like water. Some days water by itself feels good, though other times it feels good to add a dash of lemon, while other days we can add a tablespoon of sugar into our tea. That’s exactly how hormone therapy works and impacts us physically and emotionally. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/984836e0-aeba-41b6-95a3-11dce21a5e26/Gender-identity-therapist-Burnaby.jpg Blogs - Your Burnaby gender identity therapist breaks down how hormone therapy can transform your body - Some of the most common ones I’ve seen in my role as a gender identity therapist, you’re taking feminizing (MTF) hormones are: Grow breasts Sweat less Lose muscle tone Thinning hair on your face and chest Experiencing less and smaller erections Shrinking testicles Creating less sperm (or nothing altogether) Having a rounder hips and thighs https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/ce446eb5-f6a7-4bcd-b5aa-c11a9fa6917f/Gender-identity-therapist-Surrey.jpg Blogs - Your Burnaby gender identity therapist breaks down how hormone therapy can transform your body - For those taking testosterone or masculinizing (FTM) hormone, some of the physical changes that I’ve witnessed in my role as a gender therapist are: Thicker and more oily skin Sweat more Thicker hair growth in some locations May develop acne Fat moving away from your hips and thighs More defined muscles in your arms and legs A more angular look to your face Voice changes (deeper or more baritone sounding) Changes in libido Shorter period, and may eventually stop https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/70073b06-5776-48f1-a543-0509d29d4c4d/Gender-identity-therapist-Langley.jpg Blogs - Your Burnaby gender identity therapist breaks down how hormone therapy can transform your body - The speed and amount of changes really depends on so many factors. Some new body features may pop up right away, while others may take years to happen. Take for an instance, folx who are taking feminizing hormone therapy may experience decreased libido, ejaculation, and fewer erections within the first 3 months. Then, they may experience breast development anywhere between 3 to 6 months after treatment starts. The full effect typically happens within 3 years. Along with that, they may notice softer, less oily skin, less muscle mass, and less body hair overall. The timeline is anywhere between 3 months to 3 years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/87817fbc-89b1-481e-8490-1fbcf3f839d1/Gender-identity-therapist-youth-counselling.jpg Blogs - Your Burnaby gender identity therapist breaks down how hormone therapy can transform your body - Know that taking transgender hormone therapy may possibly change your reproductive system. One thing for sure: Gender affirming hormone therapy, including testosterone, isn’t birth control. This means that if and when you are on T, even when you stop having your period, there is still a sliver of possibility that you can get pregnant. Wondering how the heck? Well, pregnancy is still possible when you have a uterus, ovaries, and are ovulating. It’s still possible to ovulate, even when you stop having your period. Taking T regularly may at some point make someone born with ovaries ovulate. And a note for trans man who’s like to still get pregnant at some point, you can temporarily stop taking T. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/8cd7ea71-8a1f-4378-8f32-93baf48a8258/Gender-identity-therapist-BIPOC-therapist.jpg Blogs - Your Burnaby gender identity therapist breaks down how hormone therapy can transform your body - As someone who had my fair share of gender identity confusion, I totally get it that deciding to get on hormone therapy and making some changes (however necessary they may be!) could be daunting. That’s why in my capacity as a gender identity therapist I believe that it's super important for you to take your time. As much as thinking of the prospect of living differently can be super exciting Know that you don’t have to have everything figured out today. Make sure you gather as much information. Start with ask Google anything you’d like to find out about the many pieces of gender affirming care available, hormone therapy, hormone readiness assessment… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Your Burnaby gender identity therapist breaks down how hormone therapy can transform your body - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/gender-therapist-vancouver-hormone-therapy monthly 0.5 2024-09-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/a52ad819-7660-4726-ba1e-1968ec6f57f0/Gender-therapist-Vancouver.jpg Blogs - Your gender therapist Vancouver weighs in on the sparkles and magic hormone therapy can do for Trans and Non-binary folx - I have been practicing as a gender therapist in Vancouver for more than six years, and I gotta say that a lot has changed. When I first helped out a client exploring their gender identity and accessing hormone therapy, the landscape of transgender healthcare was quite different. There were just so many moving pieces. It was a truly humbling experience as a gender therapist in Vancouver, I remember feeling lost, uncertain, and overwhelmed about the whole process even as a professional. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/35557925-2268-424d-a66f-6d8afcca0fac/Gender-therapist-Vancouver.jpg Blogs - Your gender therapist Vancouver weighs in on the sparkles and magic hormone therapy can do for Trans and Non-binary folx - Hormone therapy for transgender folx is a part of gender affirming care that can help gender expansive folx look and feel differently about your body. Hormone therapy may look like either feminizing (estrogen) or masculinizing (testosterone) hormones. In my capacity as a gender therapist in Vancouver, I’ve seen many transgender and non-bninary folx take hormone therapy as a part of their gender transition to have an external appearance that aligns with how they feel internally. It’s true that some folx decided to get on hormone therapy to have less obvious sex characteristics (less male, less female, or more androgynous) Though my overall thoughts as a gender therapist in Vancouver, whatever your personal goals, hormone therapy can help you find more alignment with your gender identity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/643bfdcf-10a6-40f9-a93e-e8d607d35cdd/Gender-therapist-Vancouver.jpg Blogs - Your gender therapist Vancouver weighs in on the sparkles and magic hormone therapy can do for Trans and Non-binary folx - Hormone therapy (sometimes referred to as HRT) is the use of sex hormones (estrogen or testosterone) to alter some of the physical changes that came about after puberty (deepening of the voice, breast development, and facial hair growth. In my years of experience as a gender therapist in Vancouver, I’ve seen a lot of transgender folx use hormone therapy to have physical characteristics that reflect their gender identity and relieve their dysphoria. Some transgender folx described getting on hormone therapy feels like going through second puberty. They experience changes physically, emotionally, mentally, and sexually. In some cases, hormone therapy may change their reproductive function. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/d4b85f6b-f1f3-4aaa-9d41-8bb6f68410b2/Gender-therapist-Vancouver.jpg Blogs - Your gender therapist Vancouver weighs in on the sparkles and magic hormone therapy can do for Trans and Non-binary folx - Hormone therapy is meant to support you in feeling more at ease with yourself, both emotionally and physically. Some folx experience discomfort with their appearance, which may impact how they show up in their day-to-day activities. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Your gender therapist Vancouver weighs in on the sparkles and magic hormone therapy can do for Trans and Non-binary folx - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/life-transitions-counseling monthly 0.5 2024-09-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/aedec37b-8c80-46c2-87c1-b3c2956044f6/Life-transitions-counseling.jpg Blogs - 3 ways life transitions counseling can provide that va-va-voom clarity and direction for you - Change is the only thing that is certain in life. Your life is in a constant state of movement that you are bound to have experienced multiple life transitions, be it positive (eg, getting married or starting a new job) or negative (breaking up or moving away from home and family). Some folks may go through significant life transitions smoothly, while others may feel like it threw a wrench in their lives. It is pretty common for folks to experience emotional discomfort, fear, anxiety, and feelings of hopelessness while going through certain life transitions. One important reminder is that it can feel lonely and overwhelming navigating life transitions on your own. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/2efc3f3a-1270-4e9f-931d-3dcfe823ed24/Life-transitions-counseling.jpg Blogs - 3 ways life transitions counseling can provide that va-va-voom clarity and direction for you - All good. What types of life transitions are we talking about… Life transitions can be planned or unplanned. It could be expected or happen so spontaneously. And they all can have pleasant or unpleasant impacts in your life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/71ac0bde-a151-4dc6-81ce-fcdd18ee2417/Life-transitions-counseling-Burnaby.jpg Blogs - 3 ways life transitions counseling can provide that va-va-voom clarity and direction for you - Four major types of life transitions: Anticipated life transitions These are events you know are coming up for sure later in life. Things like teens hoping to attend university right after completing high school. Anticipated life transitions can motivate you to work on certain goals and focus your mind on something. Unanticipated life transitions These are what we call unplanned events in life that can throw us off track. Things like getting laid off from your company or receiving a 3-month notice from your landlord to move out. These kinds of life transitions are often stressful because you may not see it coming. Though, the potential for growth and learning is greater than anticipated life transitions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/68fc1949-e762-4d5d-a3aa-92007179c300/Life-transitions-counseling-Vancouver.jpg Blogs - 3 ways life transitions counseling can provide that va-va-voom clarity and direction for you - Any life transitions, be it unplanned or planned, can have positive or negative impact on you. In some ways, life transitions can be an opportunity for you to learn new life skills, depending on what you are going through. I am thinking of the time when I first moved abroad and lived away from home. This was an adventure I signed up for and in the beginning the life transitions I needed to go through were super tough. I had to learn how to cook, clean and tidy up my space, do my laundry, fix stuff at home, and many other things. Now, I look back at this experience and feel super happy for all the life skills that I picked up during this life transitions period. In other ways, going through life transitions can be lonely and nerve wrecking. It was super scary for me moving to a place where I knew nobody. Then I had to learn to make friends with new people. It definitely impacted my self-esteem and caused me so much stress and anxiety in the beginning. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/be505f16-a052-412a-8e75-739389605cb2/Life-transitions-counseling.jpg Blogs - 3 ways life transitions counseling can provide that va-va-voom clarity and direction for you - Tips for navigating life transitions I gotta say that having gone through multiple life transitions, I‘ve compiled a few tried and true tips which can serve as a starting point for you Reach out for support Don’t mean to belabor this topic as I mentioned this before, though it’s super important to remember that it can be super tempting to just do things on your own. I get it, reaching out for help feels vulnerable. Naming what you need feels like a weakness. I felt that way too at first and the more I tried to do things on my own, the more lonely I felt. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/de85bf77-51d0-41dc-95d1-56945e9a626e/Life-transitions-counseling-Burnaby.jpg Blogs - 3 ways life transitions counseling can provide that va-va-voom clarity and direction for you - Well, we have established that going through life transitions can be challenging. So, this is where having a safe outlet for you to process your thoughts and emotions will be helpful. When I do life transitions counseling, I will focus on processing in what way is this life transitions event difficult or impacting you the most. I will ask some prompting questions to help you reflect on your personal values and brainstorm how you can make decisions that align with your values. Together, we can explore new possibilities and set goals. One sweet bonus from doing life transitions counseling is helping you develop better self awareness. So, if you’re experiencing something similar in the future, you’ll handle it differently. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/c7e9eb11-c7f7-424d-8149-ecc67a5db774/Life-transitions-counseling-Vancouver.jpg Blogs - 3 ways life transitions counseling can provide that va-va-voom clarity and direction for you - I don’t exactly have a magic wand to wipe away your life transitions. These life transitions events can affect the way you feel, the way you see yourself and those around you. One valuable thing that I can offer is a space for you to openly talk about how this life transitions is impacting you. I come in without my own agenda and bias about what decision you are supposed to make. One thing that you can expect from a life transitions counseling session is that you will be going through the adjustment more smoothly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/bdd80844-6e3c-4c84-97ba-5ecf777afdc0/Life-transitions-counselling-Langley.jpg Blogs - 3 ways life transitions counseling can provide that va-va-voom clarity and direction for you - As a society, we are super conditioned to approach gender in a very binary way. Meaning, you are either male or female. A lot of folks feel like there is something wrong with them because they feel like they don’t feel like they fit into this binary idea of gender. If you feel like you’re not like everyone else just coz when you look into the mirror, the image you see is telling you one story but the story you are telling yourself is another. One of the theme of trans folks self discovery journey is bringing more alignment between how they feel on the inside and how they show up on the outside. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - 3 ways life transitions counseling can provide that va-va-voom clarity and direction for you - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/difference-between-psychologist-and-psychotherapist-burnaby monthly 0.5 2024-08-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/93ef6304-b0d6-47e9-bbeb-773279d0ce6c/Difference-between-psychologist-and-psychotherapist.jpg Blogs - Need to get things off your chest? Choose the right Pro by learning the difference between psychologist and psychotherapist - Picture this. You have a lot going on. So many thoughts swirling in your head all at once. Sam said something the other day about the way women are supposed to show up in the world. After chewing on a few of the points Sally shared, you felt even more overwhelmed keeping things to yourself. You wanted to find someone to bounce all these ideas off of, though at the same time you were so afraid of saying the wrong things. You want to connect with someone who’ll understand youth, gender identity, and personal exploration. Turns out there is a smorgasbord of options, and now you’re wondering whether you should be seeing a psychologist, psychotherapist, registered therapist, a coach, a mental health therapist, a psychoeducator.. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/796403e4-e1d1-45b3-be02-0e1c22a9a2da/Difference-between-psychologist-and-psychotherapist.jpg Blogs - Need to get things off your chest? Choose the right Pro by learning the difference between psychologist and psychotherapist - Before delving into the difference between psychologist and psychotherapist… Do you know that there are over 70 professional titles within the counselling profession in Canada. It spans all the way from career counsellor, trauma therapist, to psychologist and psychotherapist. That is why it is *not a surprise at all* that millions of Canadians cited “feeling overwhelmed and not knowing where to go” as the primary reasons they ended up handling things on their own. Granted, mental health isn’t like a headache where you can take Advil and voila! There is no one-size-fits all solutions to mental health. So, knowing who to go for what would be a helpful step towards the right direction. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/69afe230-0fb1-4944-8cf7-d0eecbcdb69f/Difference-between-psychologist-and-psychotherapist-Burnaby.jpg Blogs - Need to get things off your chest? Choose the right Pro by learning the difference between psychologist and psychotherapist - I’d say that both terms can be used interchangeably to refer to trained mental health professionals. The greatest difference between psychologist and psychotherapist is the amount of schooling and what they are qualified to treat. In Canada, a psychologist is a regulated mental health professional who holds a doctoral degree in psychology like PhD, PsyD, or EdD. They can assess, diagnose, and treat mental health challenges. Some of the most common specializations for psychologist are: Neuropsychology Child psychology ADHD Addictions and trauma Autism Psychologist are trained in the use of medication and diagnoses of mental health conditions. Though, they are NOT licensed to prescribe medication the way psychiatrist are. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/2b7536ab-e51c-40c2-b47d-1dc57e3d9cc5/Difference-between-psychologist-and-psychotherapist-Burnaby.jpg Blogs - Need to get things off your chest? Choose the right Pro by learning the difference between psychologist and psychotherapist - Unlike psychologists that are regulated nationwide, the profession of psychotherapy is not. In the province of BC where I reside, the title is not protected. Meaning, anyone can just put up a shingle and call themselves a psychotherapist…. This is exactly why I am super passionate about sharing this so that you can make the most informed decision for yourself. The difference between psychologist and psychotherapist: Is one better than the other? In a lot of cases, you need to look beyond the surface and actually take a peek at someone’s training and education section. Also, whenever we talk about the difference between psychologist and psychotherapist, just because a psychologist has higher education than psychotherapy does not mean that one is better than the other. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/662ae122-8811-41bd-b0cc-4ccfcc1def70/Difference-between-psychologist-and-psychotherapist-Vancouver.jpg Blogs - Need to get things off your chest? Choose the right Pro by learning the difference between psychologist and psychotherapist - I like to think of analogies. So, it’s like someone who wants to be a Michelin star pastry baker. Getting trained in and obtaining a culinary diploma from the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu is not an absolute guarantee someone will have a successful career in the food industry. Same thing here, a psychotherapist can go to the best counselling school and be trained under one of the most famous figure in the industry. Though if they don’t have the basic skills and talents, all the extra sparkles will be to no avail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/7da602e1-3a56-44c2-bed7-9f811cef5a13/Difference-between-psychologist-and-psychotherapist-Langley.jpg Blogs - Need to get things off your chest? Choose the right Pro by learning the difference between psychologist and psychotherapist - Mental health professionals running their own private practice have a degree of liberty in setting their own rate. That’s why, if you are exploring options, you may notice a range… Our regulatory body may provide a suggested fee schedule, though ultimately, each practitioner has their own autonomy to set their own. Take for example, the going rate (as of this writing) to access a psychologist in private practice is $235 per hour. This fee is applicable to individual sessions and consultation with third parties. Keep in mind that I source this information from what I found and heard from personal psychologist colleagues. The fee for assessment services and court appearances would be different. For more info, check out this page. The going range for psychotherapist is 140 to 250 per hr based on many factors (years of experience, specialty, etc)… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Need to get things off your chest? Choose the right Pro by learning the difference between psychologist and psychotherapist - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/aedp-therapy-burnaby monthly 0.5 2025-03-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/7cba126a-ca48-457c-b71a-50c9f52827dd/AEDP-therapy-Burnaby.jpg.jpg Blogs - Your LGBTQ youth therapist Burnaby dishing out the tea on how AEDP therapy can make your light shine brighter - Welcome to the second installment in my two-part series on AEDP therapy. Written in collaboration with a Vancouver copywriter, Viv. So, if you’re reading this and thinking “AEDP therapy sounds like some hokey extraterrestrial terminology” - you’d be wrong - it’s definitely a therapeutic technique, but it’s also probably a sign to read the first article. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/b4bb151f-ab97-4859-ac0c-b78a0b6f45a7/AEDP-therapy-Burnaby.jpg Blogs - Your LGBTQ youth therapist Burnaby dishing out the tea on how AEDP therapy can make your light shine brighter - I know what you’re thinking - digging deep into AEDP therapy sounds complicated and you’re not really sure you want to see the inner workings of counselling techniques. You just want to come in and have your sessions and walk out as your true authentic self. Well, I’d love that for you too. Though that’s not always how it works. In fact, I’ve found that some of my clients really do value knowing what goes on behind-the-scenes. Some found it super fascinating getting to know AEDP therapy as a technique we might use in sessions. Especially when it comes to the neurodivergent folk; they love digging deep into the facts that support the process. AEDP therapy is a form of talk therapy and I use it when walking with folx through their personal identity and self exploration. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/e42ae92b-8de2-4aec-8a3c-d1c5fa4aae16/AEDP-therapy.jpg Blogs - Your LGBTQ youth therapist Burnaby dishing out the tea on how AEDP therapy can make your light shine brighter - AEDP therapy can make you shine, here’s how To understand when AEDP therapy techniques are useful, you have to start by looking at the reasons most people come to counselling: to work through trauma, unwilled loneliness, and overwhelming negative emotions. The truth is, you don’t have to hit rock bottom before seeking help. Some of the folx I am walking with have shared that their day to day life seemed okay, but there was something missing. This is where the art of my AEDP therapy comes in. Life is not a straight line. In fact, there are lots of twists and bumps on the road that might trip you up or point you in a direction that you don’t want to go. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/33ddfbc5-bbee-4b00-b1a9-f78ee8df6ef1/AEDP-therapy-therapist-Burnaby.jpg Blogs - Your LGBTQ youth therapist Burnaby dishing out the tea on how AEDP therapy can make your light shine brighter - AEDP therapy invites you to come as you are One super important thing worth noting is that in AEDP therapy I go at your pace. Yes, you read that right! AEDP therapy puts a huge emphasis on meeting you where you are at. Which means that in my role as a youth therapist in Burnaby, I am not here to make or force you to look at, or digest your emotions. If you feel ready to talk about some difficult experiences and process some unpleasant emotions that pop up as a result… then let’s dive right in. But, if you are still on the fence about emotions, then we can take our time with AEDP therapy. One thing I say to every one of my clients is that I am here and ready to chat about anything and everything you’d like to talk about. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/25a0e837-3078-49ad-acdb-37b29738f127/AEDP-therapy-for-youth-Burnaby.jpg Blogs - Your LGBTQ youth therapist Burnaby dishing out the tea on how AEDP therapy can make your light shine brighter - AEDP therapy in action: I am here with you, even in your hardest moments My role in all this - the core of my training - is to show you that people do care, they want the best for you, I want the best for you. It’s in my nature, and why AEDP therapy is so near and dear to my heart. AEDP therapy is done by first forging that trusting relationship through previous conversations. Then we work on removing your sense of ‘aloneness’ by showing you through our sessions that I will be there with you as you uncover and process your uncomfortable emotions. The other cool thing about AEDP therapy is helping you stay grounded. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/d5d01e92-0086-4fb5-9f85-5feeb49e8ef9/AEDP-therapy-therapist-Burnaby.jpg Blogs - Your LGBTQ youth therapist Burnaby dishing out the tea on how AEDP therapy can make your light shine brighter - Getting you situated with the lay of the AEDP therapy land AEDP therapy sessions are meant to be inviting and impactful. Let me start there. While AEDP therapy may look like a very typical talk therapy session, we do dive into your feelings, which means you may experience painful and at times overwhelming emotions. But I want to repeat - if I haven’t said this enough - I got you. As a counsellor… as your counsellor… My job is to make sure that you are taken care of during our AEDP therapy sessions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/fc0ccde5-3c01-449c-abfc-8e27f9cf05f3/AEDP-therapy-Burnaby-amd-virtual.jpg Blogs - Your LGBTQ youth therapist Burnaby dishing out the tea on how AEDP therapy can make your light shine brighter - The starting point of AEDP therapy journey It takes a lot of commitment to face difficult emotions and work through what they mean, and it is not something that you can do on your own. That said, our first AEDP therapy session will likely be me doing a lot more talking and explaining what you can expect as we move forward. Throughout our AEDP therapy journey, I’ll spend a lot of time getting to know you, understanding what you are dealing with, checking in on your emotional well-being, and learning the nuances (you know, the little things) about you that will help me guide you on this journey. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/bb37a865-2bbb-4db1-a490-cd50ad1cf9f4/AEDP-therapy-BIPOC-+Queer-counsellor-Burnaby.jpg Blogs - Your LGBTQ youth therapist Burnaby dishing out the tea on how AEDP therapy can make your light shine brighter - Ways AEDP therapy can make your light shine brighter When we work together through using AEDP therapy techniques, we won’t just be focused on re-living difficult emotions, but learning how to adapt ourselves, changing our behaviours and attitudes in order to live in harmony with ourselves. The purpose of AEDP therapy is not only to reduce the amount of negative emotions that you feel, but to teach you the techniques you need to encourage personal growth and make your life better. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/a1a7fbeb-9536-48c8-a5a4-e713d287c55a/AEDP-therapy-BIPOC-therapist-Burnaby.jpg Blogs - Your LGBTQ youth therapist Burnaby dishing out the tea on how AEDP therapy can make your light shine brighter - Why trust me with your AEDP therapy journey? When it comes to my AEDP therapy practice, I work with youths and young adults who want to be the best versions of themselves, that much I hope I’ve made very clear. It can be really challenging for people in this age group to understand the emotions that are holding them in one place. Helping young people understand and work through their emotions through AEDP therapy, especially given their age, can be incredibly beneficial to setting the foundation for how they move forward through life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/492360e7-4869-4b4e-bc6c-1076dae03369/AEDP-therapy-therapist-Burnaby-youth.jpg Blogs - Your LGBTQ youth therapist Burnaby dishing out the tea on how AEDP therapy can make your light shine brighter - It’s hard to deal with tough situations, with feelings of aloneness, with trauma, life transitions - all the things I counsel youths and young adults through. However, when you learn to handle complex emotions, to recognize them, name them, and understand what it is they are asking of you, you are no longer a passenger in your own life. You gain control over your experiences by not letting them dictate how you process them. And that’s what I do. As an AEDP therapy trained counsellor, I work with my clients to give a name to their hard emotions, teach them how to face them, and show them what they need to learn from them in order to be able to move forward in harmony within themselves, instead of being overwhelmed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Your LGBTQ youth therapist Burnaby dishing out the tea on how AEDP therapy can make your light shine brighter - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/aedp-vancouver-youth-counsellor monthly 0.5 2025-03-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/c8538620-7933-4977-a7a7-f524e2edbe96/AEDP-youth-counsellor-Vancouver.jpg Blogs - AEDP as a healing superpower: A Vancouver youth counsellor spills their secret to success - As I was dreaming up this piece, I really got into thinking about how most of my content has been talking about what I do, who I work with and how I show up to our sessions. I realized, however, that I don’t talk about the background things - my tools - that make it possible for my superpowers to shine even brighter. You’d be surprised to know that I do get asked - quite often about the techniques I use in my practice. And. well folx, dun dun dun, it’s time to shed some light on one of my go-to tools, AEDP. AEDP stands for Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy. And just in case your head is spinning because AEDP sounds like a mouthful, I promise I’ll make this easy to read! And don’t worry, when I was first introduced to AEDP years ago, I was super intimidated. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/0cb82c41-aac5-48e7-8425-c50eae7ba249/AEDP-youth-counsellor-Burnaby.jpg.jpg Blogs - AEDP as a healing superpower: A Vancouver youth counsellor spills their secret to success I believe in giving credit where credit is due… This 2-series article on AEDP is made possible by a heartfelt collaboration between myself aka The Spunky Counsellor and Vivien, a rad Vancouver based content strategist and copywriter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/f32e27d1-3092-40cf-9709-2d9f56b38ce0/AEDP-youth-counsellor-Vancouver.jpg Blogs - AEDP as a healing superpower: A Vancouver youth counsellor spills their secret to success - An experienced technician knows which tools to use to get the job done right. The same goes for me, your spunky licensed youth and queer counsellor. During my training, I was exposed to multiple modalities (styles of therapy). And let me tell you, in the world of clinical therapy, there are tons of different modalities that we learn! And in our training, counselling graduates are usually exposed to different perspectives like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic Therapy (PT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), to name a few. AEDP is one of the tools of choice available at our disposal. Now, you might be left wondering what made AEDP so appealing that I decided to adopt AEDP as my go-to instrument of choice. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/a117df08-4be5-4078-8a2f-2c368661ac42/AEDP-youth-counsellor-Burnaby.jpg Blogs - AEDP as a healing superpower: A Vancouver youth counsellor spills their secret to success - AEDP sauce The core of any counseling modality is: A way to view the world A perspective on human nature A theory on how any mental health related issues come about A proposed remedy to work out the kinks A suggested picture of how healthy and thriving life is can possibly look like AEDP is no exception to this, so let me peel off one layer at a time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/4640a3da-929d-496b-b025-5a08f05cc6be/AEDP-youth-counsellor-Vancouver.jpg Blogs - AEDP as a healing superpower: A Vancouver youth counsellor spills their secret to success - 4 building blocks every AEDP therapist subscribes to: AEDP techniques have four main principles. It’s kind of like a table with four legs - each leg (or principle) is necessary to support the whole and that’s what we AEDP therapists swear by: (1) your AEDP counsellor’s belief in your inherent ability to heal and reclaim your authentic self. It might sound like a tall order, but it’s actually what I train for, so I got you covered, (2) your AEDP therapist makes sure that you feel seen and heard. It can be difficult to experience healing if you are feeling alienated and alone. In session, my main priority is you. As your AEDP youth counsellor in Vancouver, I am here to listen and guide you down the road of healing. So you won’t be alone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/de179383-1887-48b6-a21e-4d56bff2844c/AEDP-Vancouver-youth-counsellor.jpg Blogs - AEDP as a healing superpower: A Vancouver youth counsellor spills their secret to success - AEDP therapist in action: Yo! Our relationship matters a tonne!!! Here’s the sitch: When it comes to AEDP, the general view is that the people we have in our corner can either help you flourish or stunt your growth… [I wrote another piece sharing about the importance of keeping nurturing relationships in your corner, read it here] https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/8380cf4c-1f78-4030-beb4-b4562baf385c/AEDP-Burnaby-youth-counsellor.jpg Blogs - AEDP as a healing superpower: A Vancouver youth counsellor spills their secret to success - When we experience some challenges, our natural inclination is to reach out for help. Though if people around us either ignore, make fun of, or punish our request for help, then at some point we will develop a shell to protect ourselves. AEDP calls that shell as our defense mechanism. Simply put, it’s a way for us to shield ourselves from the harsh things the world throws at us. AEDP does not see this shield as absolutely good or bad. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/0a2fb28d-7e42-4f2e-9e25-c05a22e8343e/AEDP-therapist-Burnaby.jpg Blogs - AEDP as a healing superpower: A Vancouver youth counsellor spills their secret to success - AEDP believes that we have what is called core emotions, namely fear, anger, joy, sadness, disgust, excitement, and sexual excitement. Coincidentally, these (barring the sexual excitement) play a featuring role in Disney’s Inside Out. But it’s true. We all have access to all seven of them. Though the thing is that it is not always safe to show our core emotions to anyone at any given time. Say, a friend is sharing some very inconvenient truth about your friendship. Instead of tuning in to the core emotions of fear, anger, or sadness (whichever one pops up), you might find it easier to brush it off in the moment and carry on with the merry-go-round of life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/fa8d14a8-b87c-4d0c-8843-779194c842f7/AEDP-virtual-youth-counsellor.jpg Blogs - AEDP as a healing superpower: A Vancouver youth counsellor spills their secret to success - AEDP therapist in action: I see you, even if you want to hide You see, everyone has different cues - things they do that tell a deeper story they might not realize. Like a dismissive roll of their eyes, rambling conversations, changing the subject … all these things are defense mechanisms that show me hints of what you might be struggling with. You probably don’t even realize you’re doing them. But in session, I look for these cues. I tune in to your frequency, get on your level, and work with you to unpack what you’re feeling in the moment. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/96c52ca8-fdbc-40d2-a514-f411ccdbf7db/AEDP-youth-counsellor-virtual.jpg Blogs - AEDP as a healing superpower: A Vancouver youth counsellor spills their secret to success - Unlock your inner superhero with AEDP: Discover the best version of yourself When it comes to self-discovery, understanding how to process your emotions and experiences can lead you to healing and personal growth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/28f6c93f-faf9-488d-bcce-99d2beec1abe/AEDP-youth-counsellor1.jpg Blogs - AEDP as a healing superpower: A Vancouver youth counsellor spills their secret to success - Don’t worry. As an AEDP counsellor, I don’t automatically funnel all my clients into AEDP. That sounds like a one-size fits all practice and I’m so far removed from that mentality. Instead, I work with my clients by listening and determining the best course of action. And like I’ve said so many times before, we take our sessions at your pace. If you know you have something to work through, and you’re sitting in for your session with me (or we’re doing a walk and talk), we will get there. I’m not going to dive into the hard questions on the first day. I might not even do that on the second day. Because just like I said earlier, we all have defense mechanisms - shields that keep us safe. And if you don’t feel like you can trust me, then you won’t lower that shield. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - AEDP as a healing superpower: A Vancouver youth counsellor spills their secret to success - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/youth-counsellor-burnaby monthly 0.5 2024-07-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/c9194919-9f84-4982-9bde-e111e36c056d/Youth-counsellor.jpg Blogs - Youth counsellor’s work of art: Turning teens summer from turbulence into confidence - Have you ever thought about how the change in season doesn’t only affect the scenery? I’m not talking about seasonal disorders - I’m talking about the transition from “school time” to “summertime”. With July in full swing, in my role as a youth counsellor I find myself thinking about the change and transitions that happen in life, and how that manifests in young people. You see, every July you can almost feel the way youth and young people vibrate with excited energy that summer is on the horizon. But what we don’t talk about is how once school ends, those daily routines change and kids and youths are readjusting to a new day-to-day- that lasts two months before the cycle starts again. It’s a season of change, of new activities, expectations, experiences. And while as adults these may seem normal, and manageable, it’s not that easy for some kids and youth to fall into step. But summer isn’t the only time that youth face difficulty managing change. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/f2a11f2b-c741-46b9-82c9-42cfb8bf3a66/Youth-counsellor-Burnaby.jpg Blogs - Youth counsellor’s work of art: Turning teens summer from turbulence into confidence - While as a youth counsellor, summer makes the challenges youths face particularly emphasized, mainly because I see some youth are having a hard time adjusting. But, it’s not the only time change is hard. While I do work with a lot of youths and young adults who are navigating their gender identity, and cross-cultural issues, managing life events is another one of those big topics I encounter - and probably one of the most near and dear to my heart. Why? Because, change is hard. And when you are between the ages of 10 and 20, change is constant. It’s as if for nearly ten years, once those double digits hit, you shed the innocence of childhood, and are transported into a world that we adults struggle to understand. Which, let’s face it, is absolutely wild since adults were youths once, too! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/8943ad3a-32c1-427d-bc78-55762e5b8b00/Youth-counsellor-Vancouver.jpg Blogs - Youth counsellor’s work of art: Turning teens summer from turbulence into confidence - Hah! Excellent question! A youth counsellor is someone who walks with youths and young people and guides the development of their social, mental, and emotional needs. We’re are the people that youths can count on when they feel lost, confused and incapable of navigating life events on their own. Basically, a youth counsellor is someone you can turn to when: You aren’t ready to talk to the grown-ups in your life, You have talked to the grown-ups in your life and they don’t know how to help You aren’t entirely sure what is going on and you need someone to work it out without You feel lost and alone and need some perspective from an outside person You are struggling to find yourself https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/601a5c99-d605-4bc9-a2d9-c84742bdfa6d/Youth-counsellor-Burnaby-Brentwood.jpg Blogs - Youth counsellor’s work of art: Turning teens summer from turbulence into confidence - Ok, shameless self-promotion - but I really think this makes me a different youth counsellor- and different is awesome! I don’t take a ‘conventional’ approach to youth counselling as many other counsellors. I structure my practice to best be able to serve my clients, and that means the experience will vary person to person. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/02b24176-857e-4a1d-a67a-c4e753a020ac/Youth-counsellor-Burnaby-and-virtual.jpg Blogs - Youth counsellor’s work of art: Turning teens summer from turbulence into confidence - So, back to what makes me awesome... My process… Every youth counsellor has their way of working that works best for them. For me, our sessions are about you. And everything we do is in your best interest. So my process with youths is to follow your lead. Alrighty! So, you’re looking for a youth counsellor. Lucky you, you found me! After you’ve had a poke around my website and gotten to know a little bit about me, then if things check out, book your session! I can’t wait to get to know you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Youth counsellor’s work of art: Turning teens summer from turbulence into confidence - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/critical-allyship-in-the-workplace monthly 0.5 2025-03-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/aacd9b87-399e-4ee0-b5f4-109f1bb55967/Critical-allyship-in-the-workplace.jpg Blogs - Critical Allyship in the workplace: Finding beauty in diversity & Dissolving the status quo - Alo, Nita here. I have my own fair share of experience with homophobia and transphobia in the workplace. Gotta say it WAS FRUSTRATING.. Those personal experience inspired me to be an advocate for fellow queer and gender diverse folks. So, in this blog post I am going to share my thoughts on what it means to be an ally in the workplace and how critical allyship in the workplace may look like. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/d403a422-1e78-4ab3-bb8a-200b29efb1ba/Critical-allyship-in-the-workplace.jpg Blogs - Critical Allyship in the workplace: Finding beauty in diversity & Dissolving the status quo - I noticed that lots of time the discussion about allyship focuses a lot on ‘doing’ something for marginalized folks. Well, the doing itself isn’t wrong per se. Though I felt this is where critical allyship takes this idea of allyship up a notch. Let’s get back to basic here. When we see something breaks down, we need to pause and evaluate, so that we know what contributed to the situation… I personally see allyship in the workplace as using your personal privilege to support your fellow co-workers who come from historically marginalized communities. LGBTQ+ ally will show their influence by amplifying the voices, intentions, and thoughts of their underrepresented co-workers. I personally see allyship in the workplace as forming a mosaic of rich, diverse tapestry of relationships and culture throughout the company. Sounds like a handful, I know. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/5e993be9-861f-4ebb-82e0-f600c31c09e5/Allyship-in-the-workplace.jpg Blogs - Critical Allyship in the workplace: Finding beauty in diversity & Dissolving the status quo - A quick side tangent here, this reminds me of a conversation with a good friend recently about cultural diversity. For the most part we have collectivistic and individualistic cultures as the dominant culture we see on planet Earth. We were noticing this tendency of people from certain culture to try to impose their values on people from the other culture. So we were like, wouldn’t it be beautiful if both parties can actually take what’s good from each culture and combine it. Wouldn’t it be more enriching. I guess that is a very roundabout way of making my point about another way to look at allyship in the workplace is learning to accept differences. Instead of being defensive and trying to promote your way of thinking or seeing the world as ‘the best’, I personally see critical allyship in the workplace as having the openness to see where the other person comes from. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/747eb521-9d75-47b9-9cee-11c6c7d02b4b/Critical-allyship-in-the-workplace.jpg Blogs - Critical Allyship in the workplace: Finding beauty in diversity & Dissolving the status quo - Typically allyship in the workplace may have more nuances because there are some implied power dynamics at play. An ally in the workplace will speak out when they see something not quite right, so this could create an environment where everyone feels welcome which is the essence of an inclusive company culture. Allyship in the workplace will only work if there is good enough buy-in from everyone involved. Support must be consistent, and ideally flows from the top down and the bottom up. This is where critical allyship shifts the focus to be more invitational. Active engagement and participation Critical allyship invites folks who self-proclaimed as allies and champion of the marginalized folks to get a better understanding of WHO and WHAT they champion. I personally see it as more well-rounded and giving autonomy to both parties! Practicing critical allyship means moving away from the tendency to save, fix, and do something for those people who are marginalized. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/ae4a0b34-b732-40fe-9219-20a2304e29f5/Critical-allyship-in-the-workplace-for-teens.jpg Blogs - Critical Allyship in the workplace: Finding beauty in diversity & Dissolving the status quo - Critical allyship can look like: Listen more than you speak A solid ally observes, notices things, and listens to learn. For example, if you have co-workers who come from indigenous backgrounds, you can initiate conversations to learn a bit more about their cultures. And perhaps explore with them how it would look like if you both were to promote special movements within your workplace during Truth and Reconciliation month in September. One thing to note about critical allyship and listening: I agree that there is a lot to learn, so you can start by attending community events and educating yourself on indigenous folks’ cultural practices. (!) Do your part. Remember that it’s not the marginalized folks’ job to educate and fully transform you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/9f577fb4-a8dc-41c2-ad10-6e9d47c41083/Critical-allyship-in-the-workplace-for-bipoc.jpg Blogs - Critical Allyship in the workplace: Finding beauty in diversity & Dissolving the status quo - 2. Critical allyship can also look like: Share the spotlight and invite someone to come alongside you Remember the second essence of critical allyship?!? >>>Learning from the expertise of peope who are traditionally marginalized. Give credit where it’s due also, if you ended up sharing what you learnt to people in your life. My personal invitation for you to put this point of critical allyship into practice is… In your next meeting at work, look around and notice who are the co-workers in your surroundings. Are there women? What are their ages? Do you see someone who identifies as trans-, nonbinary, or agender? When you attended your professional development day, who were the panelists and keynote speakers? Is there anyone who identifies as neurodiverse? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/58b2079e-3945-4634-84c2-9f2a2af79308/Cricial-allyship-in-the-workplace.jpg Blogs - Critical Allyship in the workplace: Finding beauty in diversity & Dissolving the status quo - HECK NO… This aspect of “Acknowledge and correct” LGBTQ+ allyship is still just as valid If you hear a co-worker chronically and consistently misnaming and misgendering someone, you can show your allyship in the workplace by reminding those co-workers of the need to use the correct pronouns and names. (!) It is exhausting after a while explaining and advocating for being mis-named and mis-gendered. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Critical Allyship in the workplace: Finding beauty in diversity & Dissolving the status quo - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/bipoc-therapist-vancouver monthly 0.5 2024-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/107a7075-337a-4e03-94c2-6cf8e8f479e1/BIPOC-therapist-Vancouver.jpg Blogs - How this BIPOC therapist in Vancouver Can Make Your Life Better  - Do you know that feeling when you talk to someone about your challenges and the difficulty that the day-to-day can bring and they look at you with sympathetic eyes, they say all the right words to ease your discomfort, but you know that deep down… they just don’t really understand your struggle? They try, they really do. But they don’t understand what it’s like to come from an immigrant background, to have cultural values that aren’t Euro-centric, to be seen as different because of the colour of your skin. Even though you somewhat feel like they listen to you attentively, there’s a part of you that knows deep down that they don’t really get you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1947791d-70dd-4c4a-9367-5b10c8e29a2a/BIPOC-therapist-Vancouver-and-virtual.jpg Blogs - How this BIPOC therapist in Vancouver Can Make Your Life Better  - Wondering how can a BIPOC therapist in Vancouver help you? Like I said, Vancouver is a city full of immigrants, but still guided by outdated thought forms. Now don’t get me wrong, I love this city. It’s beautiful, the food is amazing and the sights are unparalleled, but when it comes to emotional and mental well-being, it can be tough. As a BIPOC therapist who specializes in queer and youth counselling, cultural issues and adaptations, my goal is to make it simpler for my clients to find their way through life with someone they can count on to listen without judgement, without prejudice. I create a safe environment for you to talk about the things that are preventing you from living your life as the best version of yourself. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/d99eb573-2cdd-4133-9eca-5c0e95fb4316/BIPOC-therapist-Vancouver.jpg Blogs - How this BIPOC therapist in Vancouver Can Make Your Life Better  - Navigating microaggressions and casual racism with a BIPOC therapist in Vancouver Have you ever experienced a microaggression– you know, those subtle, daily, sometimes intentional, oftentimes unintentional behaviours or communications – that leave you feeling icky? You're not alone. And no, I’m not saying that to make you feel better. There is no comfort in solidarity when BIPOC folks are constantly faced with these occurrences from both friends and strangers. Having been a BIPOC therapist in Vancouver, I can safely say that more often than not, you probably don’t know how to deal with these actions, and more than that, the compounded you find yourself torn about how to navigate these moments. Add in some casual racism - you know the “things” people say that seem to be socially acceptable - and it can be tough. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - How this BIPOC therapist in Vancouver Can Make Your Life Better  - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/counselling-for-teens-vancouver monthly 0.5 2025-03-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/f9048dd6-3341-4913-abc8-325bb33d196b/Counselling-for-teens.jpg Blogs - Navigating through life with Counselling for Teens - What’s counselling for teens all about? If there is one truth that I can tell you without putting my counsellor’s hat on and that is life can be tough. And while most people might chalk this up to “just how life is”, I don’t subscribe to that idea. I became a counsellor to help people. Because my life was tough. The emotional turmoil, the confusion, navigating my feeling of otherness, hiding my true self - all of it led me down this faithful path that has given me the privilege of supporting those who need help. And that’s why, counselling for teens is one of the cornerstones of my practice. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/3293289f-07ea-4b1b-9576-45836edba7fb/Counselling-for-teens.jpg Blogs - Navigating through life with Counselling for Teens - I know I said this already, life can be tough. And being a teens is probably one of the hardest stages of life we go through. Adults tend to brush off teenagers as ‘having it easy’. As we get older and our challenges become more complex, we forget how confusing, frustrating and exhausting being a teen can be. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/9a34f17e-b0b8-421d-a20d-8dd84d6f3117/Counselling-for-teens.jpg Blogs - Navigating through life with Counselling for Teens - For teens, like I said before, you’re in this middle ground between being a kid and being an adult. It’s a place of incredible growth and intense emotion that can make it difficult for you to feel like you are being taken seriously. My counselling for teens services are meant to help you through this time in your life. I give you space to work things out, freedom to express yourself and a judgement-free voice to talk to. Our session can cover anything that is impacting your life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/4cb44b4c-f75a-4591-846d-dad9797fba10/Counselling-for-teens-Burnaby.jpg Blogs - Navigating through life with Counselling for Teens - The most important part about counselling for teens is making sure that you know, you don’t have to do this alone. Where do we go from here? If you’re here and reading this, then you or your teen need help. And I want to acknowledge that that is a huge step in your counselling journey. So, take a moment and let that sink in. Because the hardest part really can be taking that first step. From here, poke around my site, get to know who I am. Really think about if you feel a connection with me. I understand that it can be hard to trust the adults in your life, and I’m asking you for that trust as well. https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/informed-consent-hrt-canada monthly 0.5 2025-03-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/10f62af4-ffb2-48d8-82c4-78c9a9993623/Informed-consent-HRT-Canada.jpg Blogs - Preparing for your Hormone Readiness Assessment: Informed Consent HRT Canada - It has been almost eight years (and still counting) since I first delved into the world of gender identity and personal exploration. I still remember the confusion navigating the landscape of mental health care in Canada. Folks who did not feel at home in their bodies wanted to make some changes. Though how to go about making those changes. There are different needs, all sorts of different terms and steps to take. Some folks feel that they would feel better if their body or parts of their body looked different, which means that they might need to get into hormone replacement therapy (HRT). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/3d4baa01-a1fa-4a8b-8864-95eb9507d2f1/Informed-consent-HRT-Canada.jpg Blogs - Preparing for your Hormone Readiness Assessment: Informed Consent HRT Canada - For those of you who think very systematically and will benefit from step-by-step guideline, this is the pathway folks typically go through: STEP 1: Read and sign the informed consent HRT form STEP 2: Meet with me for the hormone readiness assessment STEP 3: I will produce a letter of assessment within 2 weeks (if not less). QUICK NOTE ABOUT INFORMED CONSENT PRACTICE: As a licensed mental care professional, I think it is pretty common (and actually important) to practice informed consent based care in Canada. The way I see it is, we are in this process together, and as a trained gender therapist, I feel more at peace completing certain treatment plans or performing certain assessments when clients are fully informed of the intention of our meeting and what’s next. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/b741870f-9c7a-475c-821f-10d2d864abd7/Informed-consent-HRT-Canada-virtual.jpg Blogs - Preparing for your Hormone Readiness Assessment: Informed Consent HRT Canada - Embarking on HRT can be taxing. Some folks describe the process as going through their SECOND PUBERTY. Hormones deal with our biology and impact certain physical functions. This is why prescribers think that it is helpful getting a snapshot of clients’ mental health state and level of readiness before transitioning. I’d say that all in all, it is not necessarily a formal requirement per se. When it comes to transitioning, most folks have felt the misalignment for a long time, and more often than not have lived with this dysphoria for so long. Though, overall I think it is greatly helpful (and important) to have a hormone readiness assessment done before starting your HRT. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/6078cb11-61b2-4461-a0e0-621cb8e622ae/Informed-consent-HRT-Canada-online.jpg Blogs - Preparing for your Hormone Readiness Assessment: Informed Consent HRT Canada - Informed consent HRT review Before meeting with a client, I draft a personalized informed consent HRT document and ask them to have a read and sign before our meeting. During our meeting, I will go over the points mentioned in the informed consent HRT document they have signed. The informed consent HRT form lays out the content covered during our meeting, risks, benefits, and expected timeframe for changes to happen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/9f53013e-7f02-47fb-806d-3c90511d61fe/Informed-consent-HRT-Canada-transgender.jpg Blogs - Preparing for your Hormone Readiness Assessment: Informed Consent HRT Canada - Next steps after signing your informed consent HRT document in Canada If and when you see your prescriber for your HRT, they will definitely ask you to also sign another informed consent HRT document. From what I have seen over the years, it also typically involves a schedule of follow-ups, meetings and bloodwork to monitor your progress. These follow-ups are super important to make sure how your body has been responding to the hormone. Your prescriber will monitor the side effects from the hormones. During your follow-ups, typically they will also check-in to see if they need to make any adjustments to the dosage based on what happened. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Preparing for your Hormone Readiness Assessment: Informed Consent HRT Canada - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/gender-therapist-vancouver monthly 0.5 2026-02-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/5503f61c-adb8-4dc8-b6be-f17360945970/Gender-therapist.jpg Blogs - Gender Therapist: What We Do and How You Can Access Affirming Care - Many people who eventually seek out a gender therapist tell me some version of this: “I thought everyone felt this way.” Or, “I thought I was just bad at being a boy… or a girl.” Sometimes it’s quieter and harder to name, I assumed everyone may have felt some sort of discomfort as part of being human. Do you ever look at yourself and feel disconnected, something not quite clicking, yet everything “looks” fine? That when you look into the mirror, the face staring back at you tells one story, while the way you feel on the inside tells another? If that resonates, you are not alone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/9f7a1e52-7a52-48a2-b537-75ba5df4f966/Gender-therapist-Burnaby.jpg Blogs - Gender Therapist: What We Do and How You Can Access Affirming Care - Gender identity, when it comes down to it, is not defined by external factors or markers. It has absolutely nothing to do with your reproductive organs. And while many people do identify as with the gender expectation of the sex they were assigned at birth (we call this cisgender), that is not the case for everyone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/e1252a73-0ddb-4ab6-903e-9d1061978aef/Gender-therapist-bipoc.jpg Blogs - Gender Therapist: What We Do and How You Can Access Affirming Care - It may surprise you to know, but children - even as young as four - are capable of self-identifying when it comes to their gender. That’s because from a very young age children learn to model behaviours that align with their inherent understanding of their gender. So while a two year old may not be able to verbally articulate that they feel more like a boy than a girl - they will adopt the mannerisms that are consistent with how they see themselves. From their preferred clothing styles, to their preferred names, and their social relationships, gender expression is a very real thing for children. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/29c34f09-23f2-436e-8787-c0b3c713ffe5/Gender-therapist-youth.jpg Blogs - Gender Therapist: What We Do and How You Can Access Affirming Care - Agender: A person who does not identify with any particular gender Androgyne: A person who identifies as somewhere between both masculine and feminine. Bigender: A person who identifies as having two genders. Butch: AFAB, particularly a lesbian, who leans towards masculinity. Cisgender: A person who identifies with the sex assigned at birth Genderqueer: A person whose gender identity is not aligned with what society expects of their assigned-at-birth gender. Nonbinary: A person with overlapping gender expressions, who does not conform to the gender binary. Omnigender: A person who experiences any and all genders. Pangender (or Polygender): A person who experiences and expresses multiple parts of genders. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/a044ee63-897b-4762-997a-8b6230206403/Gender-therapist.jpg Blogs - Gender Therapist: What We Do and How You Can Access Affirming Care - Now that we have laid out the groundwork for what gender identity is, you might be wondering what I do as a gender therapist. Well, gender therapist is not actually a well-defined term. For the most part though, it refers to a trained mental health professionals who guide clients in exploring and navigating questions related to gender identity, gender expression, and gender dysphoria. That was a mouthful. I personally see my role as a gender therapist as guiding transgender and gender curious clients in finding alignment between how and who they feel on the inside and how they show up on the outside. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/8a64be70-5528-4c9a-9872-c399da5723f8/Gender-therapist.jpg Blogs - Gender Therapist: What We Do and How You Can Access Affirming Care - We do this by exploring clients’ relationships with their body, how they showed up in the world. Any particular clothes, hair colour, make up, places, friends, etc that make them feel like they’re more alive. As a gender therapist, I never presume that clients’ pronoun, gender, or whatever information they filled out on the intake form define their whole identity. My role is not to convince, persuade, or dissuade clients whether they shall use certain pronouns, are of certain gender. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/bdd4b0ce-5913-444e-a6e7-cfbf4f0de5d0/Gender-therapist-bipoc-queer.jpg Blogs - Gender Therapist: What We Do and How You Can Access Affirming Care - Your gender therapist is not the one giving you permission or approval to be who you are → You get to define how that looks like with their support Your gender therapist does not promote their views or ideas that there is “the right way” to express a certain gender → If you met one who subscribed to the idea that there is one right way to be, RUN. They are not for you Your gender therapist is not supposed to limit or presume that you want to take certain treatment options or set certain goals based on the way you describe yourself. On the contrary, a competent gender therapist provides clients with as much information and support to help further along their journey. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/d4805683-d277-43f6-ad5b-aa72a22c13a7/Gender-therapist2.jpg Blogs - Gender Therapist: What We Do and How You Can Access Affirming Care - When it comes to navigating the world of gender identity, gender expression, and the process of coming out, you might not have all the answers. You probably have more questions than answers! And that’s ok! It’s perfectly normal. That’s why finding someone you can feel safe with, who actually understands these complicated feelings is so important. The best part about meeting with a gender therapist specifically is knowing that you don’t have to experience the confusion alone. That you will have someone in your corner who is cheering for you to become the best version of yourself. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/badaddab-4aa1-4970-8459-fb32a1c7da52/Gender-therapist.jpg Blogs - Gender Therapist: What We Do and How You Can Access Affirming Care - Choice is defined as “an act of choosing between two or more possibilities”. You make choices every day. Some choices are small, others are big. Sometimes your choices are conscious decisions, others are not. And the beauty of choice is your autonomy to make a decision for yourself. Each and every choice you make shapes your experience and helps you become the person you are. If you’re unsure of who you are, choosing the right gender therapist to help you find yourself, is a big decision you don’t want to make lightly. When it comes to gender identity issues - the questions, challenges, worries, hopes and fears - you have about who you are, you’re in the right place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/0b1832c1-c407-48c7-b326-5ad584f07001/Gender-therapist-Vancouver.jpg Blogs - Gender Therapist: What We Do and How You Can Access Affirming Care - 2. Comfort levels It may seem like a simple way to gauge whether you have found the right gender therapist, but comfort levels play an important role in the successful outcome of your sessions. The thing is, feeling comfortable and having a good vibe with your gender therapist go a long way! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/51271e87-1a81-48f1-b02c-fa0b17ca5037/Gender-therapist.jpg Blogs - Gender Therapist: What We Do and How You Can Access Affirming Care - 3. Availability and Location In your quest to find the right fit for a gender therapist, you will want to make sure that your availability lines up with theirs. If you are struggling, waiting an extended period of time, or having to juggle your schedule around their availability might prolong your struggle or add extra complications. Added to this, a gender therapist who works in a location that is easy for you to access - or who can offer online appointments - can make it easier for you to match your schedules. Even if it seems like you’ve found a gender therapist match, a mismatch in availability might detract your healing journey and it is something to consider. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/8387d764-12b2-4548-8df1-aab4b42b145b/Gender-therapist.jpg Blogs - Gender Therapist: What We Do and How You Can Access Affirming Care - 4. Reviews and Referrals One way to assess whether a gender therapist is for you is to see if your gender therapist has any reviews or to reach out to your network for some referrals. Although some clients might shy away from leaving reviews due to privacy, you will want to ensure that at least some clients or folks in the community have positive things to say about the gender therapist you are considering. Read their website, check out their reviews, as for a brief consultation if you are unsure. Because the important part is that you get the guidance and care you need to be your best self. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Gender Therapist: What We Do and How You Can Access Affirming Care - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/lgbtq-ally monthly 0.5 2024-04-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - How to be an LGBTQ+ ally: Building bridges, Inclusivity in action - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/queering-therapy monthly 0.5 2025-03-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1b6627eb-c3b5-4dd9-9962-a8a56da01f7b/Queering-therapy.jpg Blogs - Queering Therapy: The Art of Redefining Healing and Authenticity - Most people are familiar with the term LGBT – lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. These past few years, the acronym increasingly includes the letter Q for queer and questioning. Queer and questioning individuals are often misunderstood, overlooked, and underrepresented in the media and in the healthcare system. Some folks may get passed over for a job interview just because they were in the middle of their gender transition. It is no surprise that LGBTQ+ youth are twice as likely to feel suicidal than their hetero- counterpart. I also have heard of cases where queer and questioning folks (aka those who are a part of a throuple or poly-) experienced discomfort when they went to the doctor and experienced getting side glances when they shared about their sexual activities. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/9e5876d8-2568-40e8-a7cf-0e57d20acdf9/Queering-therapy.jpg Blogs - Queering Therapy: The Art of Redefining Healing and Authenticity - Have you ever wondered what the Q in “LGBTQ” stands for? Or what do the other letters actually mean? Language constantly evolves and the words we use to describe our experience and convey our personal identity also change over time. I was first acquainted with the term ‘queer’ 10 years ago when I talked to a dorm mate about the pride parade. The more I looked into this topic, the more I realized that this is a reclaimed word. Depending on who you ask, there are a gazillion ways to interpret this word. Some people still regard this word in a degrading way. Though, many others embrace and use it as a way to claim their personal identity and create a sense of belonging among themselves. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/7bbd0931-daeb-4d90-9bfc-eefda67abf62/Queering-therapy-lgbtq.jpg Blogs - Queering Therapy: The Art of Redefining Healing and Authenticity - Actively wrestling with our human desire and finding ways to fulfil that desire Living life in your own terms confidently and unapologetically Existing beyond the bound of hetero-normative culture Showing up differently than what society mandated us to be In some ways, I see identifying as queer is a way for us to take back the control and write our own narrative. It is an active verb in questioning what we have been told who we are supposed to be. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/53118ebc-e953-4992-bd39-0da2d17d0ae7/Queering-therapy-lgbtq-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Queering Therapy: The Art of Redefining Healing and Authenticity - Our body and sexuality are a beautiful part of our personal identity, so it’s a great privilege helping clients embrace it. Within the community, the term ‘queer’ is seen as a way for folks to self-identify who don’t subscribe to the binaries assigned by the world, be it male/female, straight/gay/lesbian,. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/27736aa0-53b0-494f-ace7-dc57f1e34899/Queering-therapy-lgbtq-vancouver.jpg Blogs - Queering Therapy: The Art of Redefining Healing and Authenticity - I personally see the term ‘queer’ embodies a kind of freedom to roam around in uncharted territories and great courage to accept yourself when the world questions your existence. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/f9d2b5d8-ab5d-4428-99b2-949ae8e13c8f/Queering-therapy-lgbtq-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Queering Therapy: The Art of Redefining Healing and Authenticity - I love the questioning part of being queer. It is a process of constantly becoming the best version of ourselves. I picture a cauldron that can contain a certain amount of liquid. The world told us a recipe that makes the best concoction to fill this cauldron. Though, folks who are questioning are actually taking a bit of a step back and making inventories of all available ingredients. Instead of blindly referring to the handbook, questioning folks are gutsy enough to experiment with putting a different ratio or using a new ingredient not in the list. Our body and sexuality are a beautiful part of our personal identity, so it’s a great privilege helping clients embrace it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/2ab53075-1876-44f7-812d-c6106148a5dd/Queering-therapy-lgbtq-vancouver.jpg Blogs - Queering Therapy: The Art of Redefining Healing and Authenticity - I gotta say that I don’t right away see or label folks who are questioning as queer. Within the community, this term is used to refer to those who hasn’t yet defined their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or some combination of the three. In some ways, they got the sense that they might be different, though are still in the process of exploration. I’d say most likely most people who are certain as a heck that they’re queer identified, at some point in their lives might have started off as questioning. Using this term allows them to tinker with their sense of identity, as belonging to a certain community, while at the same time not being overly definitive. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/f1c2af88-fa1f-4986-aa3c-44a383855526/Queering-therapy-transgender.jpg Blogs - Queering Therapy: The Art of Redefining Healing and Authenticity - Let’s take a few steps away from the norms that tell us how we are supposed to live. We walk towards the in-between areas and carve out space there. There’s gonna be some discomfort, there’s lots of confusion. The discomfort and confusion are a part of the journey towards reclaiming our personal identity. I am yet to meet a queer folk who just straight out of the gate feeling super confident with how they are showing up. Even if their current version is confident and unapologetic, most likely they have gone through some patches of confusion and frustration before. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/666039b5-9958-4b96-9547-9eff4e6921b6/Queering-therapy-lgbtq-surrey.jpg Blogs - Queering Therapy: The Art of Redefining Healing and Authenticity - Certainty implies things are fixed and unquestionably the way it is. Whereas being queer is all about questioning how society mandated us how to live or show up. I am not saying to plainly and willy nilly said “screw society.” Though, more so to critically ask why certain standard exist, how it’s been impacting you. Does it fit? Does it not fit? If certain standards fit, then adopt it and make it your own. If certain standards hurt, then explore other options and claim it as your own. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/599fc7b0-8346-46b1-95d5-09d00b4fe80a/Queering-therapy-bipoc-vancouver.jpg Blogs - Queering Therapy: The Art of Redefining Healing and Authenticity - One essential part in this process of becoming is undoing a certain perspective or mindset constructed around hetero-normativity. There’s ongoing process of self-reflection, that’s why it’s normal to feel unsafe. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/4b34dc9b-a9bb-4d0f-8950-d10770031e09/Queering-therapy-lgbtq-bipoc.jpg Blogs - Queering Therapy: The Art of Redefining Healing and Authenticity - I personally see ‘queering therapy’ as the process of welcoming and accompanying someone in the process of turning confusion to clarity in different circumstances of everyday life. We live in a world that constantly tells us who we are supposed to be and how we shall present ourselves to the world. One of the challenges I often noticed among queer and questioning folks is feeling confused. Indeed, it is confusing when we realize that how we feel in our body and want to present ourselves are not like what was mandated by society. It can feel overwhelming contrasting our internal experience with the external reality we see in the world around us. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/cdb1ad3c-d238-4f2d-9438-de77a0ac1ef5/Youth-counselling-Burnaby.jpg Blogs - Queering Therapy: The Art of Redefining Healing and Authenticity - Reflecting on my years journeying with clients, I noticed clarity happens when how someone feels on the inside aligns with how they appear on the outside. In some ways, this relates to our very inherent desire as a human person to be seen and heard as we are. Picture Mark, [not a real name], a 20-year-old male-born individual who has always marvelled about anything women related: the way they dress, put on makeup, and the freedom to experiment with different kinds of footwear. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/916caa79-a0da-42ac-a8bd-4c15c20bd550/Queering-therapy-lgbtq-transgender.jpg Blogs - Queering Therapy: The Art of Redefining Healing and Authenticity - Mark felt confused initially by this tendency as he doesn’t seem to notice that other boys his age had the slightest interest in decorating their hair. Though clarity started seeping in as he got connected with a bunch of drag queens when he moved uptown for university. In the example above, Mark finally came to a place where he felt at peace with his gender identity after years grappling with his personal identity. From a combination of connecting with a supportive community, getting a new set of friends, and attending years of queer affirming therapy, he finally found himself. There was an alignment between how he felt on the inside and how he got to live that out on the outside. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/de871b15-6eeb-416e-a642-41addb864e9a/Queering-therapy-lgbtq-youth-therapist.jpg Blogs - Queering Therapy: The Art of Redefining Healing and Authenticity - There’re tons of binary standards we are mandated to follow regarding our body, sexuality, gender identity, gender roles, and many more. In some ways, these standards may hurt and impact everyone involved. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/97831dfe-353d-45a8-992b-550c3ca7c48e/Queering-therapy-lbgtq-affirmative.jpg Blogs - Queering Therapy: The Art of Redefining Healing and Authenticity - I personally see queering therapy as queer affirmative therapy in action. In practice, I go beyond offering a non-judgmental space for folks to come and be. I don’t see any differences in the way someone shows up and presents themselves as something to diagnose. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/476a5817-eec0-4da9-bb31-639d1475bd5f/Queering-therapy-neurodiverse-affirming.jpg Blogs - Queering Therapy: The Art of Redefining Healing and Authenticity - Instead, I’d love to explore a bit more about what drew their interest in showing up this way and not that way. Most of the queer folks I see have experienced some sort of homophobia, transphobia, and heterosexism in one way or another in their lives. So, in a lot of cases we started off by processing the negative influences of all these. Queering therapy can help folks reconnect with their inner self, desire, and motivation. Queering therapy can help clients move from confusion to clarity. Every step of the way is a process of becoming. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/981594ea-3703-4fd2-89aa-135a9866e192/Queering-therapy-lgbtq-telehealth-support.jpg Blogs - Queering Therapy: The Art of Redefining Healing and Authenticity - Queering therapy is exhilarating as it gives clients space to claim what’s unique about them, especially those that do not conform with the society’s mandate I personally feel that queering therapy is liberating because it can help clients explore how they relate to their gender identity, sexual orientation, and other preferences. Queering therapy helps folks tolerate the discomfort of existing in the grey. The world gives us a blak-and-white selection of how to show up,.. Though I realized that being queer means redefining what we knew and what we were told. We grab a few ounces from the white section, stir in a few sparkles from the black section, and then kaboom there goes a bowl of grey matter ;) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Queering Therapy: The Art of Redefining Healing and Authenticity - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/why-is-it-important-to-know-your-personal-values monthly 0.5 2025-03-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/edf5e038-51dd-47d4-bb33-cc5d1e53bf89/Why-is-it-important-to-know-your-personal-values.jpg Blogs - Your Values, Your Superpower: Why is it important to know your personal values in your 20’s and 30’s - Reflecting on what’s important to us is a very powerful way to get to know ourselves better. There are hundreds of different values out there, and from the process of our personal self exploration, we can narrow these down to a handful. I personally see values as some points and beliefs that I hold dear to my heart >>> Knowing my value is essential because it is almost like a compass guiding my decisions. In some cases it is the bedrock of why I make certain decisions. Most people have anywhere between 5 to 10 core values they live by. Our personal values are like a guidepost we use to prioritize what matters and guide our decision making process. So that we can stay on track with our beliefs and needs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/65c18d22-a5f2-4b0a-b362-24c4f05ef954/Why-is-it-important-to-know-your-personal-values-youth.jpg Blogs - Your Values, Your Superpower: Why is it important to know your personal values in your 20’s and 30’s - The thing is, life can get busy and it is easy to get lost in the treadmill of activities and responsibilities. It doesn't help either that the world we live in constantly bombard us with different messaging around what is cool, how you shall advance in life, when you shall tick certain boxes, and the list goes on. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/011514c4-2982-412a-bce4-4d013c333f9b/Why-is-it-important-to-know-your-personal-values-vancouver.jpg Blogs - Your Values, Your Superpower: Why is it important to know your personal values in your 20’s and 30’s - To a certain extent our personal values defines who we are as a person because by knowing our values, we know what matters to us and it becomes the foundation of our lives https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/66f41e1a-707f-4de1-817b-5efdb1400d5c/Why-is-it-important-to-know-your-personal-values.jpg Blogs - Your Values, Your Superpower: Why is it important to know your personal values in your 20’s and 30’s - When I looked back at my life when I was still in my early 20’s, I remember feeling confused, and often insecure about myself. I also wondered how I would fit into the broader society. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/0f50e8a2-265f-4f5b-b155-bc66f897a39e/Why-is-it-important-to-know-your-personal-values-youth-therapist.jpg Blogs - Your Values, Your Superpower: Why is it important to know your personal values in your 20’s and 30’s - When someone asked me if there was anything in my past that I regretted, I used to say yes and wished that I could just skip it over. Though now, if you were to ask me the same question, my response would be heck no. Going through some devastating situations and encountering people who were unkind to me actually taught me a lot about myself and about life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/3ce4d67b-e106-4693-be70-5f4dfe073151/Why-is-it-important-to-know-your-personal-values-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Your Values, Your Superpower: Why is it important to know your personal values in your 20’s and 30’s - My core values are authenticity, curiosity, and integrity These are personal values that are so intertwined with my personal identity as a person who happens to work as a clinical counselor. >>I structure and show up in my practice according to my values. Speaking of AUTHENTICITY, I showed up the way I am in my practice. There are not too many degree of separation between ‘Nita the person’ and ‘Nita the counsellor.’ My friends can definitely attest to that In terms of CURIOSITY, when I meet with clients, I always ask questions from a stance of curiosity and not judgment. Come on, there's enough judgment in the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/ac1eb3f5-5a1f-4e67-ad53-f6b14bb2f21f/Why-is-it-important-to-know-your-personal-values-for-youth.jpg Blogs - Your Values, Your Superpower: Why is it important to know your personal values in your 20’s and 30’s - I love exposing myself to new resources and opportunities to expand my knowledge, so that I can keep on growing as a person. I see myself, as well as, my clients benefit from my ongoing commitment to learning. In terms of INTEGRITY, I believe in delivering quality, and not quantity, and that is why I structure my day the way it is. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/6cf3108f-49e3-4c82-9b7a-319aa20eb440/Why-is-it-important-to-know-your-personal-values-burnaby-telehealth.jpg Blogs - Your Values, Your Superpower: Why is it important to know your personal values in your 20’s and 30’s - I typically do administrative or paperwork stuff during the day, and see clients in the evening because my brain works best in generating any ideas early in the day. I am also more alert in interacting with others later in the day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1701200749797-OQKUKYXWUXS1J25W93LB/Youth+counsellor+offer+in-person+session+in+Burnaby+and+virtual+telehealth+for+youth+and+young+adults+all+accross+Canada.jpg Blogs - Your Values, Your Superpower: Why is it important to know your personal values in your 20’s and 30’s - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/what-does-it-mean-to-live-an-intentional-life monthly 0.5 2025-04-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/0e72cac4-e28a-424a-aaf2-7f69433334e7/What-does-it+-mean-to-live-an-intentional-life.jpg Blogs - Intentional Life 101: Live a Life in Your Own Terms - There’s great motivation to make the next 12 months really count and live differently from the one that just passed. This is where lots of people are gung-ho with setting up new year’s resolutions. Though more often than not, resolutions are short-lived and wane off by March, if even. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/108057d1-8b23-436f-ac12-d13f78f77c62/What-does-it+-mean-to-live-an-intentional-life-as-youth.jpg Blogs - Intentional Life 101: Live a Life in Your Own Terms - Living an intentional life is about finding ways to live a life that is more aligned with your values. We move from externally driven to internally motivated. There is nothing wrong with seeking inspiration from what we see around us, though before adopting certain believes, mindset, and perspective, we ask ourselves these questions first: When did I first become acquainted with this idea? Who introduced me to this belief? What drew me to those beliefs/mindsets? What is so compelling about them (that made me want to buy it) If I were to adopt this mindset, in what ways would it complement or oppose the ones I had? How can this nourish me or add values to my life? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/ae231268-cb3f-4257-ba87-721da5682299/What-does-it+-mean-to-live-an-intentional-life-as-queer.jpg Blogs - Intentional Life 101: Live a Life in Your Own Terms - rather than evaluating your personal circumstances and identifying ways you want to live more according to your values. This seems minor, though in the broad spectrum of things, this is critical (and something I see a lot come up in therapy). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/a7183e81-94b0-47ed-b42e-6d518c18da55/What-does-it+-mean-to-live-an-intentional-life-principles.jpg Blogs - Intentional Life 101: Live a Life in Your Own Terms - Living an intentional life will make a difference. How so? Well, this is where we move from having the world define how we are supposed to live our life to defining how living life in our own terms looks like. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/dc7d35c1-b607-4f3f-b9da-d9f75e92fc4b/What-does-it+-mean-to-live-an-intentional-life-bipoc-youth.jpg Blogs - Intentional Life 101: Live a Life in Your Own Terms - An example of this in action would be: If you’re a university student who feels overwhelmed with constantly playing catch up, a new year's intention could be “having a more well-balanced semester.” A few ways to translate this intention into action could be sticking to 15 semester hours (ahha as long as it does not mess up with your graduation schedule), making space within your week to go grocery shopping, cook, and clean your living space. Finding a cooking buddy. Scheduling your school tasks, etc. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/b1f2b559-18e7-43f6-8e5e-d7873c0d5343/What-does-it+-mean-to-live-an-intentional-life.jpg Blogs - Intentional Life 101: Live a Life in Your Own Terms - And after I identified how I intended to have the year unfold, I listed how this looks like in action: Practise what I ‘preach’ in terms of being vulnerable → I share parts of my life on social media in ways that help forge connections with (current and potential) clients I show up as myself in counselling setting, that is loud and easygoing → and clients shared it’s refreshing and disarming to see a clinical counsellor who show up this way | at least based on the feedback I got from clients I share my offering clearly on my website and other marketing materials → it’s very clear that I serve queer youth and young adults, so if you’re looking for someone to support you with chronic pain or trauma brain injury, you get the sense that most likely I am not your person. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/b0cce3ed-1f1b-41e4-a342-e276b15d9c43/LGBTQ+therapist+helping+Queer+%26+BIPOC+youth+and+young+adults+in+Burnaby+and+Vancouver.jpg Blogs - Intentional Life 101: Live a Life in Your Own Terms - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/why-new-year-resolutions-fail monthly 0.5 2025-04-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/9028bfc7-c606-4db8-82a1-d17b1da18cef/Why-new-year-resolutions-fail-burnaby.jpg Blogs - New Year, Same Struggle: Why New Year Resolutions Fail - Creating New Year’s resolutions is a tradition that dates all the way back to the Babylonians 4,000 years ago. People practise it from generation to generation. Some of the most commonly quoted goals are: exercise more, smoke less, be more mindful and present, eat healthily to name a few. In the past, I was filled with a burst of optimism heading into the new year. Though, after committing to doing the activities for a month, I found it overwhelming. I felt defeated. That’s why I experimented with settling with something more attainable to do month after month. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/5186161e-6e8e-4564-9d0d-f6e0be9e8b13/Why-new-year-resolutions-fail.jpg Blogs - New Year, Same Struggle: Why New Year Resolutions Fail - We’re thinking too big When we talk about resolutions, we often associate them with big and spectacular. Things that would require a huge 180 shift in habits like getting more sleep, adopting a new diet, becoming super fit, and the list goes on. These big, sweeping changes sound sexy on paper, though we are not wired to go from a regular Joe to a professional marathon within a month! That’s why big new year resolution fail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/ed243d14-8525-45e7-9968-fe8c0eae01e4/Why-new-year-resolutions-fail-burnaby-bipo-therapist.jpg Blogs - New Year, Same Struggle: Why New Year Resolutions Fail - We don’t have a clear why Any change is hard, so it is only natural for us to pop the question, “doing all these actions are hard, so give me reasons to make it worthwhile going through the pain!” So often, we create new year’s resolutions based on what we see in the media or hear our friends proclaim doing. When we based our actions on what we think we should do, typically it will not go far. We don’t have enough buy in. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/45152ac2-878f-4f82-b0bc-44472bb8a308/Why-new-year-resolutions-fail-burnaby-bipoc-therapist.jpg Blogs - New Year, Same Struggle: Why New Year Resolutions Fail - Well, we all have stories and perceptions about ourselves. We have some idea of who we are as a person and what we deem as important. These self-stories or, dare I claim, self-perception have great influence over our decisions and actions. Whether you realize it or not, we tend to make a decision or act in a way that is consistent with our self-perception. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/8a6db60b-cd68-4927-bafb-def6010f8e31/Why-new-year-resolutions-fail-burnaby-therapist.jpg Blogs - New Year, Same Struggle: Why New Year Resolutions Fail - We are not ready for change Aside from the fact that change is hard, the reality about committing to any changes is that there are several stages to making any changes happen. Some of you might be familiar with the model: PRE-CONTEMPLATION→that time when you’re aware that something gotta change, though not sure yet if it’s worth all the hassle CONTEMPLATION→that time when you started having a rough ideas about what changes you want to make and how to go about making it happen PREPARATION→that time when you have weighed the pros and cons and gearing yourself to go through the hassle ACTION→that stage where you have identified what needs to be done and ready to get cracking MAINTENANCE→that sweet spot when you started seeing results from some of the changes you implemented. Now it’s time to commit to making that change part and parcel of your life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/0a165796-571d-43da-b57f-a4cfe40f9c2f/Youth+counsellor+for+queer+youth+based+in+Burnaby.jpg Blogs - New Year, Same Struggle: Why New Year Resolutions Fail - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/end-of-the-year-reflection monthly 0.5 2025-04-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/88213be0-ac7b-4927-bb90-ea5e15615bc8/End-of-the-year-reflection.jpg Blogs - End of the year reflection: Crafting your narrative in the year's final chapter - The end of the year typically lends itself to a smorsgaboard of activities to do. More often that not though, I felt overwhelmed as the end of the year approached. A part of me wanted to plan a bunch of activities during this festive season with Christmas and New Year in the same month. A part of me wanted to embrace my reflective self, cocooned up in a cosy jammies, listening to my face folks music, and write some end of the year reflection. A part of me wanted to try new things while the other part of me wanted to do what I did last year. You catch my drift here… End of the year was a combination of stressful, joyful, and bountiful me all in one month. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/e5cc0878-4a26-4533-984e-ff5f49719081/End-of-the-year-reflection-for-teens.jpg Blogs - End of the year reflection: Crafting your narrative in the year's final chapter - Set the scene for your end of the year reflection The very first step is you need to carve out time and find a cozy nook somewhere at home. Schedule out an hour or so (whatever amount of time you need) in your calendar, like any other appointment. Add extra touches to make the moment special and the space inviting. If you’re into scents, perhaps lighting up a candle or incense. Grab a cuppa coffee or your fave wine + any writing tools. Ground and center yourself. Make sure your phone and devices are on silent. All set?!? Then, let’s move along with some of the prompting end of the year reflection questions we got here… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/8527136c-0202-459f-88f8-89e9d9dd0c2d/End-of-the-year-reflection-for-youth-counselor.jpg Blogs - End of the year reflection: Crafting your narrative in the year's final chapter - The first step in your end of the year reflection is taking a bit of a step back and looking at our whole entire year from a bird’s eye view can be very helpful. Thinking of the year as a whole vs month to month can give us a different perspective. In the process of jotting them down, write what comes to mind. Let the moment guide you. Whatever words pop up. It’s meant to be an experiential and not overly staged. The next step in your end of the year reflection is: once you have completed writing those five words, write a letter to yourself using the keywords you have identified above. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/bbae380d-98db-476e-b576-37509c1fcc31/End-of-the-year-reflection.jpg Blogs - End of the year reflection: Crafting your narrative in the year's final chapter - My five words are: Believe in yourself Confident Accomplished Slow and steady Things take time Pointer: in the process of coming up with these words, I just sit in silence and let the words emerge without overly directive of what words are generated. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/a8811bb9-4704-4b1e-8d3e-91dfd811118c/End-of-the-year-reflection-for-youth.jpg Blogs - End of the year reflection: Crafting your narrative in the year's final chapter - And here’s my end of the year reflection letter to myself: I want to address this part of the letter to the January 2023 version of me: After you say goodbye to your dream job in pursuit of a bigger cause, one message that you need to constantly return to is “ believe in yourself.” You are finally able to practice your trade and skills in a way that fully aligns with you. Some months may be more smooth sailing than others. Some months will be tougher than others, and those times are when your confidence in yourself would be tested. Your day to day reality will look different from your neighboring counselors because the essence and heart of your practice are different. Comparison is treacherous. It is the cancer of your soul. It's normal to see what's on the other side of the picket fence. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/46e97ac7-b31c-4b5a-83e4-a9d0d51bd9ef/End-of-the-year-reflection-bipoc-therapist.jpg Blogs - End of the year reflection: Crafting your narrative in the year's final chapter - And now I would like to address this end of the year reflection letter to my current self: You have done a phenomenal job! Even though it was not easy, in fact there have been a few moments when your confidence in yourself was tested time and again. You had been able to develop fierce confidence in yourself. You fiercely believe in yourself and keep an open mind. Confidence is good, though confidence overdose would become arrogance and that wouldn't serve you. Over time you have redefined the meaning of success. You started off the year thinking that success means having a full practice with the possibility of carrying a small waitlist. Though over time your perspective shifted to defining success as working within your capacity, staying true to yourself, and getting to work with clients who sees and appreciates you. Your growth has been slow and steady and you're well accomplished for showing up as yourself. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/c5c329f7-5296-4b6c-8cb2-1d85e881492f/End-of-the-year-reflection-for-bipoc-youth.jpg Blogs - End of the year reflection: Crafting your narrative in the year's final chapter - A few more prompting questions for your end of the year reflection: What felt rough this year? What did I learnt about myself from those scenarios? What/who made you joyful this year? Who showed up for you this year? What did they do when you need someone? What was your favourite month of the year? How come and what happened then? How can you bring in what felt good from this year into the next year? Was there something you wished you could change from this year? If so, what is it? And how come/why? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/bed1cec7-180d-43d3-9b0a-b723720ffa46/End-of-the-year-reflection-for-youth-counselor-Burnaby.jpg Blogs - End of the year reflection: Crafting your narrative in the year's final chapter - End of the year reflection can be transformational!! Doing end of the year reflection inspired me to adopt a more sustainable approach, that is developing a different habit, mindset, and perspective to approach life. This year has been memorable and radically transformational for me in so many different ways. So, I have been doing lots of reflective work in the hope of translating my experience into something that I can see. I would love to invite you to come aboard if you resonate with the essence of my message and this exercise. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/0a165796-571d-43da-b57f-a4cfe40f9c2f/Youth+counsellor+for+queer+youth+based+in+Burnaby.jpg Blogs - End of the year reflection: Crafting your narrative in the year's final chapter - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is helping curious and questioning queer youth and young adults move from confusion to clarity. Most of my clients shared feeling overwhelmed by the messages the world told them how they’re supposed to be. They do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. In our work together, I guide clients in figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions in Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/lets-rethink-productivity-and-find-ways-to-reach-your-goals-without-sacrificing-your-mental-and-emotional-wellbeing monthly 0.5 2025-04-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/358b9294-ae84-4dc3-8c91-b6b2abfb7c4e/Redefining-productivity.jpg Blogs - Redefining Productivity: Achieving More Without Sacrificing What Matters - Have you ever wondered if what you do and who you are matter? Have you ever thought whether the actions you decided will have a ripple effects or good impacts? Have you ever questioned the meaning of certain words like work, success, productivity? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/18ed78b9-1411-40dc-ba15-04d3b245945a/Redefining-productivity-burnaby-youth.jpg Blogs - Redefining Productivity: Achieving More Without Sacrificing What Matters - Redefining productivity is all about shifting our mindset about work. You see, for the most part productivity is very synonymous with churning output, being efficient, and working relentlesly. This very narrow, one-size-fits-all perspective completely overlooked rest and, in some ways, dehumanizes us. We are not machine, yet the world we live in conditions us to function (and dare I say, behave) like a machine. We are a cog in the whole system of capitalism. I thought “being productive” means I need to constantly produce content and achieve something. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/2a5e8895-60c6-41f3-b1c0-098eda029737/Redefining-productivity-and-rest.jpg Blogs - Redefining Productivity: Achieving More Without Sacrificing What Matters - I was first prompted to examine the meaning and application of the word “productivity” after feeling somewhat burned out after completing my MA. Yes, the very program/pathway that made it possible for me to practise in this field actually drained and sapped me out of energy. How so, you may ask? Well, the program was super rigorous, and in order to complete every step of the way I need to participate in the monotony of producing X amount of work that measures up to Y level of quality. Consistently. I always wonder whether Reading break was ‘a break to do reading’ OR ‘a break FROM reading any academics.’ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/f6606215-40d4-4600-a395-fc87fdfeb561/Redefining-productivity.jpg Blogs - Redefining Productivity: Achieving More Without Sacrificing What Matters - That lightbulb realization inspired me to expand my understanding of productivity to include intentional rest as a vital component. If I were to expand on it a bit more: Striking a good balance between maintaining the quality of my output and honouring my body’s needs to rest. I also like this definition that Charles Duhigg, the author of The Power of Habit, shared: “Getting everything done without sacrificing everything we care about along the way” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/c4adf8ae-1a25-40ba-ab02-fe2ccdb75a1e/Redefining-productivity-and-balance.jpg Blogs - Redefining Productivity: Achieving More Without Sacrificing What Matters - Let’s picture two polar opposites with ‘one side being constantly busy and doing relentless work’ (which is what capitalism preaches to us) and ‘on the other side being a couch potato (which capitalism labels as lazy) Redefining productivity means striking a balance with both sides It is not an “either or” approach to life, but more of a “both and” You can be both care about work, goals, accomplishments, and milestones AND still allocate time to replenish your energy, feed your curiosity, and pursue creative endeavour. If you feel like you are in 1 side of the spectrum, and find the other of the spectrum now seem so attractive, know that change doesn’t happen instantly. [Well, at least more sustainable, longer lasting ones.] https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/d99eb573-2cdd-4133-9eca-5c0e95fb4316/Redefining-productivity.jpg Blogs - Redefining Productivity: Achieving More Without Sacrificing What Matters - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/take-a-pause-and-let-rest-transform-your-personal-life-and-quality-of-work monthly 0.5 2025-04-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/f91c5cc8-8ac3-4af6-ac82-4b948c73da87/Rest-could-transform-your-personal-life-and-quality-of-work.jpg Blogs - Reclaiming the pause button: Rest could transform your personal life and quality of work - Well, before we talk about reclaiming the pause button, I think it will be helpful to get on the same page about what we mean by that pause button aka rest In all fairness, I know that the words rest, productivity, creativity may sound like a paradox altogether. Can’t help it really, when we live in a world that twisted the meaning of these words. Rest is often associated with slow, being lazy, not productive, inefficient. In a way, these associations stem from the fact that capitalism treats us like a cog in the whole machine, so we have to constantly produce, refining the production system in such a way so that we can do it in the most efficient way possible, with the end goal being more revenues. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/d49f4cfb-e7a8-4801-9b0d-e13b3fade717/Rest-is-good-for-creativity-youth-therapist.jpg Blogs - Reclaiming the pause button: Rest could transform your personal life and quality of work - Curious how choosing not to reclaim the pause button will cause burnout (for me) in a therapy setting? Compromised quality of care, which translates into a therapist who is less engaged, attentive, and invested in what the clients bring into the space. Like it or not, most likely client could tell if or when the counsellor is there physically, BUT don’t appear to be really there mentally/emotionally. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/25931be8-988b-4a83-98e6-ad4b8b73d651/Rest-is-good-for-creativity.jpeg Blogs - Reclaiming the pause button: Rest could transform your personal life and quality of work - Sometimes I felt like there was not enough hours to my day and at other times I noticed that I did not have the same reserve energy to do all the things I used to be able to do in my early 20’s (haha that might be a total give away of my age wink) After thinking long and hard, and in case you were wondering, I did not experience burnout. Thankfully so, I decided to take a few steps back, and it was pretty transformational reading the book Rest is Resistance, especially when we got to the part about rest. I so resonated with Tricia’s take on rest as giving my body the permission to be. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/b169dfa7-6619-41b6-ae6a-84ea1436a551/Rest-is-good-for-creativity.jpg Blogs - Reclaiming the pause button: Rest could transform your personal life and quality of work - It was super surprising that when I honour my body’s needs for rest, take a pause (instead of hitting the accelerator button), I felt calmer, more in-tune with myself and the world. The rest replenishes my energy reserves, that I have consumed during my work. Curious what taking a pause and resting look like for the Spunky Counsellor? Find out in this article where they flesh out these topics out some more. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1680716800404-3FP40QP3QHBXLJGOFGC1/Nita-7+resize.jpg Blogs - Reclaiming the pause button: Rest could transform your personal life and quality of work - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. In the summer I also offer walk-and-walk in Confederation Park. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/detach-yourself-from-the-business-of-life-and-make-space-for-creativity-to-flourish monthly 0.5 2025-04-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/e2f0df9d-d5df-41f4-beaf-3220782eb5de/Rest-is-good-for-creativity-bipoc-therapist.jpg Blogs - Recharge to Create: Rest is good for creativity - I was inspired to think more critically about the whole concept of rest, the grind culture, capitalism, and the world we live in today after reading the Rest is Resistance book. After the explosion of the Black Lives Matter several years ago, the term decolonizing mental health, healing the wound, and a few others have been swirling around, and even though on the surface I feel like I kind of know what it meant, on the deeper level I feel like there is so much more to learn. I would not pronounce myself as an expert, though I feel that I have a better understanding and am more aware of the nuances. So, where we left off in our last article in the series, I shared about the definition of rest 2.0. I contrasted the old way of looking at rest as a nuisance and invited readers to rethink rest as our fundamental human need. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/af75da2a-34e6-46f3-88c4-07d6ad001bb0/Rest-is-good-for-creativity.jpeg Blogs - Recharge to Create: Rest is good for creativity - Rest is good for creativity. How so? When we detach ourselves from the constant hustle bustle of our daily routines, we actually make space for creativity to flourish. And being creative is so much more than just doing artistic things. It also extends to many other aspects in our lives, like problem-solving, self-expression, personal exploration and healing It could be as simple as making space in your day to revisit certain ideas or project or encounters. This space could help you think outside the box, explore new perspectives, and come up with different ways to approach certain situations. Granted, to make being creative happen, you need to be willing to take risks, experiment in something new, traversing into uncharted territories. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/b169dfa7-6619-41b6-ae6a-84ea1436a551/Rest-is-good-for-creativity.jpg Blogs - Recharge to Create: Rest is good for creativity - As someone who have tried several different efficiency formula before finding one that fits me well, I steer away from listing some tried-and-true formula. So, instead I will share some things for you to consider :) One of the commonly cited excuses people say is that they are afraid they won’t get things done if they rest. Well, it’s super important to be mindful of what we use with our time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/f91c5cc8-8ac3-4af6-ac82-4b948c73da87/Rest-could-transform-your-personal-life-and-quality-of-work.jpg Blogs - Recharge to Create: Rest is good for creativity - Some of us are early risers and prefer working in the morning. Some of us are night owl, so our brain works best sometime after 3pm. What I am saying that we are all different, so we need to pay attention to AND NOTICE when our brain works best. Make sure to use up your peak focus hours to complete tasks that would be more demanding and require more attention and focus. Leave the lighter stuff for later. For instance for me, my brain could produce writing materials best early in the day, so I intentionally schedule my counselling sessions later in the afternoon. This happens to work well with my clients too who are mostly available later in the day as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/fc91469f-0631-4bd3-9868-3bb68fa77e01/Rest-could-transform-your-personal-life.jpg Blogs - Recharge to Create: Rest is good for creativity - Wondering what to do during your break?!? For those of you working from home: Answering emails, reading up documents, and being ‘productive’ could be tempting, though may I invite you to consider the following: o If there’s a 10- or 15- minute window in-between meetings, perhaps watering your plants, vacuuming your space, doing your dishes, emptying your dishwasher o If you feel like being still, perhaps grabbing your yoga mat, and doing shivasana (and listen to a calming music or setting up an alarm, so that you won’t miss your meeting) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/55d31934-5713-437b-827c-a08a41a30ccd/Rest-is-good-for-creativity-bipoc-therapist-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Recharge to Create: Rest is good for creativity The possibility is infinite here. Just want to throw in a caveat: all the above activities I shared above are a few things I do that I find life-giving and restful. By no means, the list is definitive (for you). You get to define what rest looks like for you. I share with the hope of getting your creative juice running ;P I hope this article was a reminder for you that rest is actually our fundamental human need. And the best part about it is that rest is good for our creativity! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1b6627eb-c3b5-4dd9-9962-a8a56da01f7b/Queering-therapy.jpg Blogs - Recharge to Create: Rest is good for creativity - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/reclaiming-rest-why-doing-the-bare-minimum-is-more-than-okay-in-a-hustle-driven-world monthly 0.5 2025-04-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/161a6304-2f17-4375-8c7e-84b101e49ab6/Reclaiming-rest-and-hit-the-pause-button.jpg Blogs - Reclaiming Rest: Why it is important to hit the pause button in a Hustle-Driven World - In my line of work, I learn to ‘never assume’ others have the same understanding and experience when you say certain word like stress, depression, anxiety. So, why don’t we unpack what’s reclaiming rest mean, and you get to decide for yourself how it lands for you. Well, the Oxford dictionary’s definition of rest is ‘ceasing to work, /move in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength.’ Reclaiming rest in a hustle driven world is about hitting the pause button and giving yourself permission to “JUST BE” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/67ba1a29-4962-4605-8833-17dabbb4dfe0/Reclaiming-rest-in-a-hustle-driven-world.jpg Blogs - Reclaiming Rest: Why it is important to hit the pause button in a Hustle-Driven World - Let’s picture a car for a moment. I first learnt about this car analogy from a webinar about self care a while back, and it stuck with me. Would you drive a car all across Canada from coast to coast without ever letting it rest at all? Or even replenishing the fuel. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story I bet the answer is a resounding ‘no’ because every now and then, we would need to use the rest room, re-fuel (eat 2-3times, or however many times you eat), etc. Though what we often see is that, we may force ourselves to chug along with work, be it bailing on your friends for dinner gathering so that you can make two more calls to exceed target. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/50e15061-2c5b-40cc-bb18-73afacaa3be3/Reclaiming-rest-in-a-hustle-driven-world-burnaby-therapist.jpg Blogs - Reclaiming Rest: Why it is important to hit the pause button in a Hustle-Driven World - The grind culture is very good at promoting this idea of ‘do this thing, buy that item, go to that destination’. The culture makes you think that you need to do this and that side hustle to have certain amount of zero’s in your bank account. It makes you think that rest, vacation is a luxury for those who have the resources to access those ‘extraordinary’ experience or purchase custom-made items. The culture is very good at making you think that you need all of those things, so that you come back ‘rejuvenated’ and ready to hustle some more, and grind your body into exhaustion. And then, repeat the cycle all over again. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1680716800404-3FP40QP3QHBXLJGOFGC1/Nita-7+resize.jpg Blogs - Reclaiming Rest: Why it is important to hit the pause button in a Hustle-Driven World - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/do-not-let-stress-take-over-your-life-and-instead-take-control-of-how-you-spend-your-time monthly 0.5 2025-04-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/7175476c-9371-4211-a213-40310b405222/Escaping-the-grind.jpg Blogs - Escaping the Grind: Why Rest Is the Ultimate Act of Self-Care in Today's Society - Writing my initial article on giving myself permission to do the bare minimum got me thinking about the broader context of rest, work, success, and life. That inspired me to write this whole series. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/a0a851f6-d377-44b2-8ae4-34eb51e9fe70/Escaping-the-Grind-Rest-Is-the-Ultimate-Act-of-Self-Care-therapist-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Escaping the Grind: Why Rest Is the Ultimate Act of Self-Care in Today's Society - We are inundated with messages equating our worth with our busyness. I noticed that ‘How tired you are’, ‘How full your calendar is’, and ‘How little rest you got’ are almost seen as a badge of honour. When you take this view to the extreme: if you decide to rest, some people might think of you as lazy, unproductive, and (worst of all) wasting time. No wonder we are surrounded by over-stressed, pushed-too-the-brink individuals who snapped at you when you were 5 minutes late to an appointment . The constant pressure to meet deadlines, surpass high expectations, and maintain certain kinds of lifestyle could take a toll on you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/f1390d45-bd7c-4f05-94b4-ea6048b43782/Escaping-the-Grind-Culture.jpg Blogs - Escaping the Grind: Why Rest Is the Ultimate Act of Self-Care in Today's Society - Escaping the grind culture: What stress is really trying to tell you Stress is our natural response to feeling overwhelmed and overloaded with multiple demands. At the same time it’s also an invitation for us to either moving forward operating the same way or taking a step back and revamp the way we approach life. Stress could manifest itself in so many ways. It can impact the way we see ourselves and the world, and at the end of the day making us feel disconnected from ourselves. In some ways, it could be a roadblock to our personal growth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/a31c0067-9712-48de-b36c-55fde12f8588/Escaping-the-Grind-Culture-bipoc-therapist-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Escaping the Grind: Why Rest Is the Ultimate Act of Self-Care in Today's Society - A few of the most common ones I see (in my practise) are: - People feeling confused with who they really are - Individuals feeling overwhelmed with fulfilling others’ demands (could be from family, friends, or self) and finding it hard to name what they want - People feeling like a misfit because who they think they are on the inside doesn’t match how they feel others see them - Individuals feeling pressured to have to be everywhere all at once and having everything figured out I so resonate with the part where when we are overwhelmed, it is much easier to default to do what others suggested us doing, rather than taking time to reflect on out values and desires. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/7175476c-9371-4211-a213-40310b405222/Escaping-the-grind.jpg Blogs - Escaping the Grind: Why Rest Is the Ultimate Act of Self-Care in Today's Society - Saying goodbye to the grind culture: My version of rest was hitting the pause button on life, taking a step back, noticing what has been happening in my life, identifying what’s working and what’s not working, and slowly started the journey of sifting through my whole web of life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/b1f2b559-18e7-43f6-8e5e-d7873c0d5343/Escaping-the-grind-culture Blogs - Escaping the Grind: Why Rest Is the Ultimate Act of Self-Care in Today's Society - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/personal-identity-pizza monthly 0.5 2025-04-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/8d705d35-e262-4a58-a840-5342f18630e7/Our-personal-identity-is-like-a-pan-of-pizza.jpg Blogs - Our personal identity is like a pan of pizza - Our Personal Identity Is Like a Pan of Pizza (Yes, Really) Think about a good ol’ pan of pizza. Each slice has its own flavour, right? One might be loaded with cheese and pepperoni, another might be heavier on the olives and peppers, and maybe there’s that one piece where the sauce hits just right. Our personal identity? Just like that. A combo of slices. There’s your gender identity, sexual orientation, race or ethnicity, mental health, cultural background, languages you speak, what you do for a living, your values, the stuff you love—music, gaming, hiking, astrology memes. The list goes on. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/dfdb211a-7028-44c3-9f2a-36a759438aad/Our-personal-identity-is-like-a-pan-of-pizza-therapist-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Our personal identity is like a pan of pizza - One slice of pizza doesn’t define the whole pizza. You’d never say “this is a pepperoni pizza” just because one slice had a little pepperoni on it—especially if the rest is loaded with mushrooms and jalapeños. Same thing with us. One part of who we are—our sexuality, our cultural roots, our mental health struggles, our family background—doesn’t tell the full story. You’re not just that one slice. You’re the full pie, with all its layers and textures and unexpected toppings! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/c0ce0b75-f66f-47f7-a23f-ca81b1281a0e/Our-personal-identity-is-like-a-pan-of-pizza-bipoc-therapist-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Our personal identity is like a pan of pizza - The caveat is that one slice of pizza does not define the entire pizza, and that is the same with our personal identity, that one aspect of our identity doesn’t define our entire identity. Exploring Our Personal Identity Is Like Sampling Slices from a Pan of Pizza Sometimes you want to zero in on one slice. Other times, you’re tasting a few at once. That’s how identity exploration works too. ***In therapy, I often hear things like: “I’m trying to understand how I grew up affects the way I express my gender.” Or, “I never realized how much my spirituality and sexuality were connected up until recently.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/2efdfb02-c761-4f2a-aeb6-a8180fe5424c/Our-personal-identity-is-like-a-pan-of-pizza.jpg Blogs - Our personal identity is like a pan of pizza - Here’s what I’ll leave you with: you’re not static. Who you are—your identity, your sense of self—is always shifting and growing. Like pizza dough rising with the right ingredients and warmth (yes, I went there). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/5cd7b383-9b97-41e1-9cac-7b25998fa0d5/Our-personal-identity-is-like-a-pan-of-pizza-therapist-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Our personal identity is like a pan of pizza - You are whole, even when you’re still discovering your slices. When I work with clients, I often say that our identity isn’t one single thing—it’s the whole pie. Just like a pan of pizza is made up of many different slices, who we are is made up of many intersecting parts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/2efdfb02-c761-4f2a-aeb6-a8180fe5424c/Our-personal-identity-is-like-a-pan-of-pizza.jpg Blogs - Our personal identity is like a pan of pizza - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/it-is-okay-to-do-the-bare-minimum-simplify-you-life-and-enjoy-some-peace monthly 0.5 2025-04-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1ab913a4-1113-41ef-8cc9-d79e782432d1/It-is-okay-to-do-the-bare-minimum-therapist-burnaby.jpg Blogs - It Is Okay to Do the Bare Minimum (Yes, Even as a Youth Therapist) - For the whole month of April, my mom came to visit. And for the first time in a long time, I gave myself permission to take a step back. I chose to do the bare minimum to keep my counselling practice running—so I could be fully present with her. I still met with clients. But I skipped networking events, swapped long admin days for home-cooked dinners, and spent my free time walking at Van Dusen Botanical Garden instead of planning content or writing blogs. My mom’s a fellow introvert, and we often sat together reading in silence. One of those days, I started Rest is Resistance, a book that got me reflecting deeply on rest, presence, and the grind culture we live in. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/f51aa37d-a06c-4655-89a0-8ac1f902c825/It-is-okay-to-do-the-bare-minimum-therapist-burnaby.jpg Blogs - It Is Okay to Do the Bare Minimum (Yes, Even as a Youth Therapist) - At first, slowing down felt uncomfortable. We live in a world where success is often defined by constant productivity, attending all the right events, hitting big milestones, and staying “visible.” I’ve internalized so much of that messaging—and I know I’m not alone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/02c54e3a-62b5-48b0-98d6-9ffd5d1c9dc4/It-is-okay-to-do-the-bare-minimum.jpg Blogs - It Is Okay to Do the Bare Minimum (Yes, Even as a Youth Therapist) - Let’s clarify something. Doing the bare minimum doesn’t mean not caring. It’s not about slacking off or coasting. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/5d4b8110-551f-42cc-9c9b-650213580099/It-is-okay-to-do-the-bare-minimum-bipoc-therapist.jpg Blogs - It Is Okay to Do the Bare Minimum (Yes, Even as a Youth Therapist) - I used to move through life always doing. Hustling. Achieving. Half the time, I wasn’t even sure why—or who I was doing it all for. Over time, therapy (both giving and receiving) helped me understand the value of pausing, reflecting, and living with intention. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/71b5b77c-d38d-4176-9b6a-6247c818c894/It-is-okay-to-do-the-bare-minimum-bipoc-therapist-burnaby.jpg Blogs - It Is Okay to Do the Bare Minimum (Yes, Even as a Youth Therapist) - The Balance: It Is Okay to Do the Bare Minimum and Want More! There’s nothing wrong with striving. In fact, a big part of my work with clients is supporting them as they dream big, get clear on what fits in their lives, and move toward alignment. But constantly pushing forward without pause can keep us disconnected—from ourselves, our bodies, and our deeper needs. There’s space for both. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/91f7b1c4-32cc-40c9-b0a3-f5dd505ca3e1/It-is-okay-to-do-the-bare-minimum-youth-therapist-burnaby.jpg Blogs - It Is Okay to Do the Bare Minimum (Yes, Even as a Youth Therapist) - This whole thing reminded me of my garden. When I plant seeds, I often catch myself waiting impatiently for results—wanting to skip ahead to the fruit. But there’s beauty in every stage. From the tiny bud breaking through the soil to the tall, thriving plant. It all matters. So whether you’re in a season of growth or a season of rest, just remember: it is okay to do the bare minimum. You’re still growing. You’re still enough. And the fruits will come—right on time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/8d88b9d7-424d-43ac-b6db-a0b7b87f72eb/It-is-okay-to-do-the-bare-minimum.jpg Blogs - It Is Okay to Do the Bare Minimum (Yes, Even as a Youth Therapist) - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/coming-out-is-a-lifelong-process monthly 0.5 2025-06-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/600b8858-cbf7-4e80-8a64-3f586b9a6992/coming-out-is-a-lifelong-process.jpg Blogs - Coming Out Is a Lifelong Process: Embracing Your Queer Identity in Every Stage - June rolls in with rainbow flags and celebration, and beneath the glitter and parades, Pride Month is also a moment for deep reflection. While queer visibility is growing, and more countries and companies are embracing LGBTQ+ rights, we still live in a world built around cis-heteronormative norms. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/fadaa734-5f47-44ba-a35d-09af9f793aa5/coming-out-is-a-lifelong-process-vancouver.jpg Blogs - Coming Out Is a Lifelong Process: Embracing Your Queer Identity in Every Stage - At its core, coming out is saying: Hey, I don’t subscribe to the same terms and conditions the world handed me. I don’t fit into those boxes, and I’m gonna come up with my own terms and narrative! It’s not just about sexual orientation or gender identity, it’s about saying yes to showing up as who you think you are. NOT who you think you should be! And that might mean challenging what your family, culture, or community expected of you. It can be liberating... and scary as hell. That’s why coming out is a lifelong process. Because it’s not just one big announcement, it’s a series of reckonings, recalibrations, and reintroductions. Sometimes it’s loud. Sometimes it’s quiet. But it’s always deeply personal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/23a568c3-96fb-4897-a6a8-67de6bad786d/coming-out-is-a-lifelong-process-lbgtq.jpg Blogs - Coming Out Is a Lifelong Process: Embracing Your Queer Identity in Every Stage - There’s no “normal” age to come out, everyone’s timeline is valid. Some people know and share their identity early in life, while others come out in their 30s, 50s, or later. Coming out is a deeply personal choice, and there’s no deadline on being true to yourself. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/29690beb-d7d7-4b94-8c7d-e357c4e90b63/coming-out-is-a-lifelong-process-lgbtq-burnaby.jpg Blogs - Coming Out Is a Lifelong Process: Embracing Your Queer Identity in Every Stage - But humans aren’t built that way! Many of us take years to even realize we’re queer (certainly the case for me, lol) coz we were never given the tools or language to name it. In my case, I didn’t know it was even possible to live any way other than as a cis, hetero person And even once we do know, we might not come out all at once. We might start with close friends, then family, then coworkers (or never to them at all). And the process doesn't stop after that. Every new relationship, job, or environment can bring new questions: Will I be safe here? Can I be myself? Whether you’re 17 or 57, the path keeps unfolding. Because coming out is a lifelong process of choosing yourself, again and again. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/20e0dc2b-e112-472f-8d2d-ac99ebf4bd4b/coming-out-is-a-lifelong-process-lgbtq-burnaby-north.jpg Blogs - Coming Out Is a Lifelong Process: Embracing Your Queer Identity in Every Stage - 1. Identity Confusion You start questioning: Wait… am I not as straight/cis as I thought I was? This is often the moment everything feels shaky. You might deny it, get anxious, or try to push it away. It’s disorienting, but it’s also the beginning of deeper self-connection/awareness. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/3bfceec5-ada1-4a01-81c6-4e6c334b71b8/coming-out-is-a-lifelong-process-burnaby-heights.jpg Blogs - Coming Out Is a Lifelong Process: Embracing Your Queer Identity in Every Stage - 2. Identity Comparison Here, you start leaning into possibility: Maybe I’m queer. You might imagine life with this new identity. What would change? What would stay the same? Who do you want to be? How do you want to show up in the space? This stage can feel like emotional whiplash: excitement, grief, hope, fear, all tangled together. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/89964410-4d4c-4122-a855-c457bf2bb1c3/coming-out-is-a-lifelong-process-vancouver-lgbtq.jpg Blogs - Coming Out Is a Lifelong Process: Embracing Your Queer Identity in Every Stage - 3. Identity Tolerance You start to take your queerness more seriously, even if you’re still feeling unsure or tender about it. This is often when people start seeking out queer community or consuming LGBTQ+ media. Labels might feel comforting, or constricting. Either way, you’re testing out how it feels to “try on” different pieces of your identity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/18e92a9c-d22a-428d-8346-9eb3a6c9f8b0/coming-out-is-a-lifelong-process-langley.jpg Blogs - Coming Out Is a Lifelong Process: Embracing Your Queer Identity in Every Stage - 4. Identity Acceptance Things begin to settle. You’ve wrestled with the implications and are starting to integrate your truth. You might experience grief and loss at this stage of relationships, assumptions, or former versions of yourself. But you also start building new connections that reflect who you really are. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/e03e9602-69f1-4093-b6e2-df1233c36c74/coming-out-is-a-lifelong-process-queer-joy.jpg Blogs - Coming Out Is a Lifelong Process: Embracing Your Queer Identity in Every Stage - 5. Identity Pride You’ve embraced your queerness and feel ready to own it. This can come with a strong desire to shout it from the rooftops or lean into queer-only spaces where you feel safest. You might also feel anger toward the systems that kept you hidden for so long. That’s normal. It’s grief, too. 6. Identity Synthesis This is when the pieces come together. You no longer separate your queer identity from the rest of your life. You just are. There’s more fluidity here, more peace. You feel whole whether you’re with queer folks, straight folks, or anyone in between. And you’re not afraid to keep evolving. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/849e6a60-18cb-4551-9803-ab77c8dcce32/Coming-out-is-a-lifelong-process.jpg Blogs - Coming Out Is a Lifelong Process: Embracing Your Queer Identity in Every Stage - There’s no one “right” way to come out. No deadline. No test to pass. For some people, clarity comes early, like Jazz Jennings, who knew she was a girl by the age of two. For others, (like myself) it takes years (or decades). Some folks feel solid in their identity but choose not to come out publicly for safety or emotional reasons. All of these paths are valid. If your story looks different from what you see in the media, that doesn’t make it any less real. In fact, it makes it more important to tell. Honestly, we need more representation! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/d16b25c3-f0af-458c-a1f9-a0a8250096bb/coming-out-is-a-lifelong-process-queer.jpg Blogs - Coming Out Is a Lifelong Process: Embracing Your Queer Identity in Every Stage - You don’t have to have it all figured out from the get go You’re allowed to change, grow, and pivot You get to come out at your own pace, in your own way. And you don’t have to do it alone. Every step you take toward living more truthfully is worth celebrating. Whether you’re whispering it to a friend, journaling it for the first time, or wearing your Pride colors loud and proud, you’re already doing it. Because coming out isn’t just a one-off and done. Coming out is a lifelong process. Wherever you are in the journey, I’m rooting for you. If you’d like a safe space to process, unpack, or even just wonder, I’m here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/d16b25c3-f0af-458c-a1f9-a0a8250096bb/coming-out-is-a-lifelong-process-queer.jpg Blogs - Coming Out Is a Lifelong Process: Embracing Your Queer Identity in Every Stage - HELLO, I’M NITA AGUSTIN A Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC. My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/choose-your-circle-wisely monthly 0.5 2025-06-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/0ecca555-bb84-4c45-bbef-5aace1ab9bbe/Choose-your-circle-wisely-lgbtq.jpg Blogs - Choose Your Circle Wisely: How to Surround Yourself with People Who Grow You - Ever left a hangout feeling heavier instead of lighter? Like you needed a nap and a good cry... just from being around someone who’s “supposed” to be a friend? Oof. Been there. For years, I thought I just needed thicker skin. That I was the problem -too sensitive, too much, too "deep." But what if the real issue wasn’t me? What if I just needed different people? If you’re feeling drained more than you’re feeling held, it might be time to look at your circle. Not in a cut-everyone-off kind of way, but in a slow, intentional, holy-boundary kind of way. Let’s talk about what it really means to choose your circle wisely, why it matters, and how to do it without ghosting your entire contact list. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/4dd8e9e1-e351-4070-8454-bc7c4c3c0ea5/Choose-your-circle-wisely-lgbtq-youth.jpg Blogs - Choose Your Circle Wisely: How to Surround Yourself with People Who Grow You - Let’s nerd out with some nature metaphors for a sec. Imagine a walnut tree, tall, commanding, beautiful even. But did you know it releases a chemical that prevents other plants from growing around it? It’s literally designed to take up all the space and nutrients. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/44f7b7ef-84ee-4385-ae6a-069d087d93a8/Choose-your-circle-wisely-lgbtq-friendship.jpg Blogs - Choose Your Circle Wisely: How to Surround Yourself with People Who Grow You - Now picture a magnolia tree. Still stunning, but with a different vibe. It shares. Its roots enrich the soil. Its leaves become mulch that supports. not strangles, nearby plants. It’s a good companion. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/f295c91b-5e3a-4e33-962b-75cbde4f4f08/Choose-your-circle-wisely.jpg Blogs - Choose Your Circle Wisely: How to Surround Yourself with People Who Grow You - Some folks are like walnut trees: dominant, draining, low-key (or high-key) toxic. They might seem impressive at first, but long-term? You end up doubting yourself, shrinking, second-guessing every move. Others are magnolias: nurturing, empowering, sturdy. They give you room to grow and cheer you on while you do it. Choosing your circle wisely means knowing the difference, and gravitating toward people who grow with you, not around you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/f7d1fad7-391c-40ea-a017-cdeeb17a279f/choose-your-circle-wisely.jpg Blogs - Choose Your Circle Wisely: How to Surround Yourself with People Who Grow You - I’ve sat across from so many clients who came into therapy thinking they were broken, only to realize their environment was just unsupportive. Or misaligned. Or downright unsafe. I’ve lived that, too. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/f5d6fc17-9b89-4e93-a992-34437e7929cb/Choose-your-circle-wisely-in-life.jpg Blogs - Choose Your Circle Wisely: How to Surround Yourself with People Who Grow You - When I finally gave myself permission to gravitate toward my magnolias, friends who celebrated my queerness, my cultural complexity, my messy and beautiful becoming, I began to breathe easier. I took more risks. I felt more me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/19ad5d89-665d-4430-88e2-a935da6f40b1/Choose-your-circle-wisely-influence-life.jpg Blogs - Choose Your Circle Wisely: How to Surround Yourself with People Who Grow You - ASK YOURSELF: How do I feel after I spend time with this person? Energized, grounded, understood? Or depleted, anxious, and small? Can I be my full self with them? Or do I constantly censor, over-explain, or shrink? Do they challenge me in a respectful, growth-oriented way? Or do they undermine, invalidate or dismiss me? Are they a walnut or a magnolia? It’s okay to care about a walnut from afar, but your inner garden deserves better soil. If this reflection brings up grief or discomfort, know that’s totally normal. It’s hard to outgrow people. But choosing your circle wisely is an act of self-trust. It’s you saying, “I’m worthy of support that doesn’t come with a side of harm.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/5b8accfe-1cfe-45ad-b016-f5a6e7da9e34/Choose-your-circle-wisely-in-life-bipoc-youth.jpg Blogs - Choose Your Circle Wisely: How to Surround Yourself with People Who Grow You - You’re allowed to want deep, reciprocal friendships. You’re allowed to outgrow connections that no longer reflect your values or where you’re headed. And if you’re somewhere in the messy middle, aware that your current circle isn’t cutting it, but unsure how to find your magnolias, you’re not alone. This is the kind of stuff I heard from the people I walk with all the time: finding clarity, building brave community, and reconnecting with their own voice again. If that’s something you're longing for, you're welcome to reach out. I’m here, magnolia energy and all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/a144d79c-a8f5-48f6-ab70-e2470b863678/Choose-your-circle-wisely.jpg Blogs - Choose Your Circle Wisely: How to Surround Yourself with People Who Grow You - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self! https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/how-to-set-long-term-goals-and-achieve-them monthly 0.5 2024-04-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/38fd0943-6302-4b1d-a6e5-ee92c191e527/How-to-Set-Long-Term-Goals-and-Achieve-Them.jpg Blogs - From Dreams to Reality: How to Set Long Term Goals and Achieve Them - HELLO, I AM NITA AGUSTIN A Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC. My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self. https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/gender-beyond-the-binary monthly 0.5 2024-04-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/a3ddf19e-d7be-4f31-adb6-21058004ae5c/Gender-beyond-the-binary-Gender-fluid Blogs - Gender beyond the binary - I was inspired to pen this blog post as a follow-up discussion to an Instagram post where I shared my thoughts on a book Me, MySelf, Them by Joshua (Luna) Ferguson. Gender identity is an essential aspect of our lives because it is closely tied to how we see ourselves and go about our lives. In some cases, gender identity can be a source of confusion, especially for those who do not necessarily conform to the traditional binary of men and women assigned by this world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/7db3fd56-f7e3-437c-bf45-91ee54771a8e/Gender-beyond-the-binary.jpg Blogs - Gender beyond the binary - Before going any further it’s worth mentioning that I am a fairly cis-identified female. I said fairly because I am visibly cis-presenting, and only recently I started using the pronoun she/they. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1678899956872-EBMY4D2FK32JHQGRBXPM/Gender-beyond-the-binary Blogs - Gender beyond the binary - You might be wondering what’s being cis mean? This term is used to describe individuals whose gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth. As a fairly cis- person, even though I do not face the same challenges gender non-conformist experienced, my personal discovery journey involved reconciling a few pieces of my personal identity that do not quite align with what my culture and the society told me I was supposed to be. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1708072787008-LQYVGBUYXPSZELLMQSZG/Queer-counsellor-gender-beyond-the-binary Blogs - Gender beyond the binary - HELLO, I AM NITA AGUSTIN A Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC. My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self. https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/figuring-out-what-to-do-after-graduating-from-high-school monthly 0.5 2023-12-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1678302266021-DF99X6JC0SA0GXV92615/unsplash-image-GdP2aN8GS7k.jpg Blogs - From cap to gown: Part 2 - How does postgraduation anxiety come about Uncertainty about the future This may feel overwhelming. It’s completely human to seek control and predictability in our life. When we’re feeling unsure about what’s coming next, it’s normal to feel chaotic and unsettled. So, those boys wondering are a way for them to have better sense of direction in their live Pressure to succeed This is a super common theme where we sort out what we expect of ourselves and what we think others expect of us. The markers of success are often closely related to our values and beliefs. So, all of these factors altogether often create a sense of urgency to have everything figured out. Financial concerns In a lot of cases, finances are often associated with a sense of certainty and stability. So, by not knowing how life would align yet, it may lead to the unknown. Someone once describe it to me that this point feels like being sucked into an infinite black hole of negativity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1678302571305-RG9RTHOS6M5NCJ6H2H92/unsplash-image-tsQCu2CWSBo.jpg Blogs - From cap to gown: Part 2 - 3 reminders to turn this hiccup into growth mindset: Life is a journey, and not a destination This statement is a tad cliche, I admit. Though in a lot of aspects related to freaking out about your future, it’s so relevant. It reminds me of time when I went on a road trip. Instead of repeatedly asking ‘when would we get there?’ I noticed that I enjoyed the whole experience much more when I accepted each part of the experience, every step of the way. Likewise in life, remember to celebrate small victories and appreciate the progress you have made. No matter how small. Embracing the possibility of failure Often in life we look at things as either…or… Failure is often viewed in such negative light, and most would avoid it like a plague. A gentle reminder that when something doesn’t go according to plan, it can provide insights into what went wrong and what you can do to get to your desires results. Many successful individuals have experienced failure en route to their breakthrough. Through these series of hiccups, they were able to improvise and develop something the would otherwise unable to do. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1680716800404-3FP40QP3QHBXLJGOFGC1/Nita-7+resize.jpg Blogs - From cap to gown: Part 2 - HELLO, I AM NITA AGUSTIN A Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC. My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self. https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/from-cap-and-gown-to-uncertainty-managing-postgraduation-anxiety monthly 0.5 2024-03-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/53aff0d0-f0bd-4cc7-83d2-593efe7dd885/Post-graduation-anxiety.jpg Blogs - From Cap and Gown to Uncertainty: Managing Post Graduation Anxiety - Do I go to UBC, SFU, KPU, or BCIT? UBC is 45-minute away by bus, so shall I live on-campus or live with my parents to save up? Is it better for me to major in psychology straightaway, or take general studies to explore my options? Shall I take a year off, working full-time for 8 months, save up the money and backpack around Europe? As the final year of their time at Burnaby North Secondary School draws to a close, Arie and Danny sat together, recounting all of the above statements. They were worried and uncertain about what the future has in store for them. Graduation is coming up sooner than expected, and both were overwhelmed with the prospect of making “the right decision.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1677783720307-USRM8W5TSBEBXDFI7T9F/Post-graduation-anxiety Blogs - From Cap and Gown to Uncertainty: Managing Post Graduation Anxiety - In fact, echoing Susan Whitbourne, a renowned psychologist, I want to highlight two different pathways people can go through to go from where they are to where they want to be: Meandering Way You have some rough ideas on what or who you want to become, though you don’t know exactly one way to get there, so you went through several turns before settling Straight and Narrow Part You know from the get-go where you want to land, so you make decisions that align with your desired goals. A classic example of this is someone dreaming of becoming a doctor, so every step of the way they took classes and studies that would take them to Med school eventually. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/55456700-b498-48a2-b767-633e6695a5b7/Post-graduation-anxiety.jpg Blogs - From Cap and Gown to Uncertainty: Managing Post Graduation Anxiety - HELLO, I AM NITA AGUSTIN A Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC. My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self. https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/therapy-myths-and-facts monthly 0.5 2024-05-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1677177236882-WF5D5H2QPIWX0RYHS80S/Therapy-myths-and-facts Blogs - Therapy myths and facts you can share with your friends - Picture this… Renee and Marie are two mothers who met at Burnaby Mom Support Group. They got chatting about Renee’s gender expansive child and is considering reaching out for help. Marie suggested a youth counsellor in Burnaby who specializes in helping queer and questioning youth find confidence. Renee is concerned whether going to counselling means they have some sort of disorders. Marie heard of friends who saw this queer, bipoc counsellor in Vancouver and can see how counselling offered her tools to improve her mental health and help her gain better insights for her behaviour. Well, there are lots of Renee out there. That’s why I feel it’s important for me to share these facts and debunk those myths. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1677177507344-2U3RI8E4K4FXUHAUCG8H/Therapy-myths-and-facts Blogs - Therapy myths and facts you can share with your friends - All in all, it’s important to remember that counselling is a process. A bit biased here, though it is fair to say that counselling is a valuable tool that can help us grow, heal, and overcome challenges in our lives. Some of the myths I mentioned above are real, and in fact those are what I heard the most. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/4645d3d6-0fbf-4d90-b514-394daacd3d49/LGBTQ-counsellor-offering-online-and-in-person-counselling-in-Burnaby.jpg Blogs - Therapy myths and facts you can share with your friends - HELLO, I AM NITA AGUSTIN A Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC. My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self. https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/wait-youre-bi-but-you-never-dated-the-same-gender-before monthly 0.5 2024-03-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/958ba878-7b3a-43aa-9555-564963d4222b/The-invisible-letter-B-Erasure-of-bisexuality.jpg Blogs - The invisible letter B: Erasure of bisexuality - Bisexuality can sometimes feel like an invisible identity In a lot of cases, people often made assumption on others’ preference based on their overt behaviours and other signifiers. Even within the queer community, some people question whether this b- word is legit to start with, and ask whether “Is it just a pitstop before becoming gay?” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/db01c5f6-a59e-4278-a9e2-82a57b56ed60/The-invisible-letter-B-Erasure-of-bisexuality.jpg Blogs - The invisible letter B: Erasure of bisexuality - Some steps you can take to create more presence and visibility: - Obvious one, though worth stating it to acknowledge anyone in your life who identify as bi- - Don’t question their disclosure. Instead, be curious about their story and journey of discovery - Not always easy to do, though worth practising over time to call out those who made bi-phobic statements - Avoid stereotyping bi- individuals https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/784f4ab1-964e-4277-b0d1-057402688b31/Experienced+queer+counsellor+based+in+Burnaby%2C+BC.jpg Blogs - The invisible letter B: Erasure of bisexuality - HELLO, I AM NITA AGUSTIN A Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC. My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self. https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/i-liked-boys-and-now-i-like-a-girl monthly 0.5 2024-03-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/2f7169f6-0695-4994-b9c0-0aec54dfbac2/I-like-boys-and-I-like-girls-too.png Blogs - Queer and confused: I like boys and I like girls too - Am I Bi-? Am I Pan-? Am I Queer? What am I??? It really warms my heart to see more LGBTQ representation on the media nowadays. So, I recently watched Heartstopper and totally resonated with Nick Nelson’s character. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/06ecc5fb-c73f-4042-9e3c-b650cf7604ad/I-like-boys-and-I-like-girls-too.jpg Blogs - Queer and confused: I like boys and I like girls too - For Anisa, the pandemic became a pressure cooker of an impetus for her to examine her life, especially her sexual orientation. For her it all started off by paying closer observation on little aspects of other people around her. When she looked back at her life, she realized that she had always looked at girls differently. Though, considering the fact that she grew up in an environment that isn’t as welcoming and affirming, she never really thought that living out her fantasy was ever an option. This newfound realization triggered a chain of reaction making her question herself “How come I like boys and I like girls too?” Seeing girls, how come I admire my female friends’ hair or their certain features???” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/c75419f0-78b3-4164-9f8b-ebf52d8bee93/Experienced-queer-therapist-Burnaby.jpg Blogs - Queer and confused: I like boys and I like girls too - HELLO, I AM NITA AGUSTIN A Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC. My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self. https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/come-out-on-your-own-terms monthly 0.5 2024-05-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/9f4c2e16-e14d-4d59-a6f9-a86a68f19b02/Come-out-on-your-own-terms.jpg Blogs - Come out on your own terms: Write your own narrative - Coming out is an important, definitive yet very challenging part of a lgbtqia2s+individuals’ lives It is a process where people try to make sense of their sexual orientation/identity. The journey can look fluid and meandering for some, and quite definitive from early age for others. Coming out can be a gradual process for some, and all of a sudden public proclamation for others. Heterosexual people do not need to come out and outwardly define their sexuality. So why do queer people have to come out? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/974fcf5a-b7da-4e1f-a556-3d935b752dab/Come-out-on-your-own-terms.jpg Blogs - Come out on your own terms: Write your own narrative - If you are wrestling over this decision, and wondering what defining life in your own terms mean. Remember that: 1. Everyone’s journey is different There is no right or wrong time to come out. Some may come out during elementary school, while others may not do so until they are well in their 30’s. When you feel ready to come out, it is helpful to start sharing with a trusted person first before doing so publicly. 2. If you so desire to come out, go and do it FOR YOURSELF Coming out can be a liberating experience because more often than not people assume that being heterosexual is the way to go. Proclaiming your preference to the world can be empowering. So, it’s important to first define your terms before writing your own narrative. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/aad4d207-dbba-4cff-9062-3e12d67d51b1/BIPOC-+Queer-counsellor-Burnaby%2C+BC.jpg Blogs - Come out on your own terms: Write your own narrative - HELLO, I AM NITA AGUSTIN A Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC. My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self. https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/when-it-comes-to-claiming-your-sense-of-identity-how-important-is-labels-for-queer-individuals monthly 0.5 2024-03-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/d4d6c76b-72ae-4cbb-ac0d-f640637e0899/I-am-queer-does-it-matter-whether-I-know-my-labels-or-not.jpg Blogs - LGBTQ Labels: “I am queer, does it matter whether I know my labels or not?” - Our presonal identity is like a pan of pizza… We are complex human being, and our identity is so much more than our sexuality. Imagine a pan of a medium-sized pizza. Our sexual orientation is like one slice of the entire pizza. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/354ed740-7342-4ebc-8ba8-63e3fae2640f/Youth-therapist-Burnaby-offers-youth-counselling.jpg Blogs - LGBTQ Labels: “I am queer, does it matter whether I know my labels or not?” - HELLO, I am NITA AGUSTIN I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC. My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/investing-in-your-personal-growth monthly 0.5 2024-05-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/84b71032-db4e-4e8c-9f42-3d048e4b0cb2/Saying-yes-to-investing-in-your-personal-growth.jpg Blogs - Counselling: Saying yes to investing in your personal growth - What does counselling cost? Committing to therapy is an investment, so the first question clients often ask is whether it is worth the expense. Considering the fact that a counselling session may cost between $120 to $300 (or even more). Curious about my fees and policies? Find out here https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/aad4d207-dbba-4cff-9062-3e12d67d51b1/BIPOC-Queer-counsellor-Burnaby%2C+BC.jpg Blogs - Counselling: Saying yes to investing in your personal growth - HELLO, I am NITA AGUSTIN I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC. My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/maintain-your-cool monthly 0.5 2025-03-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/a2e7f28f-6746-4087-bdab-ff60bbc65a38/Maintain-your-cool-through-the-chaos-this-holiday.jpg Blogs - Maintain your cool: How to deal with strong emotions when others are annoying - A few tried-and-true tips to maintain your cool: Pause. Have a bit of a breather. And, name what you are experiencing in the moment Identify what you are feeling Remember that emotions are a source of information, so listen to what your feelings are communicating to you Once you go through the steps above, think of ways to move forward in the scenario. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/14b605eb-068d-486b-8a87-1f48465243f8/Contact-Nita-Agustin-BIPOC-Therapist-inclusive-space-for-youth.jpg Blogs - Maintain your cool: How to deal with strong emotions when others are annoying - HELLO I’m NITA AGUSTIN I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC. My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/what-to-look-for-in-a-therapist monthly 0.5 2025-06-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/f729a0a6-c0d8-4cfd-8ddb-a2ce6f5c343c/What-to-look-for-in-a-therapist.jpg Blogs - What to Look for in a Therapist: How to Find the Right Fit for You - Research shows that the therapeutic alliance aka the bond between you and your therapist is the biggest predictor of whether therapy will actually help. Not credentials. Not years in practice. Not even modality. Just… whether you click. From my own experience as a therapist, things only start to shift when clients feel safe and understood. When the mask comes off, and they can finally say the stuff they’ve kept buried. That doesn’t happen with just anyone. So, as you’re searching, ask yourself: Do I feel comfortable with this person? Do I vibe with them? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/81cfe9ec-5e18-4155-ad74-3081df5f8771/What-to-look-for-in-a-therapist.jpg Blogs - What to Look for in a Therapist: How to Find the Right Fit for You - You don’t have to have it all figured out. But a little self-reflection can help guide your search. Ask yourself: What am I struggling with? What kind of support do I think I need? How would I know therapy is working, what would start to feel different in my life? Even if the answers are fuzzy, that’s okay. Just having a sense helps you spot someone whose approach, tone, or experience lines up with what you are looking for. This step alone will help you feel more confident about what to look for in a therapist who vibes with you and aligns with your needs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/4926b9a4-1993-424b-8b80-826d2dbacce4/What-to-look-for-in-a-therapist-vancouver.jpg Blogs - What to Look for in a Therapist: How to Find the Right Fit for You - Most therapists can support you through anxiety/stress. Though if you're navigating something specific, like queerness, cultural identity, religious trauma, or ADHD, it’s often more helpful to find someone who gets it from the inside. My jam? Supporting queer, gender-diverse, and neurodiverse youth and young adults (age 10–mid-30s) who are figuring out who they are and how to show up in the world as their full selves. I’ve noticed the biggest shifts happen when my lived experience and clinical training meet my client’s needs. If you’re exploring your identity, neurospicy, or feeling lost between cultures, there’s a good chance we’ll vibe. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/b9f5430c-db9a-4c1d-a92d-5f607e3d3b5c/What-to-look-for-in-a-therapist-burnaby.jpg Blogs - What to Look for in a Therapist: How to Find the Right Fit for You - Yep, vibe is real! You can have the most qualified therapist on paper, but if the energy in the room feels off? It’s a no-go. So how do you figure this out? Watch their intro video (if they have one). HERE’s MINE :) Read their website or Instagram captions, do they sound like someone you could talk to? Pay attention to your gut: Does their tone feel warm, neutral, clinical, or approachable? Some folks feel safest with a therapist who shares aspects of their identity like gender, sexuality, cultural background, or faith. Others might prefer someone outside of their community for a sense of neutrality. Both are valid. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/310c5721-63b5-4b2e-a1c2-070ff3fcdd37/What-to-look-for-in-a-therapist-virtual.jpg Blogs - What to Look for in a Therapist: How to Find the Right Fit for You - Let’s talk practical stuff: Do you want in-person, virtual, or phone sessions? Do you need early morning, evening or weekend availability? Can you commute to their office? Do you want a walk-and-talk sessions? For example, I offer in-person sessions in North Burnaby, virtual/phone sessions year-round, and walk-and-talk sessions at Confederation Park when the weather’s nice. The key is to find what works for you. Just remember: don’t choose a therapist just because they’re close by or easy to book. If the connection isn’t there, convenience won’t carry you far. Thinking through accessibility and flexibility is another key part of what to look for in a therapist who fits your lifestyle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/f9e8ddcb-1b86-474e-a25b-1678f7e0cac0/What-to-Look-for-in-a-Therapist.jpg Blogs - What to Look for in a Therapist: How to Find the Right Fit for You - Therapy is an investment, in time, energy, and money. Sessions can range from $80 to $300+ depending on therapist’s location, credentials, and experience. Before starting, ask yourself: What’s your budget? Do you have extended health benefits (from work, school, or family)? Would a sliding scale spot help make it more accessible? Personally, I offer sliding scale spots when available, and most of my clients use extended health benefits. If you’re not sure what your coverage is, now’s a great time to check in with your provider. If someone feels like a strong match, it’s always worth reaching out to see if something can be worked out. It’s okay to ask. Affordability, transparency, and clarity around fees are essential parts of what to look for in a therapist you can consistently work with. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/3f68b090-e07a-4d5d-b60f-eea32b54c673/What-to-look-for-in-a-therapist-burnaby.jpg Blogs - What to Look for in a Therapist: How to Find the Right Fit for You - Someone who makes you feel safe and seen A therapist who understands or is curious about your world A vibe that feels like “I can be myself with them” Accessibility that works for your life (but not at the cost of connection) Financial arrangements that are transparent and manageable Don’t Give Up Before You Start Searching for a therapist can feel overwhelming. I’ve been there, scrolling endlessly through profiles, overthinking every word. It’s a lot. But I promise, finding the right person is worth it. You don’t have to get it perfect. Just start. Ask questions. Trust your gut. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/19d13452-9f3e-4719-8a0d-e81a9223c2dd/BIPOC+Therapist+in+Vancouver.jpg Blogs - What to Look for in a Therapist: How to Find the Right Fit for You - HELLO, I AM NITA AGUSTIN A Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC. My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/setting-boundaries monthly 0.5 2024-05-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/929922be-a2d8-4b4f-ac91-56e41e8cccca/LGBTQ-holiday-tips-Setting-boundaries-with-your-family.jpg Blogs - Setting boundaries with your family: Holiday tips for queer folks - We may go about life repressing our own feelings in order to please others. In those situations, maintaining peace is often necessary to survive and keep significant relationships. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/a32042bc-4eea-4874-96b9-2a3737255040/setting-boundaries-for-queer-folks.jpg Blogs - Setting boundaries with your family: Holiday tips for queer folks - PRO TIP: If you feel comfortable taking it up a notch, setting boundary may look like saying, “I am happy to see you this Christmas, and need to let you know in advance that it would be in everyone’s best interest to steer clear from any topics about politics and anything trans and gender identity related issues. If we got into that discussion during dinner, I need to excuse myself and re-join you once you finish talking about that.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/4072e2f8-e9bf-4447-866d-44a5be9d11c9/LGBTQ-holida-tip-Setting-boundaries-with-your-family.jpg Blogs - Setting boundaries with your family: Holiday tips for queer folks - PRO TIP: Before you respond, take a step back and NOTICE the reaction you are feeling inside of you when you heard their comments. If you sense that your parents came from a place of care, consider saying this in response, “I hear you asked me about my sexual orientation and relationship status, seems like those two aspects of my life matter to you. Though I would be more comfortable discussing something else during our family time.” Once you let that out in the open, take into account the generational and cultural gap in the way they respond to you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/ad5316f5-8a89-4eb9-a531-092a960a0aa2/LGBTQ-holiday-tips-Setting-boundaries-with-your-family1.jpg Blogs - Setting boundaries with your family: Holiday tips for queer folks - What can you do on your part? If you feel that you want to join your family gathering, even though you know some aspects of it are challenging. Long before it is time to hop in the car and head to your in-laws, make a list of some healthy coping strategies. It could be some activities, people, or items that you find helpful to ground yourself. Perhaps when you noticed that your heart rate is elevated and the mood in the room tense, it is time for you to excuse yourself to go out for a walk. Perhaps it’s time to reach out to a trusted friend, or your partner, etc. Most important thing is to have something positive to turn to when something triggers you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/c5a20858-670e-403d-b575-22260333b41b/Queer+counselling+for+youth%2C+available+over+the+phone%2C+in-person%2C+and+video+call..jpg Blogs - Setting boundaries with your family: Holiday tips for queer folks - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC. My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self https://nitaagustincounselling.com/blog-1/how-to-know-when-its-time-to-see-a-therapist monthly 0.5 2024-05-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1706947870590-RF5OENOGZCOH63TPBA53/Experienced+queer+therapist+blogs+about+queer+affirming+mental+health+information.jpg Blogs - How to know when it’s time to see a therapist: Discover your best self - Hello, I’m Nita Agustin I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Burnaby, BC. My jam is working with queer youth and young adults, especially those who do not want to be defined by what society told them about themselves. I help clients figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. We do this by processing how their past impacted the way they live out their life today. From our work together, I noticed clients develop better self-awareness and experience improved quality of life as they can show up differently in their relationships. I offer virtual and in-person sessions near Brentwood, North Burnaby. I am licensed to practise in BC, as well as all across Canada, so I support clients all over BC, all the way from Vancouver to Kitimat. Other than working with clients who reside in BC, I also can support clients who reside in Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. Check out my About me page to learn more about what I do and have to offer for you. Also, explore my Services page to see how I can guide you in making shifts in your life today. If you feel ready to discover ways to live life on your own terms, I welcome you to book an initial intake session. I am so stoked to meet you and start figuring out how you can show up as your best self https://nitaagustincounselling.com/faq daily 0.75 2026-03-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/b1ca2f08-69c5-4218-866a-4065a232d3f2/Therapy-FAQ-Burnaby.jpg FAQ - “Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.” — Brené Brown — https://nitaagustincounselling.com/services daily 0.75 2026-03-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/aad4d207-dbba-4cff-9062-3e12d67d51b1/BIPOC-counsellor-Queer-counsellor-Burnaby%2C+BC.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1697227232534-BKQEYBW0YR6PJT9IXF8I/image-asset.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/1697227839062-LCCTA77YPH6GP2VB9KSI/image-asset.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1589847792148-5O72XMOZVZSGFEFY6D8T/unspecified-7.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1589847792148-5O72XMOZVZSGFEFY6D8T/unspecified-7.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/da3dfe2f-3f5a-42ab-9461-9a861f280ed8/BIPOC-counsellor-Queer-counsellor-for-youth-and-young-adults.jpg Fees & Policies - “vulnerability is … the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity. It is the source of hope, empathy, accountability, and authenticity. If we want greater clarity in our purpose, or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives, vulnerability is the path.” — Brene Brown — https://nitaagustincounselling.com/home daily 1.0 2026-02-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/7e52745d-6910-49b5-bd19-080781594f17/Counselling-in-Burnaby.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/25b8c89c-4f3a-4ff4-a67f-dbccf857d035/Counselling-in-Burnaby1.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/01857d35-f2ba-4cd6-8678-5c51d832fcf7/Counselling-in-Burnaby2.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/2fee6681-0d28-411d-b9e0-e2edb53573a0/Counselling-in-Burnaby-youth.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/4645d3d6-0fbf-4d90-b514-394daacd3d49/LGBTQ-counsellor-offering-online-and-in-person-counselling-in-Burnaby.jpg https://nitaagustincounselling.com/about-me-1 daily 0.75 2026-02-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/42772270-e55b-44a1-adc3-13214ede9c79/A+youth+counsellor+based+in+Burnaby+BC+offfering+queer+counselling+and+youth+counselling+to+queer+and+youth++clients+who+want+to+feel+confident+in+themselves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/d2f31c75-bd73-48f5-b87b-667831240035/LGBTQ-Therapist-Vancouver.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/2ffc4167-16e9-49b5-83a3-9f1f93a7e07d/Vancouver-LGBTQ-Therapist.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/3a9df0bc-5b9e-4c85-a50c-dcc7ec2b0666/Friendly-LGBTQ-Therapist-Vancouver.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/536015a1-4838-4071-b7f0-e2a446d4f71c/Burnaby-LGBTQ-Therapist.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/ba92f303-64a8-48a4-83e0-fff1b06928eb/Burnaby-LGBTQ-Therapist-Online.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/b3f7f37c-283b-4232-9fc4-53d3389d4b4e/Burnaby-LGBTQ-Therapist.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/2729a3da-6867-486d-b259-88e29112c8f9/LGBTQ-Therapist-Vancover2.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/b480572a-16c8-4eff-9cd8-87a84e58f9f7/LGBTQ-Therapist-Vancouver3.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/fc58544d-385b-4bd0-b044-b8ee0ba89f97/LGBTQ-Neighbourhood-Therapist-Vancouver.jpg About me - Here’s my absolute jam as an LGBTQ therapist Burnaby: 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 an LGBTQ therapist, I am not one size fits all. I’m best known for helping clients find clarity in: Exploration of personal identity & relationships 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,… https://nitaagustincounselling.com/book-now daily 0.75 2025-03-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/14b605eb-068d-486b-8a87-1f48465243f8/Contact-Nita-Agustin-BIPOC-Therapist-inclusive-space-for-youth.jpg https://nitaagustincounselling.com/queer-counselling-for-youth-burnaby-and-all-accross-canada daily 0.75 2026-02-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/6e98a420-b7c8-482d-a6f2-fe951ce973c0/Queer-counselling-Burnaby-and-virtual.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6254d77094b47c3c1101bb5d/7c71905b-af16-478a-a8d9-48d57d019f8f/Queer-counselling-Burnaby.jpg 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