Adele Wilson, MA, RTC
Somatic & Trauma-Informed Therapeutic Counselling
I am a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (RTC), designated by the Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada (ACCT).
I draw from many different psychotherapeutic and contemplative approaches and traditional healing practices to support clients, depending on their particular needs, goals, and interests.
My work is trauma-informed and committed to principles of social justice, accessibility, and harm reduction.
IFS-Informed Therapy
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an evidence-based model of psychotherapy developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz. I trained in this modality with Derek Scott (IFS Canada) through Adler Graduate Professional School and have found it to be a wonderful complement to somatic therapy.
The IFS model conceptualizes our inner landscapes as being populated by many different "parts," or sub-personalities, each of which has its own agendas, beliefs, somatic expressions, emotional burdens, and valuable qualities. Counselling proceeds by getting to know each "part" and its role in the organization of the larger personality system in a supported way, which can promote internal harmony and allow for a core sense of Self to become more readily accessible as a trusted guide.
Somatic Therapy
As opposed to cognitive, behavioral, and psychoanalytic approaches, in somatic therapy we focus attention on felt sensation (physical, emotional, and energetic). The process of mindfully bringing presence to embodied experience can support the nervous system in developing greater resiliency and can open up fresh insight.
A somatic approach also offers a gentle way to make contact with and shift nervous system stress/trauma responses (such as fight, flight, fawn, and freeze) that can remain active in the body years after a traumatic event and can contribute to anxiety, depression, PTSD episodes, and relationship challenges.
Therapeutic Writing
I’m a big believer in the therapeutic potential of creative writing and journalling practices. For clients who are interested in exploring creative expression as an avenue for healing, I offer counselling sessions that can be structured around therapeutic writing exercises.
You do not need to be a trained writer to benefit from and enjoy therapeutic writing. It’s not about producing “good” writing or focusing on grammar or style. Rather, in therapeutic writing we connect with an inner observer, giving the imagination free rein, allowing subconscious material to emerge onto the page, and exploring core narratives. In the process, we can discover new perspectives and free up self-expression and aliveness.
Psychedelic Support
With the growing interest in psychedelic medicines, people need access to practitioners who offer specialized support and expertise in this powerful psycho-spiritual intervention.
Over the years, I have helped many hundreds of people to integrate their psychedelic journeys. In addition to the Western psychotherapeutic lens that I bring to this work, my support is informed by traditional healing practices - and in particular, by years of intensive training in the Shipibo-Konibo plant medicine lineage, from the Amazon basin of Peru.
I am also an instructor in the Numinus Wellness, Inc. psychedelic-assisted therapy training program, where I teach classes on topics such as psychedelic harm reduction and psychedelic-assisted therapy for addiction recovery.
Ceremony
Supporting clients to create their own sacred ceremonies, grief rituals, devotional practices, and Restorative Justice-informed talking circles is work that is close to my heart.
The process begins with sessions that inquire into what might need to be felt, expressed, witnessed, created, mourned, offered, ended, or honoured. We then move into preparation sessions so that you can act from a place of agency and clear intention.
What is ultimately created is unique to each individual but might involve, for example, making a pilgrimage into nature, or building an alter, or composing and presenting a victim impact statement, or marking the completion of a relationship, or creating a talking circle with others in your community. This is vulnerable work, but it can be powerful and transformative.
My support is informed by years of experience facilitating group ceremonies; by my training in the Simon Fraser University Restorative Justice Certificate Program and the Inside-Out Institute’s Prison Exchange Training Program; and by my personal experiences using ceremonial practices to find strength and healing in the midst of challenging circumstances.
Editing
On occasion, I accept a limited number of freelance editing clients. I do not provide copy-editing services. However, I am pleased to offer editing support regarding manuscript structure, style, idea development, and fine-tuning. I also help writers move through creative blocks.
I have a BA from Barnard College, Columbia University, and an MA from the University of Chicago, both in English. I spent years teaching undergraduate literature at the University of Toronto and working in academic editing.
My hourly rate for editing depends on the nature of the writing project and the client’s particular needs.