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In Essence Counselling | Meet Tamara About Tamara Mortimer, M. Ed, RCC, CCCRegistered Clinical Counsellor |
Tamara Mortimer, M.Ed, RCC, CCCRegistered Clinical Counsellor | Victoria, BCIn Essence Counselling~integrating mind, body, and spirit~Phone: 1-888-504-4111 |
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Hello! It's important for the success of your counselling experience to feel a sense of connection with the counsellor you choose to work with, and to resonate with how they work, so I'm glad you're taking the time to read a little bit more about me.
Professionally, I am a registered and certified counsellor in private practice and I work with both individuals and couples, either by telephone or in person in Victoria, BC.
I work with people who are struggling with issues related to:
- stress
- anxiety
- high sensitivity
- depression
- dissociation
- relationship challenges
- childhood trauma
I am sensitive and perceptive, and use an appropriate balance between support and challenge, depending on the needs of the person I am working with. I love connecting with and supporting my clients in their healing and growth, and I count being able to help facilitate and witness deep and healing changes in others as one of the major blessings of my life.
"Thank You, Tamara. I really appreciated your gentle, grounded process which provided me with peace of mind, clarity and a new perspective on an issue that was troubling me. I was left with a feeling of energy and love." ~Dr Cathy Key, Victoria, BC
"You are the first professional with whom I have developed the comfort level to “be myself”. You provide a safe, non-judgmental place for me to explore my ongoing feelings and thoughts. Thank you for that." ~Name Withheld, Lawyer, Victoria, BC.
"I noticed that I was really comfortable around you…I didn’t feel judged at all, and really felt like you knew what you were talking about. This enabled me to open up and be more honest than I ever had before with anyone else (myself included)." ~ S. P., Radio Host, Victoria, BC
My Journey:
My formal studies in both education and counselling and my deep interest in the subject of healing have led me down many roads of learning about personal and relationship wellness.
I was a young person with a high level of sensitivity, and as such I was interested in psychology, healing, and spirituality from the time I was 12 years old. My first real experience of inner transformation and unfolding came at the age of 15, when I attended a very powerful youth leadership camp. (If you're curious, or you know a teen who might benefit, the camp's current incarnation is at www.theyes.ca.) There I both witnessed and experienced the potential of humans to heal and grow through developing self-awareness, cultivating honest and heart-centered relationships, and stepping outside of the comfort zone.
A new way of being in the world, different than what I had experienced in my family or at school, was shown to me there, and I was hooked! I remained connected to that camp for another 20 years as a facilitator and leader, during which time I also began to study other avenues of healing and growth.
The long and varied healing journey I continue to pursue has helped me find a deeper peace and happiness within myself and in the world. I have learned how to feel more peaceful with and connected to my family, how to be more in touch with my intuition, and how to develop the inner resources to better handle my high level of sensitivity and the inevitable stresses in life.
My journey has also given me the tools to navigate whatever challenges come up in my marriage, in my other relationships and in my life with more ease and grace.
And--I'm still learning! I am truly grateful for the continued opportunities to learn from life, and for the opportunity to share what I’ve learned with others when it is helpful.
I am grateful for the inspiration and learning I receive daily from the other counsellors, healers, alternative health practitioners, and entrepeneurs I have in my life.
And, on a more personal note, I feel blessed to live in beautiful British Columbia and in my time off I enjoy hiking, kayaking, walking, yoga, 5 Rhythms dance, live music, singing harmony, being with animals, and sharing good food with friends and family.
My Counselling Practice:
In my counselling practice I use a holistic, client-centred, strength-based and psycho-educational approach influenced by the theory and practice of cognitive/behavioral, narrative, transpersonal, and mindfulness counselling.
You may be wondering what that means in layperson's terms...the next paragraph may help!
The heart of my training and the essence of what I use in my practice has been developed over time, mostly through my own explorations in personal and spiritual growth, from my years studying shamanism, the healing ceremonies I have participated in with local First Nations healers, and more profoundly and influentially my time spent doing Vipassana meditation retreats, my learning with a very gifted energy healer and teacher, my hours and days of dancing the 5 Rhythms (a form of movement meditation), and my ongoing training and experience with Byron Katie’s The Work (a form of inquiry.)
These experiences and practices have all informed my own continually evolving mindfulness practice and understanding of healing, both of which inform my counselling practice, in which I integrate the mind, body, and spirit as appropriate with the particular client I'm working with.
“Tamara Mortimer is one of those rare people one treasures: she is a listener with a passionate heart for change and learning. It's no surprise to me that she has embraced the career she has. With wonder and excitement and passion she seeks to better the lives she comes into contact with. She is deep tissue, she is elbow grease, she's big love, she's sillier than a four-year old. All the things you want in someone by your side when the road isn't clear, flat, or short enough.”
--Dr. Robert Gray, professor and author, Saint John, NB
I have an M. Ed in Counselling from the University of Victoria, am a Registered Clinical Counsellor through the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors, and am a Canadian Certified Counsellor through the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. *
I also have ongoing interest, experience, and training in:
- Gottman Marital Therapy
- The Couples Institute--with Dr. Ellyn Bader and Dr. Peter Pearson
- Strengthening Families
- Gordon Neufeld’s training on attachment: Working with Stuck Kids; Making Sense of Adolescence
- EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)
- Various meditation and mindfulness techniques
I have spent the last 24 years studying and working with both children and adults in various settings, including schools, camps, leadership seminars, university, and community agencies. I love working with people who are looking for ways to reduce their stress and find deeper happiness, peace, and purpose in their lives and their relationships.
For more information about my telephone or in-person (in Victoria, BC) counselling and coaching services, or for a free 20 minute phone consultation, please call me at
1 888 504 4111 or email tamara@inessencecounselling.com.
To your wellness,
Tamara Mortimer
*As both a Canadian Certified Counsellor and as a Registered Clinical Counsellor I am required to continue to develop my expertise and adhere to a code of ethics. If you have any questions or concerns please call the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association at 1-877-765-5565 or visit www.ccacc.ca , or call the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors at 1800 909 6303 or visit www.bc-counsellors.org
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