A Few Words
About Us
Counselling Services
Family, Couples, & Personal Counselling in Port Moody
My approach is gentle, but focused and I have noticed when clients are in a respectful, caring and safe environment, they can explore challenges in their lives and feel empowered.
I have a Masters Degree in Counselling Psychology and have worked as a therapist since 1995.
I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor(RCC) with the BC Association for Clinical Counsellors. I have extensive experience working with anxiety, depression, trauma, low self-esteem, post traumatic stress, grief and loss, disordered eating, relationship challenges and chronic illness for many years.
More About Badenhorst
I have been fortunate to work with diverse groups of clients. My services are LGBTQ+ inclusive.
I immigrated to Canada 20 plus years ago which was a huge challenge. I have experienced personal loss and had to learn to adapt and change to life’s challenges. Building supports in Canada and reaching out when I needed to was vital to my healing and growth. My personal experiences has shaped who I am as a person and a counsellor today.
I believe that uncovering people’s strengths help them to make more mindful choices . Combining the wisdom of the mind and body allows clients to enrich and stabilize their lives.
With couples we explore unhealthy cycles and through this exploration the couple develops healthy connections for a more loving relationship.
Our Counsellors & Team
Meet the Badenhorst Team of Counsellors
We provide both in-person and virtual sessions depending on clients needs.
We are a dedicated team of counsellors that are working towards providing support and healing to the community of the Tri cities and surrounding areas. Our counsellors are passionate about their work and we use a collaborative approach with our clients. All our counsellors are experienced and professional counsellors with a minimum level of Masters degree training from an accredited University.
Lizelle Badenhorst
MA Psycology RCC
I have a passion for exploring and finding the power of our minds to help us heal.
I immigrated to Canada in my early thirties and have experienced loss in my life. These experiences have shaped who I am as a person and a counsellor today. I believe when you understand the pain of healing you can uncover your innate strengths and make more mindful choices.
My approach is gentle, but focused and I believe in creating a caring and safe environment for clients to explore challenges in their lives. I use the wisdom of the mind and the body to guide our work.
I have worked as a counsellor since 1995 and I have extensive experience working with anxiety, depression, trauma, low self-esteem, post traumatic stress, grief and loss, disordered eating, relationship challenges and chronic illness.
I have a Masters degree in Psychology and I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor with the BC Association for Clinical Counsellors.
Maybo Lui
Accepting New Clients
I have extensive experience working with individuals and couples coping with issues such as stress, depression, anxiety, trauma, family conflicts and more. My personal experience of feeling stuck and lacking control of life in the past has led me to become passionate about supporting those in need.
My goal as a therapist is to provide you with a safe environment to explore your most genuine thoughts and feelings. I have a calm and non-judgmental presence.
Utilizing my specialized training in Bowen family systems therapy, I can help you gain greater clarity about your situation, respond more effectively to challenges and lay the foundation for healing and growth.
Gia Saikia
RCC
I am from Assam, India and speak English, Assamese, Bengali, Hindi, and Japanese. I became a mental health practitioner motivated by my experiences of a time when I thought help was inaccessible. Needless to say, help was available - only hidden away - and I am eternally grateful to have found my way to it.
I believe that while we often do our best in navigating the ups and downs of life and can pick ourselves up in most cases, sometimes we get stuck and the solutions we devise don't work. For me, the work that I do today is driven by the small sliver of hope I carried in me during the toughest times of my life, and I aim to extend that hope to you too. With me, you will find a warm, accepting space to explore your challenges and tailor solutions to meet your needs.
I support individuals with relationship issues, anxiety and stress, self-esteem issues, depression, work-life imbalance, and existential challenges faced by one while creating a meaningful life. I have also worked with children and adolescents to address issues of anxiety, study and exam stress, anger management, bullying, conflict resolution and peer relationships.
In my sessions, I use an integrative approach to therapy and will draw upon resources from various modalities; Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Solution-focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) & Compassion-focused approaches. As my interest in holistic well-being has increased, I have benefited from personally working through somatic approaches. This has inspired me take an introductory training in EMDR.
Life transitions has taken me through a few countries, throwing new challenges and unique opportunities along the way. While these experiences have helped me in my personal growth, they also empower me to work with and learn from people across diverse cultures and ethnicities. In my free time, I am a hobby photographer, love to spend time in nature and learn new skills.
Roya Shameli
RCC
Roya’s caring nature creates a safe space where her clients can freely express themselves while
feeling fully supported and seen. She understands that facing life's challenges can be lonely and
overwhelming. Therefore, she takes pride in being able to accompany her clients on their life
journeys. Roya believe that one’s vulnerabilities are powerful sources of strength because they are
gateways to self-discovery and personal empowerment to harness their inner resilience.
Roya specializes in helping clients manage anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, as well as
guiding them through significant life changes like immigration, marriage, and parenthood.
Additionally, she supports couples in overcoming their relationship obstacles and developing
healthy communication skills. Roya has a holistic approach and integrates CBT, DBT, and
Gottman couple’s therapy. She values the significance of providing culturally sensitive care to
every client, thus customizing her approach according to each individual's distinct cultural
background.
Before becoming a counselor, Roya spent a decade as a psychiatric nurse, gaining valuable
insight into various mental health conditions. Drawing from her background as a psychiatric
nurse, she brings a wealth of experience and understanding to her practice. Her expertise extends
to working with personality disorders and supporting families navigating the complexities of
mental health challenges. Roya has served as a front-liner during some of the most
challenging and most rewarding times of her life. Therefore, she understands the unique pressures and
demands of health care workers and first responders and takes pride in supporting them in a
counselling role.
Roya is a Kurdish woman, who intimately understands the challenges faced by minorities, the
struggles of navigating one’s identity, and the profound impact they can have on mental well-
being. Roya has personally experienced significant life transitions such as immigration and
motherhood. When she is not working, Roya is reading books or listening to podcasts that she
enjoys.
Roya provides services in English, Farsi and Kurdish.
Julie Kang
MA RCC
Counselling is a collaborative process focused on helping people to improve their mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health. Techniques used in counselling can vary but often involve exploring historical issues, thought patterns, beliefs, and behaviours, addressing and responding to specific problems or challenges, facilitating the development of new coping skills, and providing a safe and supportive environment to process difficult emotions or life events.
I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC - #18450) with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC). I completed my Master of Arts (MA) in Family Life Education from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. I also took counselling courses at Yorkville University.
Since 2005 I have had the privilege of doing pastoral counselling for youth and college students and clinical counselling with individuals of multi-ethnic backgrounds and ages. I work with high risk youth and I have been able to connect and support people with trauma and difficult situations
Therapy should be a safe place to heal and grow. I primarily use EMDR, CBT, DBT and attachment modalities. I value greater self awareness and self understanding to help one accept themselves and others around them.
Barb Leigh
MA RCC
Accepting New Clients
For me, counselling is a calling, something I feel I was meant to do, and for which I have the training (MA in Counselling Psychology, Adler University) and the experience (22 years). I feel that my teaching background in both French and English (25 years) helps me deliver information in a way that a client can understand. I maintain an empathic, open curiosity with all clients at all times, and often find that I am vibrationally attuned to those who find their way into my virtual office.
I have helped couples and families improve their relationships by teaching communication skills; I usually count on my Gottman Training to pinpoint problem areas, but find that frequent workshops by other experts also help me learn and pass on important solutions. I have also helped individuals navigate the unfamiliar atmosphere of life after the death of someone close, and have unreserved empathy and sympathy for these dear people.
I have used EFT or tapping to deal with stress and disappointment; CBT to fight stress and anger and depression; Lifespan Integration to deal with phobias.
But most of all I use my listening and questioning skills to ferret out what needs to be dealt with, and then we look for solutions together. I believe in Carl Rogers and his theory of “unconditional positive regard” and it is my job to find the positive in your life, in your way of being. I look forward to meeting you!
Laura Baracaldo
RSW MSW MPH
My goal is to create a safe space to help you re-discover your power and use it to navigate challenging life events. I use different types of techniques and approaches to help you find the answers that you are looking for, honoring you and your process every step of the way— I believe that you are the ultimate expert of your own life, and I am here to remind you of that and shine a light on all the beauty that you carry within you.
My practice is tailored to work with individuals that have experienced and continue to experience trauma in their lives and want to have a safe place to process it and heal from it. My practice focuses on supporting individuals that are survivors of trauma, complex trauma, intergenerational trauma, survival, and somatic responses to trauma—which can include anxiety and low mood.
We will explore together how your body, your mind, and your spirit have adapted to cope with past and present traumas and challenges and helped you survive. We will also learn new healthy ways to cope while learning to create safety around you. In my practice, I will also shine a light on many of your strengths and the goodness that you carry within you and that have brought you to the place that you are today. I focus on working with individuals experiencing:
Trauma Anxiety Low Mood Low self-esteem Difficulty navigating relationships And more!
Contact us for help today
Request An Appointment
If you would like to learn more about our treatment approaches, please view the approaches to counselling page. If you have any questions please call or e-mail us.