Kasia Stepien

(pronounced “Kasha”… like going to “cash a” cheque at the bank)

Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC #18324)

M.A. Counselling Psychology

M.Sc. Medical Genetics

she/her pronouns

A BC counsellor who cares about the science and practice of well-being

In my counselling practice, I create a collaborative and compassionate space for healing. I merge the art of counselling with the science of well-being to help my clients live healthier and more fulfilling lives.

I have a Master of Arts degree in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University, where I developed a clinical focus on managing anxiety, grief, and stress in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. I have a Master of Science degree in Medical Genetics from the University of British Columbia, where I studied how chronic stress and environmental exposures impact our physical and mental health.

Although science was my first love, I became a counsellor so I could directly help people cope with their stressors and live with more ease and well-being.

Beyond counselling, I love being present in nature, playing with my pets and partner, meditating, sewing, gardening, and helping to build a local and global beloved community.

Affiliations

 

Committed to safety, standards, and accountability for counselling in BC

I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC). The BCACC is British Columbia’s foremost professional association for counselling. This means:

  • My education and experience have been vetted to meet a provincial standard for clinical competence (a Master’s degree from an accredited institution and 100+ hours of clinical supervision).

  • I commit to their Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice in counselling.

  • My clients have a pathway to holding me accountable through the BCACC’s complaints process.

  • I carry professional liability insurance.

  • I am permitted to use the RCC designation (my BCACC Registration Number is 18324).

Did you know?

It’s hard to believe, but counselling/psychotherapy is not yet a government-regulated profession under the Health-Professionals Act in BC - although this will be changing soon! Up to now, this has left the public vulnerable to malpractice, as anyone can call themselves a “counsellor” or “therapist” in BC regardless of their education, training, or experience.

The BCACC has helped fill this gap in regulation, and is actively preparing its members to become part of their future provincial regulatory college.

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I humbly and respectfully acknowledge that I am a White settler, living and working on the Unceded traditional territories of many Indigenous peoples, including the K’ómoks, Tla’amin, Homalco, We Wai Kai, and We Wai Kum First Nations, who have been keepers of this land since time immemorial.

Acknowledging the land, and my position in the work of Reconciliation

I currently live and work in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, BC. I am a White settler of Polish and German descent, whose family immigrated to Canada in 1984. I first moved to BC in 2010, and I humbly recognize my position as an uninvited guest on these lands, called “The Land of Plenty” by the Kʼómoks people.

I recognize that I have a personal responsibility to help decolonize this land of plenty, this province, and this country, and to help bring forth reconciliation. In my practice, I strive to create a space of cultural safety for clients whose identity, culture, and life experience differ from my own, including Indigenous clients. Outside my practice, I strive to restore equity for the Indigenous peoples who have called this land home since time immemorial, by listening, acting upon their calls for justice, and generously sharing my resources whenever I’m able.

Reach out

Connect with a counsellor who is kind, collaborative, and skillful.

I can’t wait to meet you.