REGISTERED CLINICAL COUNSELLOR
Chantal Esperanza, RCC, CCTP-II
REGISTERED CLINICAL COUNSELLOR
Chantal Esperanza, RCC, CCTP-II
You already understand where your pain comes from. I help when understanding it hasn't been enough to change it.
I specialize in complex trauma and how it connects with chronic illness, chronic pain, addiction and relationships. I see adults, couples and families online, anywhere in BC.
$160 Individuals
$185 Couples/Families
Couples/family therapy
Individual therapy
Online
Anywhere in BC
RCC #21817
BC Association of Clinical Counsellors
Direct billing to most extended health plans, including Pacific Blue Cross, Sun Life and Green Shield.
You might be here because...
1
You understand it, but it hasn't changed
You've done the therapy, the reading and the reflecting, and you can explain exactly why you react the way you do. But the anxiety, the shame and the old patterns are still there. You know what you want your life to look like. You just can't seem to get there.
2
Your health has changed your life
Chronic illness or pain has changed how you work, plan and connect. You've tried the treatments, the specialists and the pacing, and every time you get somewhere, something changes again. You're exhausted, and you're tired of fighting so hard just to get through the day.
3
Part of you wants to change, and part of you doesn't
Drinking, using or another habit has become how you cope. You're tired of feeling ashamed, but you're not sure how you'd manage without it. Whether you're cutting back, quitting, or still figuring out what recovery means for you, you want help without judgment.
What we'll work on together
Complex trauma and its lasting effects
We explore how difficult experiences from your past still affect how you feel, think, relate to others and respond to stress today. Together we work out why certain patterns persist, make room for hard feelings, and find new ways of responding to yourself and the world.
Chronic illness, chronic pain and health-related trauma
We look at how illness or pain has affected your days, relationships, sense of self and hopes for the future. We make room for grief, frustration and uncertainty while finding ways to care for yourself, communicate your needs, navigate healthcare, and build a meaningful life alongside your health.
Addiction, compulsive behaviours and recovery
We explore what substance use or other behaviours have helped you cope with, what they may be costing you, and why change feels so hard. Whether you're using, considering change or in recovery, we work to reduce shame and make changes that feel meaningful and sustainable to you.
How I work: integrative, trauma-focused therapy
I draw from different approaches rather than using the same method with everyone. We explore how your experiences have shaped your thoughts, feelings, relationships and ways of coping, including how stress and trauma affect your body. Together we find ways to work through difficult experiences and make changes that feel meaningful to you.
​
Approaches I draw on: EMDR · Internal Family Systems (IFS) · complex trauma treatment · narrative therapy · attachment science · Gottman Method
What I'm like in session
I work best with people who want to understand themselves better, even when shame, pain or fear make that hard. I bring clinical knowledge without assuming that makes me the expert on you. And there is no prize for getting through therapy quickly.
​
In our first session we'll talk about what brings you in and how it's affecting your life, and I'll share a little about how stress affects the mind and body. You decide what you share, when, and how deeply we go.
I will listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions, share what I know, and work alongside you to understand what might help.
I won't rush you into difficult conversations, judge how you've coped, or decide what change should look like for you.
Clients often tell me they feel heard, and comfortable sharing things they've struggled to talk about anywhere else.
Outside the Office
I'm endlessly curious about people and the world around me. Living with chronic autoimmune conditions has taught me to make room for rest, connection and the things I enjoy. I love a great nap, being near the water, and spending time with Bug, my joyful and expressive little companion.
Education, registration, and training
EDUCATION & REGISTRATION
Master of Counselling Psychology (MCP)
Adler University · 2023
Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC)
BC Association of Clinical Counsellors · #21817
Before counselling
Harm reduction, public health, public policy and community advocacy
TRAUMA TRAINING
Complex Trauma Certification, Levels 1 and 2
Dr. Janina Fisher · 2022, 2024
EMDR, 5-day intensive
Dr. Esta Porter · 2024
IFS Immersion
Dr. Frank Anderson et al. · in progress
Trauma Informed Practice, Levels 1 and 2
Trauma Informed Practice Institute · 2022
Observed and Experiential Integration, Level 1
SightPsych Seminars · 2021
OTHER TRAINING
Attachment science
Dr. Sue Johnson · in progress
Narrative therapy, 5-day foundations certificate
Vancouver School for Narrative Therapy · 2022
Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Level 1
The Gottman Institute · 2022
ADHD, neurodiversity and clinical practice
Dr. David Nowell
Occupational awareness for first responders
First Responder Health · 2023
Indigenous cultural safety
San'yas, Provincial Health Services Authority (2018) · Indigenous Canada, University of Alberta (2021)
Questions people ask before booking
Understanding your experiences is valuable, but it doesn't always change how you feel or respond day to day. We look at how those experiences still affect your thoughts, emotions, body, relationships and ways of coping, so we can work with the patterns insight alone hasn't shifted.
You decide what we talk about, when, and how deeply we go. We can start with what's happening in your life today and build trust before approaching anything difficult. Trauma therapy doesn't mean retelling every painful memory.
It's exhausting to keep trying when you've already put so much time, energy and hope into feeling better. We'll look at what has helped, what hasn't, and what might be getting in the way, without assuming you just need to try harder.
Yes. Ongoing health challenges can affect your relationships, independence and hopes for the future. Therapy gives you space to work through grief and frustration, live with uncertainty, advocate for your needs, and build a meaningful life alongside your health.
You don't need to arrive with a decision about abstinence or recovery. We can explore your relationship with substance use, what it helps you manage, what worries you about it, and what changes, if any, you want to make, without judgment or pressure.
Individual sessions are $160 for 50 minutes or $240 for 75 minutes. Couples and family sessions are $185 for 50 minutes or $240 for 75 minutes. Most extended health plans cover counselling with a Registered Clinical Counsellor, and many can be billed directly, including Pacific Blue Cross, Sun Life and Green Shield.