Feminist · Intersectional · Anti‑oppressive counselling
Making space
for what matters.
For your experiences. Your identities. Your relationships. And the life you want to move toward.
Start with a free consultation ↗Individual counselling for adults · Online across BC
Based in Maple Ridge
Room to be fully human
You don’t have to leave parts of yourself at the door.
You can be capable and struggling. Connected and lonely. Proud of who you are and still figuring out where you belong.
Perhaps you’re carrying distress, navigating a shift in mood, feeling worn down by expectations, or finding yourself between cultures and communities. Counselling offers space to understand what’s happening and choose what comes next.
I welcome adults of diverse identities, with particular care for BIPOC and mixed-ancestry adults, 2SLGBTQ+ adults, and people navigating the pressures of work, relationships and belonging.
Values in practice
Your context belongs
in the conversation.
Healing happens within relationships, communities and systems. We can make room for both your inner experience and the conditions shaping your life.
Feminist &
intersectional
Gender, race, culture, class, sexuality, ability and other parts of identity overlap in different ways. We explore what these intersections mean for you, without assuming your story.
Anti-oppression
as an ongoing practice
Racism, colonialism, sexism, ableism and other forms of oppression can shape distress and access to care. These realities deserve to be named, alongside your strengths, relationships and sources of resistance.
Working to dismantle
unequal power
Therapy carries a power imbalance. I work to make it visible and reduce its impact: explaining my approach, inviting questions and disagreement, and sharing decisions about goals and pace. Your consent is ongoing.
Trauma-informed.
Led by your choices.
You choose what to share and when. We can check in, pause, adapt an exercise or change direction. We build a working relationship where your boundaries and feedback matter.
Melanie Alvarez
Registered Clinical Counsellor
A human relationship.
A collaborative place to begin.
Meet your counsellor
Making room for complexity. Moving toward possibility.
Hi, I’m Mel, a Registered Clinical Counsellor. My perspective is shaped by both clinical practice and my lived experience as a racialized professional woman from a working-class background.
I bring a culturally responsive, trauma-informed and anti-oppressive lens to our work. My practice is queer-affirming and sex-positive, with respect for diverse identities and relationships. I’m interested in what matters to you, the worlds you move through, and the ways you’ve learned to get through difficult things.
My work draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), somatic and mindfulness-based approaches. Together, we can explore patterns in thoughts and emotions, build practical skills, and notice how stress and feelings show up in your body. We choose approaches collaboratively, guided by your needs, preferences and what matters to you.
Our work can hold reflection, practical skills, humour and the realities of everyday life.
Getting started
A little less unknown.
A little more choice.
01 / Connect
A free conversation
A 20-minute consultation is a chance to ask questions, share a little about what brings you here, and explore whether we might work well together.
02 / Begin
Find your footing
We talk about your hopes, your context and what support could look like. We review consent and confidentiality, and make space for your questions.
03 / Collaborate
Make it your own
We choose a direction together, check how the work is feeling, and adjust as your needs and circumstances change.
Individual counselling
Per individual session · Virtual across BC
Receipts provided for reimbursement.
Some extended health plans cover services with a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC). Please confirm your plan’s eligibility and limits with your insurer. Payment is made directly to the practice; you submit your receipt.
A few things you might wonder
Questions are
welcome here.
Do I need to know exactly what I want to work on?
No. Feeling stuck, overwhelmed or unsure is enough of a starting point. We can explore what you need together.
Can I talk about culture, identity and systemic harm?
Yes. These are welcome parts of our work. You get to decide how central they are to the conversation, and how you describe your experience.
Do I have to share your politics or use particular language?
You don’t need a particular vocabulary. My commitments shape how I practise: respect, curiosity, attention to power and accountability. We can talk openly about differences and what you need from counselling.
What does virtual counselling involve?
We meet online while you are in British Columbia. You’ll need a device with a camera and microphone, a reliable connection, and a private place to talk. We review the technology and privacy considerations before beginning.
A place to begin
You deserve space
to be heard.
Start with a free 20-minute consultation. Ask questions, get a sense of how I work, and decide whether you’d like to take the next step.
Choose a 20-minute phone or video consultation.
Questions? Email hello@alvarezcounsellingtherapy.com.
For general enquiries, please avoid sending sensitive clinical details by email.
This website is not monitored for urgent support or emergencies.