Cecilia Mannella
CLINICAL FOUNDER & RCC, CCC
You're Not an Imposter. You're Just Carrying What No One Taught You How to Name.
I'm Cecilia Mannella, the founder of Eterna Counselling, a therapist & clinical supervisor in Abbotsford who works with high-achieving professionals and therapists who are stuck in their own heads. Maybe you're lying awake questioning every clinical decision you made that day, wondering if you're actually helping anyone. Maybe you're a business owner or professional who looks successful on paper but feels like you're constantly performing, never quite good enough. Maybe you're scrolling at midnight researching "am I doing this right?" instead of resting—because rest feels impossible when your brain won't stop.
My Approach?
I Cut Through the Bullshit
I don't do soft, gentle therapy-speak. I work from narrative therapy and feminist theory, which means we look at the stories you've been told about yourself—by your family, your profession, society—and we figure out which ones are actually yours. We examine how systems like patriarchy, perfectionism, and isolation create the anxiety, self-doubt, and burnout you're experiencing. Then we build something different together. I'm direct. I see patterns fast. I'll call you on your bullshit while still being completely on your side. After 18 years of practice, I've learned that insight without accountability doesn't create change—and I'm here for the change, not just the conversation.
RCC
$180.00
COUPLES
$160.00
INDIVIDUAL
#3430
$180.00
SUPERVISION
MAYBE YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE...
1
You're a Therapist Who Feels Like an Imposter in Your Own Practice
You're 28-45, working in private practice or group practice. From the outside, you look fine. Inside, you're questioning everything—Am I helping this person? What if I'm missing something?
Your Daily Experience:
Back-to-back sessions, scrambling through notes, then heading home to scroll social media or research therapy techniques late into the night when you should be resting.
You Might Be Experiencing:
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Imposter syndrome that makes you question your clinical decisions daily
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Uncertainty about what training you need next
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Isolation—no one to process tough cases
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Fear that someone will realize you "don't know what you're doing"
Why I Get It:
I've been supervising therapists for over 20 years and run a large group practice. I trained under Dr. Stephen Madigan and taught at the university level for 12 years. The insecurity you're feeling isn't a sign you're in the wrong field—it's a sign you care deeply about doing good work.
2
High-Achieving Professional Barely Holding It Together
You're a business owner, entrepreneur, first responder, social worker, nurse, or teacher (28-55).
You're smart and capable, but beneath the competent exterior, you're managing anxiety, perfectionism, and a constant feeling that you're not doing enough.
Your Daily Experience:
You wake up thinking about your to-do list and move through your day making quick decisions. There's an underlying hum of stress that never goes away. By evening, you're not just tired—you're depleted.
You Might Be Experiencing:
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Perfectionism that makes it impossible to feel satisfied
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Anxiety about career decisions or business growth
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Difficulty setting boundaries without guilt
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A nagging sense that no matter what you achieve, it won't be enough
Why I Get It:
I've worked with high-achievers for decades—people who are brilliant at what they do but burning out trying to be perfect. I run a business myself—I know the pressure of leadership, decision-making, and the expectation that you should just "figure it out."
3
Women Navigating Leadership & Impossible Standards
You're building a career, business, or practice that matters. You're capable and ambitious, but exhausted from trying to prove yourself and manage the internal voice that says you're not doing it right.
Your Daily Experience:
You're juggling multiple roles—professional, partner, or maybe parent. You're making things happen, but it often feels like you're doing it alone. You question your choices, worry about how you're being perceived, and struggle with the gap between who you want to be & the standards you hold yourself to.
You Might Be Experiencing:
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Perfectionism that keeps you stuck in analysis paralysis
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Anxiety about making the "right" decision
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Guilt when you set boundaries
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Feeling like you're performing confidence instead of actually having it
Why I Get It:
As a woman in professional practice for 18 years who built a group practice from the ground up, I've navigated all the doubts & impossible standards that come with it. We're not just addressing individual struggles—we're looking at the larger systems that create these pressures in the first place. Your exhaustion isn't just about you; it's about what you're up against.
WHO I WORK WITH
Therapists & Clinicians
You're navigating your first years in private practice or building your clinical skills, and despite all your training, you still feel like you're winging it.
You question your decisions, wonder if you're doing therapy "right," and carry this nagging fear that someone will find out you don't actually know what you're doing. You need supervision that doesn't just check boxes—you need someone who gets the real work of becoming a therapist.
High-Achieving Professionals
You're an entrepreneur, business owner, first responder, social worker, nurse, or teacher—someone whose work demands quick thinking and high performance. On the outside, you look like you have it together.
On the inside, you're managing perfectionism, anxiety about decisions, stress that never fully goes away, and a sneaking suspicion that no matter what you achieve, it won't be enough.
Women in Leadership & Professional Practice
You're building your career or business while dealing with impossible expectations—from yourself and everyone else. You want to achieve your goals, lead well, and make an impact, but you're exhausted from trying to be perfect, prove yourself, and maintain boundaries that keep getting pushed.
You need clarity, confidence, and someone who won't bullshit you.
WHAT WE'LL WORK ON TOGETHER:
Clinical Confidence
& Therapist Identity Development
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Building confidence in your clinical decision-making and therapeutic presence
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Developing your unique therapist self—how you show up, what approaches feel authentic
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Integrating theory into practice in a way that makes sense for you
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Working through imposter syndrome and the fear that you're "not doing it right"
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Navigating challenging cases with support & deeper clinical insight
Perfectionism & "Not Good Enough" Patterns
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Identifying where perfectionism shows up in your work, relationships, and self-treatment
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Examining the stories you've been told about what "good enough" looks like
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Learning to recognize when self-doubt is protecting you versus holding you back
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Challenging the narratives that keep you stuck in impossible standards
High Functioning Anxiety,
Stress & Overwhelm
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Understanding anxiety as a response to impossible conditions, not just a symptom
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Building practical tools for managing stress in high-demand work environments
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Exploring somatic approaches to work with anxiety in your body, not just your head
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Creating sustainable rhythms instead of surviving on adrenaline
Professional Identity &
Career Transitions
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Navigating career changes, business growth, or shifts in professional direction
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Building clarity on what you actually want versus what you think you should want
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Working through the uncertainty and fear that comes with change
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Developing leadership skills grounded in who you are, not who you're performing to be
Relationship Patterns
& Boundaries
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Examining how work stress, perfectionism, and anxiety show up in relationships
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Learning to set boundaries without guilt or fear of being "too much" or "not enough"
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Understanding attachment patterns and how they influence your connections
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Building interdependence instead of hyper-independence or codependence
Systems, Power & the
Personal as Political
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Connecting your struggles to larger systems—patriarchy, capitalism, professionalism
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Understanding how isolation and individualism harm your mental health
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Reclaiming community, connection, and interdependence as essential to wellness
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Building a practice or life that aligns with your values, not just external expectations
CLINICAL SUPERVISION
Are you a therapist seeking a collaborative, reflective, and deeply relational space to grow your clinical practice? My group supervision sessions offer a supportive and intellectually engaging environment for therapists who want to deepen their understanding of Narrative Therapy and integrate anti-oppressive and feminist frameworks into their work.
I’ve trained extensively with Dr. Stephen Madigan through the Vancouver School of Narrative Therapy and bring over two decades of clinical experience and teaching to supervision. I’m known for my ability to help clinicians strengthen their narrative practice, refine their use of language and story in therapy, and stay grounded in the ethics of collaboration, curiosity, and social justice.
My approach to supervision is rooted in Narrative Therapy, feminist theory, and an anti-oppressive framework — approaches that don’t just guide how I practice, but how I see people.
My Approach?
DIRECT, GROUNDED, AND BUILT ON DECADES OF EXPERIENCE
I work from narrative therapy and feminist theory because both frameworks understand something essential: the stories we tell about ourselves—and the stories we've been told—shape everything. Narrative therapy helps us explore those stories, examine which ones are actually ours, and rewrite the ones that no longer serve us. It's not about positive thinking or reframing everything to sound nice. It's about getting honest about the narratives running your life and deciding which ones you want to keep.
Feminist theory brings in the bigger picture. Your anxiety, perfectionism, and self-doubt aren't just personal issues—they're responses to systems that benefit from your insecurity. Patriarchy, capitalism, professionalism—they all thrive when you believe the problem is you. Part of our work is connecting your individual experience to these larger forces so you can stop blaming yourself for struggling under conditions designed to be impossible.
I also integrate emotionally focused therapy (EFT), attachment theory, and somatic approaches because the body holds what the mind can't always name. We work with what's happening in your nervous system, not just your thoughts. And I bring a leadership and business coaching lens for those navigating professional transitions, entrepreneurship, or group practice management—because I've built and run a practice myself.
I DRAW FROM SEVERAL APPROACHES
Attachment Theory
Understanding how early relational experiences shape your current relationships, your sense of safety, and how you navigate intimacy and independence.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
Working with attachment patterns and emotional connection in your relationships. This approach helps you understand how you bond, disconnect, and repair with others.
Narrative Therapy
Exploring the stories you've been told about yourself and rewriting the ones that no longer serve you. This is about understanding how language, culture, & power shape who you think you are.
Feminist Theory
Connecting your individual struggles to the larger systems that create them. We examine how patriarchy, capitalism, & other forces shape your experiences & limit possibilities.
Somatic Approaches
Working with what your body holds—stress, anxiety, trauma—that your mind can't always access. This is about listening to your nervous system.
Mindfulness & Self-Compassion
Building the capacity to be present with yourself without judgment, and developing kindness toward yourself in moments of struggle.
Trauma-Informed Practice
Approaching therapy with an understanding of how trauma impacts your brain, body, and relationships. This isn't about reliving the past—it's about understanding how it shows up.
Leadership & Business Coaching
For professionals navigating career transitions, business growth, or practice development. This includes practical strategy alongside the emotional and identity work.
WHO I AM—BACKGROUND
DEGREES & EDUCATION
Master of Social Work (MSW)
Dalhousie University
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
University of The Fraser Valley
PROFFESIONAL REGISTRATIONS
Registered Social Worker (RSW)
#8476
Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC)
#3436
First Responders & RCMP Certified
BC Association of Social Workers
#1001616
SPECIALIZED TRAININGS
Narrative Therapy Level 1 & 2
Van.School of Narrative Therapy
Clinical Supervision — 20 + years
Dare to Lead Certification
Teaching Experience — 12+ years
University of The Fraser Valley
I became a therapist because I saw the gap between what people were told they should be and who they actually were—and how much pain lived in that space.
I watched people, especially women, twist themselves into impossible shapes trying to meet external expectations while losing themselves completely in the process. I wanted to create space where people could stop performing and start being honest about what they were actually navigating. When you work with me, you'll find someone who doesn't bullshit you, who sees patterns you might not see yet, and who genuinely believes you're capable of more than you think. I'm not here to make you feel comfortable.
I'm here to help you build the confidence, clarity, and capacity to create the life and work you actually want—not the one you think you're supposed to have. I'm the daughter of immigrant parents, which means I grew up understanding what it's like to navigate multiple worlds, to feel the pressure of expectations, and to carry unspoken stories about what success and belonging mean.
I know what it's like to build something from the ground up—professionally, personally, relationally—and to feel the weight of that responsibility.
I've been journaling since I was 15—I still have every single journal—because writing has always been how I process, understand, and make meaning. That need to examine, question, and explore has been with me my whole life.
I've watched hundreds of therapists move through the same fear you're experiencing—that they're not good enough, that they're missing something, that they'll be found out. I've seen business owners and professionals perform competence while drowning in self-doubt. I've seen women carry impossible standards and then blame themselves for struggling under the weight.
And what I've learned is this: the isolation, the perfectionism, the anxiety—they're not personal failings. They're what happens when smart, capable people are left to navigate impossible systems alone. Community, connection, and honest conversation are where healing happens. Not in isolation.
CECILIA MANNELLA