Kali McVeigh
CTSS | RCC| RSW
Every person carries unconditional worth;
unchanged by failure, untouched by doubt.
Hi, I’m Kali McVeigh! I help people navigate the heavy weight of trauma and grief, as well as the frustrating cycles of addictive behaviours. Often, the strategies we use to survive; like isolating ourselves or relying on certain habits to cope—can eventually start to feel like the very things holding us back. I am also skilled at helping individuals and couples work through communication problems that prevent true connection. I work with clients from all walks of life to make sense of these challenges and build a path forward that feels manageable and sustainable.
My Approach?
Healing & accountability can exist in the same room.
You can show up exactly as you are. We are all just doing our best with what we have. What I’ve learned is that you don’t need to have everything figured out to start the process; you just need to show up. Therapy isn't about changing who you are; it’s about rediscovering the strength you already carry. I’m here to value your story and help you find a way through the dark spots. I truly consider it a privilege to get to know you and support you on this path.
$160.00
INDIVIDUAL
RCC
#20031
16+
AGES
$180.00
FAMILY/COUPLES
RSW
#14337
MAYBE YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE...
1
Moving Forward from Past Experiences
On the outside, you are likely managing your daily life quite well. You’re showing up for work, handling your responsibilities, and doing what needs to be done. But beneath that capable exterior, you may be carrying the impact of something significant. Whether it happened recently or so long ago; it feels like a lifetime.
Whether your experience comes from the demands of a high-stress profession, a difficult family history, or an event that shifted your sense of safety, it is exhausting to manage that internal load while staying present in your daily life. My goal is to help you move toward a place where you aren't just maintaining your responsibilities but feeling a sense of ease and balance again.
You might be navigating:
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A Mind That Won’t Quiet Down: Nightmares or racing thoughts that make real rest feel out of reach.
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The Survival Loop: Memories or "flashes" that pull you out of the present and back into the past.
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Physical Weight: Carrying tension in your body or feeling a constant, underlying fatigue.
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The Trust Gap: Wanting to be close to others but finding it hard to lower your guard when trust has been broken.
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Coping in the Quiet: Turning to substances, food, or isolation just to find a moment of peace.
2
Breaking the Cycle of Addictive Behaviours
Whether you are navigating a struggle with substances or other habits like gambling, shopping, or disordered eating. The constant "start-stop" can feel frustrating and repetitive. On the surface, you are likely keeping everything together, but privately, you might feel caught in patterns that no longer serve you. Behaviours that once helped quieten anxiety or get you through a hard time can eventually start feeling like the thing that's holding you back.
It is difficult to wake up with the best intentions, only to find yourself back in the same loop by the end of the day. Managing these habits alongside your mental health adds a layer of complexity. These challenges often influence and reinforce one another. My goal is to help you see how these things connect, so we can find a way forward that feels balanced and manageable.
You might be noticing:
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The Internal Conflict: Feeling a push to engage in a habit even when you know it is causing stress for your wellbeing or your finances.
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The "Why" Behind the Urge: Noticing that stress, loneliness, or emotional pain often triggers the need for a distraction or an escape.
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The Weight of Secrecy: The effort of presenting one version of yourself to the world while keeping the reality of your struggle to yourself.
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Old patterns that tend to resurface just when you think you've moved past them—especially during high-stress moments.
3
Reconnecting After the Slow Drift
You're in a committed relationship, whether married, common-law, or long-term partners, and the closeness has started to fade. What once felt like a deep partnership now feels more like a logistical arrangement. You're good at coordinating schedules, but genuine connection is rare.
Your days are consumed by work, household responsibilities, and parenting, while meaningful conversation either stays superficial or escalates into conflict. One or both of you may feel lonely despite being together, wondering whether the connection can be recovered or whether you're staying together out of obligation.
You might be noticing:
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Communication Gaps:
Attempts to address concerns often result in circular arguments or one partner disengaging.
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Parallel Lives: A sense of moving in different directions, leading to a loss of both emotional & physical intimacy.
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Accumulated Resentment:
Frustrations building over time due to unmet needs or unspoken expectations.
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The Pursue-Withdraw Loop: A pattern where one partner reaches for connection while the other feels overwhelmed and pulls away.
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Uncertainty About the Future: Questioning if you remain compatible or if there is enough foundation left to bridge the distance.
WHAT WE'LL WORK ON TOGETHER:
Navigating Trauma & Post-Traumatic Stress
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EMDR Therapy: A proven method that helps your brain process painful memories and turn down the distress they carry into the present.
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Mind & Body Connection: Exploring how trauma shows up physically and building practical tools to shift out of "high alert" and back into calm.
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Reframing Your Narrative: Using Cognitive Processing Therapy to gently challenge the self-blaming beliefs that often linger after difficult experiences.
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Building Safety First: Prioritizing your stability from the start so healing doesn't feel overwhelming.
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Navigating Triggers: Developing in-the-moment strategies to manage sudden anxiety or distress and restore your sense of control.
Navigating Grief, Loss, and Life Transitions
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Space for Your Story: Making room for all forms of loss and the complex emotions that come with them, without any pressure to "get over it."
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Navigating Big Changes: Managing the uncertainty and stress that arrive during major life shifts, career moves, or relationship changes.
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Finding Small Moments of Hope: Noticing the tiny, meaningful shifts that show you’re starting to heal and move forward.
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Building Resilience: Cultivating a stronger internal foundation to handle future challenges with greater confidence and ease.
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Honouring the Past: Finding ways to carry your experiences with you while still creating space for a future that feels worth living.
Navigating Addictive Behaviours
& Mental Health
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Practical Tools for Change: Using SMART Recovery and evidence-based strategies to help you gain more control over your choices and daily routine.
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Managing the Overlap: Addressing how conditions like anxiety or depression often fuel unhelpful habits. We work on the mood challenges and the resulting behaviours simultaneously to foster lasting change.
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Understanding how past experiences or trauma might be linked to the need for an escape or a distraction.
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Developing reliable, everyday coping skills that give you a healthy alternative to old patterns.
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Focusing on building a lifestyle that reflects what actually matters to you, helping you move toward a life that feels more authentic.
Relationships & Communication (Couples & Families)
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Drawing on Gottman Method principles to help you manage conflict more effectively, increase your "friendship" foundation, and build shared meaning.
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Addressing the silence, resentment, or emotional gaps that have made you feel like you're living parallel lives.
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Working through the pain of betrayal or broken promises with a structured process for healing and moving forward.
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Shifting away from circular arguments and finding clearer, more effective ways to express what you need.
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Strengthening the bonds within your family unit and learning how to handle complex situations with more patience and clarity.
Mental Health, Trauma Recovery & Emotional Regulation
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Using Cognitive Processing Therapy principles to identify & challenge "stuck points"—unhelpful beliefs about safety, trust, and power that often follow traumatic experiences.
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Learning the four pillars of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy: emotional regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness.
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Mood Support: Effectively managing the weight of anxiety, depression, and fluctuating mood challenges.
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Developing immediate distress tolerance skills to manage intense moments without feeling overwhelmed.
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Cultivating a grounded presence and sustainable coping strategies for long-term life balance.
Empowerment & Building Resilience
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Identifying and leveraging your unique personal strengths and inner assets as a foundation for healing.
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Recognizing actionable choices and opportunities for self-determination, even within difficult or restrictive circumstances.
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Implementing evidence-based strategies designed for seamless, everyday application to improve daily functioning.
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Strengthening the capacity to "bounce back" from hardships with enhanced emotional flexibility and endurance.
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Tapping into your internal wisdom to lead the direction of the healing journey and reclaim a sense of control.
THINGS I WON'T DO WHEN YOU WORK WITH ME:
I won’t ask you, “And how does that make you feel?” every five minutes. I skip the therapy clichés in favor of a real, dynamic conversation. You can expect active engagement rather than just repetitive questions and nodding.
I won’t be formal or distant. I value a genuine, down-to-earth connection. You’re meeting with a human being, not a textbook—so expect a space where we can be real, and yes, even share a laugh when the moment calls for it.
I won’t judge you. Whether it’s your past, your current struggles, or the things you feel "should" be different—there is no room for shame here. You are accepted exactly as you are right now.
My Approach?
IT'S NOT ABOUT HAVING IT ALL FIGURED OUT!
My approach is simple: I aim to be the person you can tell anything to without fear of judgment. I provide a relaxed, welcoming space where you can be exactly who you are, bringing genuine kindness and an honest, practical perspective to our work together. While we tackle the serious patterns that keep you stuck, I’m a big believer that healing involves both deep reflection and the ability to find those small, lighthearted moments in the middle of it all. I’m easy to talk to; I love to laugh (even at myself) & I genuinely enjoy getting to know you and what matters most in your life.
My practice is built on a simple idea: you are the expert on your own life. I see our work as a true partnership where your experiences and your voice are what matter most. We’ll work together to uncover the strengths and wisdom you already have, even if they feel a bit buried right now. I believe that when we feel genuinely seen and respected, we can begin to trust ourselves again. I’m here to help you tap into that inner wisdom, so you can navigate life’s challenges with more confidence and a clearer sense of your options.
I’ve spent over 20 years working across the justice and healthcare systems—from Victim Services and Restorative Justice to Corrections and providing Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) to frontline professionals following workplace crises. These experiences have taught me that healing and accountability are often deeply connected, and they have shaped the way I show up in the therapy room today.
I know that feeling safe enough to speak without filtering or simplifying your story takes time and trust. My goal is to provide a reliable, straightforward space where we can look at the reality of your situation together, without the pressure of formal or distant expectations. You’ll find me to be approachable and sincere, with a genuine interest in your story and a commitment to helping you navigate whatever is in front of you.
I DRAW FROM SEVERAL APPROACHES
EMDR Therapy
Reprocessing "stuck" memories so they lose their emotional charge and no longer carry the same intensity in your daily life.
Emotion-Focused (EFT)
Understanding the emotional patterns beneath relationship conflict to rebuild a secure connection.
DBT Skills
Practical tools for emotional regulation and distress tolerance when feelings become overwhelming.
Cognitive Processing (CPT)
Challenging the unhelpful beliefs and "stuck points" that often follow traumatic experiences.
Narrative & Solution-Focused
Exploring the stories told about your life and identifying strengths to create practical strategies for moving forward.
SMART Recovery & Empowerment:
Evidence-based tools for managing addictive behaviours and reclaiming a sense of agency.
WHO I AM—BACKGROUND
DEGREES & EDUCATION
Master of Social Work
Wilfrid Laurier University
Bachelor of Social Work
Douglas College
Restorative Justice Certificate
Simon Fraser University
Critical Incident Stress Management
Justice Institute of BC
PROFFESIONAL REGISTRATIONS
Registered Social Worker (RSW)
#14337
Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC)
#20031
BC Association of Social Workers
#20031
Certified Trauma Services Specialist
#20031
Canada Association of Social Workers
#20031
SPECIALIZED TRAININGS
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
EMDRIA-Approved EMDR Training
Clinical Trauma Professional Level 2
ADHD Clinical Services Provider
In Progress
Sex Therapy Informed Professional
Somatic Therapy for Complex Trauma
Disordered Eating & Body Image Training
The path to counselling began long before formal training. A natural sense of empathy and a genuine desire to support others have always been guiding values. This led to early work with Restorative Justice and Victim Services, and eventually into a career in Social Work and Corrections.
The decision to become a therapist came from witnessing
the profound impact of being truly seen and valued. Experience has shown me the incredible capacity people have for change when they are supported by a consistent, non-judgmental presence; especially through the seasons where hope feels out of reach.
Having sat with individuals navigating the most difficult circumstances—those who have faced significant harm or are working through complex personal histories. It is evident that the capacity for growth, accountability, and healing is always present. The goal is to provide the kind of support that recognizes a person’s inherent worth and helps them navigate the way back to their best self.
Before settling into my career in therapy, my path included a wide range of roles; from the high-energy environment of restaurants and bars to working as a mortgage broker and supporting children with special needs as an Educational Assistant. These positions were more than just jobs; they were an education in
human nature and the everyday pressures we all face. Combined with the busy reality of being a hockey mom, these experiences gave me a practical, 'real-world' perspective on the mental & emotional load we carry.
The professional foundation was built in intensive environments like Corrections, providing deep experience with complex trauma and mental health challenges. This work taught the importance of maintaining boundaries while staying deeply compassionate,
always looking for the person behind the struggle.
Sitting with people navigating the aftermath of loss and harm reinforced the understanding that healing isn’t linear, and that accountability and growth can coexist. These roles shaped a practice that values the whole person, recognizing that we are all more than the worst thing that has happened to us.
Years of sitting with people through their hardest moments have reinforced a few consistent truths: that resilience is quieter than people expect, that healing happens when someone feels genuinely seen rather than judged, that trauma shows up in every walk of life regardless of background or circumstance, and that real change often starts with a single small shift in perspective or a moment of self-compassion.
Experience across Corrections, Victim Services, and Restorative Justice has also shaped a clear-eyed view of how systems can both support and complicate healing. That background informs a commitment to accessible, inclusive therapy that takes seriously the barriers and power dynamics that affect individual wellbeing — and a deep respect for the fact that every person's path looks different.
This work often means sitting with questions that don't have easy answers: What does healing look like when harm can't be undone? Is recovery about getting over trauma, or learning to carry it differently? Those questions don't get brushed aside here... They're part of the work.
KALI MCVEIGH
Away from the practice, life is anchored in simple, grounding moments. A lot of my time is spent as a hockey mom! I am always cheering on my son and finding something genuinely balancing about being present in those spaces, celebrating effort and small wins. I also prioritize an annual trip with my closest friends to recharge and laugh, a reminder of how deeply healing it is to be truly known by people who have shown up for you over the years.
These aren't just therapeutic concepts rather, they're the practices that keep me steady. I understand the juggle of parenting, the necessity of boundaries, and the practical reality of needing to refill your own cup so you can show up fully for the people who matter.
Who am I?
MY PASSIONS
My path to counselling began long before my formal training. My personal and professional values have always been guided by a strong sense of empathy and a genuine desire to help others, a quality I've carried since childhood. This passion led me to volunteer with Restorative Justice and Victim Services and eventually pursue a career in Social Work and Corrections. Today, my practice is built on that same foundation of empathy.
Outside of my practice, you can find me enjoying the simple moments with my kids and pets, cheering on my son at the hockey rink, or recharging on my annual trip with my best friends. I hold a deep belief that healing and hope can be found in even the smallest moments, and I'm honored to help others find that path.
INDIVIDUAL COUNSELLING
50 MINUTE SESSION — $150.00
FAMILY COUNSELLING
50 MINUTE SESSION — $170.00
COUPLES COUNSELLING
50 MINUTE SESSION — $170.00
MY APPROACH
Counselling
Living through difficult times or personal traumas takes a toll on our health, mood, and outlook. While there is no way to avoid distress and adversity in life, there are ways to regain a sense of control. Building resilience can help to better adapt to life-changing events, cope in difficult times, and bounce back from hardships. I hold an empowerment-based practice approach, assisting people to discover personal strengths and capacities and recognize the choices they have in difficult circumstances.
My therapeutic philosophy centers on the belief that healing happens when we feel truly seen and valued. I work collaboratively with clients to explore their experiences, validate their feelings, and help them identify their own wisdom and inner resources. Through this process, we can uncover new perspectives and develop practical strategies that align with their values and goals.
I understand that seeking therapy requires courage, and I approach each session with genuine respect for the trust my clients place in me. My practice is rooted in creating an environment where vulnerability is met with compassion, where struggles are normalized, and where growth is celebrated in all its forms.
I believe every person matters, and I strive to create a therapeutic relationship where people feel safe, heard, and understood.
Education &
PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATIONS
British Columbia College of Social Workers
Registration #14337
Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC)
Registration #20031
Master of Social Work (MSW)
Wilfrid Laurier University
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
Trained Clinician
Correctional Service Canada
Restorative Justice Certificate
Simon Fraser University
Critical Incident Stress Management Certificate
Justice Institute of BC
Certified Trauma Services Specialist
Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists
EMDR Therapist
EMDR Consulting’s EMDRIA-Approved EMDR Training Course
Advanced EMDR Training - In Progress
Bridging the Gap: From EMDR Basic
Training to Complex Trauma and Dissociation
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional Level 2 (CCTP-II) Certification
ADHD Certified Clinical Services Provider Certification
- In Progress
Certified Sex Therapy Informed Professional (CSTIP)
- In Progress