Professional Memberships
• Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists #3040
• Canadian Professional Counsellors Association #4261

• Focusing-Oriented Therapist certified by The Focusing Institute

Education

• Master of Counselling at Athabasca University (ongoing)
• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology — Trinity Western University
• Diploma in Professional Counselling — VCCT

Additional Training
• Focusing-Oriented Therapy Certification — Donna Steadman
• Inner Relationship Focusing — Katarina Halm
• The Contact Cycle in Gestalt Therapy — Jacqueline Beraldo
• Working with Trauma and Emotional Abuse — Tyne Buchy
• Treating Religious Trauma — Religious Trauma Institute
• Mental Health First Aid, Mental Health Commission of Canada
• Nonviolent Crisis Intervention — Crisis Prevention Institute

Hi, I'm Marina.

I'm a therapist based in Vancouver, offering experiential psychotherapy for adults struggling with shame, self-criticism, and feeling not good enough.

I've always been interested in what makes us feel genuinely met by another person. Some interactions leave us feeling seen and understood, while others (even with familiar people) can feel distant and empty. That difference matters, and it's at the core of how I work.

I was born in Argentina and have lived in several countries before settling in Vancouver over 10 years ago. My experience of moving between cultures, along with my background in musical theatre and my interest in relational and experiential philosophy, shapes how I approach therapy.

Over the years, working with individuals from diverse and often marginalized backgrounds, I've seen how deeply people long to feel recognized and accepted as they are. When that happens, something shifts. A more authentic part of you begins to emerge, one that carries a sense of direction, clarity, and possibility.

In our work together, I aim to create a space where you can feel safe enough to explore your experience at your own pace, and where something real can begin to unfold.

My Approach

My practice is grounded in experiential psychotherapy.

This means we focus on your present-moment experience, what you’re feeling, sensing, and noticing as we talk.

Rather than staying only at the level of thoughts or analysis, we pay attention to what is forming just beneath the surface. Sometimes this shows up as a vague or hard-to-describe feeling. By staying with it, something more clear and meaningful can emerge.

This process helps create change that feels deeper and more lasting.

My work is also informed by:

• Attachment-based therapy
• Gestalt therapy
• Person-centred (Rogerian) therapy
• Existential perspectives
• Focusing-oriented therapy

If you're interested in learning more about these approaches, you can continue reading below.

What is Experiential Psychotherapy?

Experiential psychotherapy is an approach that focuses on how you experience yourself in the present moment.

Instead of only talking about problems, we slow down and explore how those experiences live in you, emotionally, relationally, and sometimes physically.

A key part of this is connecting with what’s sometimes called a felt sense, a subtle, not-yet-clear way your body holds meaning about your life.

When you stay with this experience, with support, it often begins to shift and open into something new—bringing insight, relief, or a sense of direction.

Theoretical Frameworks

Process Experiential

Process experiential therapy focuses on exploring and processing emotions in the present moment to develop new ways of relating to them. This approach can be particularly helpful when struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, or relationship issues. It helps us better regulate our emotions and develop more authentic and fulfilling relationships.

Attachment-Based

This lens emphasizes the importance of understanding how early life experiences shape our sense of self and our relationships with others. It helps identify and address patterns of disconnection that may have developed as a result of early trauma.

Gestalt Therapy

Gestalt therapy emphasizes personal responsibility, mindfulness, and the present moment. It helps us become aware of our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours in order to gain insight into what is needed in our lives. This holistic approach is useful in promoting self-expression and facilitating integration of experience.

Person-Centered (Rogerian)

Person-centred (Rogerian) therapy emphasizes the importance of empathy, genuineness, and unconditional positive regard. It's a relational approach, where the focus is on creating a safe and supportive environment to explore thoughts and feelings without judgment or criticism, which supports growth.

Existential

An existential approach to therapy focuses on exploring big questions that arise in times of suffering or uncertainty. The goal of existential therapy is to help individuals gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their place in the world and to help them find meaning and purpose in life.

Focusing-Oriented Therapy

Focusing-oriented therapy emphasizes the importance of accessing and exploring the bodily felt sense in order to gain insight into our meaning-making process. It is based on the idea that the body holds wisdom and knowledge about our experiences that can be accessed through a process of inward attention and symbolizing of experience.

Areas of focus

People come to therapy for different reasons, but often there’s a shared feeling of being stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected from themselves. Below are some of the areas I commonly support. You may find yourself in one or more of them.

Self-Esteem and Shame

Feelings of insecurity and uncertainty are a natural part of life. However, certain situations can exacerbate these emotions, leading to stress and self-doubt. Toxic relationships or rejection may trigger excessive self-criticism, while unresolved past experiences can also contribute. Understanding the source of these negative voices and identifying your needs is crucial in building self-confidence.

Anxiety

Anxiety can be an overwhelming emotion that hinders our ability to think clearly. It can capture our attention and leave us fixated on feelings of fear, unease, worry, dread, or nervousness. This is applicable whether the anxiety stems from a sudden trauma or crisis or from prolonged and continuous stress. Everyone has the power to manage their emotions and find inner peace,

Depression

It can make a world of difference in our lives to feel accepted, even with our imperfections. When that's not the case, we become demotivated and isolated, even to ourselves. There're many reasons why we feel stuck in dark places. Most often, there's an unmet need underlying our pain, and a longing for it. With patience and acceptance, one can find enough motivation to live a fulfilling life.

Personal Development

It's not unusual to experience a feeling of emptiness without an apparent reason. Sometimes we're going through transitions and need clarity around how change is happening, or perhaps nothing is actually changing, but we feel like something is missing. It's natural to take a break and reflect on the direction and purpose of our lives so that we can live in accordance with what's important to us.

Trauma and PTSD

It's not the events themselves that traumatize, it's the fact that those events occurred, and there was no support or time to recover from them. I use Focusing-Oriented Therapy to work through the effects of overwhelming experiences stored in us. I strive to create an environment to experience the presence and deep empathy necessary to access your own capacity for healing and recovering from trauma.

Interpersonal Trauma

Experiencing harm from other people, whether they are strangers, acquaintances, friends, or loved ones, can cause deep emotional wounds. It can be extremely difficult to overcome the pain caused by interpersonal traumas, especially if they happen repeatedly. Every individual responds differently to such situations, but every experience is valid and deserving of understanding and support.

Cultural Adjustment

Living between cultures or adapting to a new environment can bring both growth and challenge. You may feel a sense of not fully belonging or of navigating different expectations and identities. This space can support you in making sense of that experience and finding your own way within it.