Hi, I'm Emmett

RPC, (he/him)

I'm a justice-oriented counsellor working towards supporting and educating folks resisting systemic oppression to create a more equitable and joyous future for all

I help young adults get unstuck, better cope with life's challenges, and forge a life based on their Ikigai. Being of Japanese descent, but raised in so-called Canada, the concept of Ikigai stood out as a powerful reminder of my heritage and the impact I hope to have each day.

I'm passionate about growth and connection and especially curious about the components of a meaningful life but it hasn’t always been this way. For many years I felt lost and struggled with intense anxiety and finding where I belonged. I often thought I was alone in this world and made decisions based on what I thought I “should” do to fit in rather than what felt right for me. The spark was missing in my life. It wasn’t until I took the time to stop, and become aware of my inner state and the choices I was making, that I started to gain a sense of hope.

Therapy has played a significant role in my journey and I’ve appreciated having caring and knowledgeable individuals to guide me along the way.

I believe our outer world is a reflection of our inner world, meaning when I better understand and transform my inner landscape the world changes with me.

Change is possible. I know because I’ve changed in ways I never could have imagined. From a quiet and timid young adult to teaching courses at a college, I’ve experienced the growth and development that led me toward my ikigai. My passion now lies in helping others better understand their journey and make choices that align with how they wish to experience the world. Again, the outer world will reflect the inner.

Values

Growth - A main component of therapy. Growth means exploring areas often forgotten or ignored to find the nuggets of wisdom beneath the surface. It also means emphasizing new learnings and perspectives.

Playfulness - I have many years of experience working with children and am often in awe of how much learning can occur through play. Humans developed playfulness as a way of supercharging learning. Playfulness means being open to making mistakes, getting messy, and doing experiments. It is not about getting a specific outcome but rather focuses on the process. Playfulness can be vulnerable so it is used tactfully to create spaces where it is safe to be unsure, an often uncomfortable experience for many of us.

Community - “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” African Proverb. Our experience of the world is built through relationships. Whether we like it or not, we need each other and in a world more connected through social media than ever before, there is more disconnection and distress than ever before. Community means showing up in relationship. Having difficult conversations with the intention of staying connected when we would normally distance ourselves. It means creating spaces for us to be human, truly authentic, and tap into our intuition.

Imagine your distress as a backpack. The more stressors in your life, the heavier that backpack gets. A supportive community allows us to share some of that weight, whether through action or even just by being heard and understood. When disconnected from community or isolated, we feel the full weight of our challenges which ca lead to exhaustion and burnout.

Therapeutic Approach

I believe you are the expert of your experience and hold the key to reaching your goals. My role is to facilitate self exploration, understanding and compassion. This process involves becoming aware of what motivates and drives you to show up in the world the way you do. When we understand the decisions being made and why we make them, there is the power to make different choices that better fit the life we want to live.

I use a holistic approach, acknowledging the connections between our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual processes. Because of this, I use a diverse tool kit of modalities and techniques to best support clients at that moment. This means therapy is not a cookie-cutter experience but one that is unique for each client depending on their own style and therapeutic goals.

Finally, a justice-oriented (or anti-oppressive) approach, means taking into account the many factors that influence our sense of self and identity in the world and how that can impact our mental health. I seek to minimize power dynamics in the counselling relationship by self reflection, being open to feedback and challenging the ways I uphold beliefs that oppress others.

Communities

Healing in Colour is a database of BIPOC therapists practicing in so-called Canada, who have endorsed a set of Values that embrace pro-queer, pro-trans, pro-sex worker, pro-Black, pro-Indigenous, and anti-colonial perspectives.

Inclusive Therapists is a catalog of therapists in North America (primarily the US) who are committed to the Values of providing culturally affirming and responsive care to clients, decolonizing mental health care, and promoting intersectional equity.