Counselling With Bethany

Offering Somatic Therapy in the Comox Valley

Bethany Bowman, BHSc, MC

I work with individual adults who struggle with anxiety, depression, and the persistent echoes of trauma. Clients often reach out to me for my warmth, genuine caring, and deep belief that healing is possible.

I have experience working with survivors of relational trauma and childhood trauma as well as those who suffer attachment injuries from adverse childhood experiences. Together, we’ll help you build coping and regulation skills, cultivate resilience, strengthen emotional well-being, and move toward better mental health.

I believe in counselling as a way to strengthen your connection to Self. To pick up any pieces of your soul that may have gotten lost on your journey, and to reunite and make whole all aspects of yourself - mind, body, heart, and spirit. In Indigenous and traditional knowledge, healing often means wholeness. Wholeness means going in and down, diving deep into the challenges life has handed us and embracing what is there with compassion and forgiveness.

One of my great joys in life is helping people find their strengths and move towards living in congruency with their true Self. I believe we are all worthy of a life of joy, authenticity, pleasure, and aliveness. It’s an honour and a privilege to hold space for you on your journey.

Education & Selected Professional Trainings:

  • Bachelor of Health Science (Thompson Rivers University)

  • Master of Counselling (City University Vancouver)

  • Somatic Attachment Psychotherapy (2 year training - in progress)

  • Narrative Therapy Level 1

  • Internal Family Systems (IFS) Basics and IFS Online Circle

  • Fundamentals of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy (TheraPsil)

 

I can help with:

  • Anxiety

  • Depression and low mood

  • Relationship issues

  • Trauma and PTSD

  • Attachment injury and childhood trauma

  • Relational trauma and intergenerational trauma

  • Self-esteem

  • Integrating psychedelic experiences

About the work

Somatic therapy is based in neuroscience, polyvagal theory, and attachment theory. We aim to work within your window of tolerance, which is a nervous system state where we feel the 8 C’s of Self energy: calm, curious, clear, compassionate, confident, courageous, creative, and connected. (Click here to watch an animated video on the window of tolerance.)

Working primarily from this state, the body and brain are able to process and integrate material (sensations, emotions, cognitions) that may feel or have felt overwhelming or intolerable. Over time, this helps expand your window of tolerance so that you have a bigger capacity to deal with the challenges life throws your way without getting dysregulated.

Somatic therapy is a talk-based therapy rooted in a strong and safe-enough relationship between counsellor and client. As we talk, I may interrupt you to help you notice what is happening in your body. This may feel vulnerable at first and much different than any other talk therapy you may have done! I do this to help you shift and regulate nervous system states as necessary to keep you within your window of tolerance.

Slowly but surely, working in this way helps to heal disconnection and dissociation between mind, body, and spirit and help you find healthier, more expansive, and more flexible ways of relating – to yourself, to others, and to the world.

Reach out with any inquiries or questions: hello@bethanybowmancounselling.com

Rates

Individual 60 minute Counselling Session (in person or virtual) - $150.00

I offer all new clients a 20 minute free consultation (in person or virtual/phone). This is an opportunity to meet with me, ask questions, and see if we’re a good fit prior to beginning therapy.

*All new clients must book a consultation prior to booking a full session.*

Sliding scale spots are currently full. Please reach out if you would like to be placed on the waitlist for a sliding scale spot.