Lo (Loretta) Laurin

The human experience can feel so messy and painful sometimes, but we don’t have to navigate it alone.

I take a holistic approach to therapy. This involves working together to support all aspects of yourself - thoughts, emotions, bodily feelings, relationships, and social/cultural contexts - to come into alignment and harmony. In my 15 years of teaching mindful movement, including rehabilitative yoga and pilates, I have come to see that our mind-body systems hold inherent wisdom and capacity for healing. In therapy, we can access this inner wisdom to help guide our way through some of the darkest challenges.

I take a client-centered, relational, and trauma-informed approach to care. And while the space I hold is compassionate and collaborative, I also provide guidance and perspective to support your growth when appropriate.

My own experiences of walking with grief and loss, chronic pain, and trauma have led me to this work. I hope to provide you with a gentle space where you can feel the safety and support needed to not only take the next steps along your healing journey but to thrive in your life.

For individual therapy, I am primarily inspired by Internal Family Systems (IFS), which help us understand and appreciate all the various parts of ourselves, bringing aspects of conflict back into harmony. I am also influenced by Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), which focuses on processing, regulating, and transforming emotional experiences.

More broadly, my approach is influenced by somatics, social justice, and attachment theory. Somatic approaches incorporate the wisdom of the body in the therapeutic process. Social justice approaches consider our social and cultural environment, supporting liberation and empowerment. Attachment theory helps us understand how childhood relationship patterns affect how we react to things today and provides the opportunity to heal through new experiences of more secure (safe and loving) relational patterns. I am also a certified Life Coach, offering neuroscience-based solutions-focused techniques to help people visualize and work towards their dreams and aspirations when ready.

My full name is Loretta Laurin, but you can call me Lo. I was born and raised in the Vancouver area on the traditional lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. My mother is a Chinese immigrant, and my father was Quebecois (French-Canadian). I have two older brothers, two sisters-in-law, and three nephews who I adore. I live collectively in East Van with two of my best friends and a cat.

I have worn a lot of different hats throughout my life and find myself touching many different community circles. I am always a student, with a thirst for learning, especially about relationships and communication. I thrive when I'm facilitating meaningful experiences for people. I also love dancing and outdoor adventures. If I am moving my body, in nature, and/or connecting with people I love, I am in my happy place.