Tara McSweeney
Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, Registered Clinical Counsellor (#24243)
I provide individual counselling and psychotherapy to adults in British Columbia. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, and I am currently completing a PhD in Counselling Psychology.
As a queer disabled counsellor, I bring both professional training and lived experience to my work. I am committed to providing affirming, anti-oppressive, and trauma-informed care for clients navigating identity, relationships, sexuality, and experiences of marginalization.
I strive to create a therapeutic space that feels safe, respectful, and responsive to each client’s unique context.
I have training and experience supporting a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, depression, trauma and PTSD, emotional regulation, identity exploration, relationship concerns, and sexual health.
My work in the mental health field has instilled in me a deep belief in the power of connection for healing. I approach counselling from a trauma-informed, feminist, and client-centred perspective, prioritizing your safety, autonomy, and lived experience throughout our work together.
A trauma-informed lens helps me stay attuned to how painful experiences can shape the nervous system, relationships, and sense of self. I strive to create a space that feels grounded, compassionate, and responsive to your pace and needs.
Through a feminist approach, I’m mindful of the ways systems of power and oppression can influence our mental health. This also means working collaboratively and transparently towards your goals, and honouring your wisdom and agency in the process.
I draw on Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT). From these approaches, I emphasize emotional safety, relational attunement, and the healing potential of fully experiencing emotions within a supportive therapeutic relationship.
I provide online sessions for adults over 18, serving clients across BC.
Whether you’re coming to therapy with a clear concern or a more general sense that something needs to shift, I aim to meet you with warmth, curiosity, and care.
My Approach
Areas Of Focus
People come to therapy for many different reasons. These are some of the areas I commonly support.
Sexuality & Sexual Health Counselling
LGBTQIA2S+ Counselling
Gender-affirming care
Identity exploration
Shame and embarrassment
Sexual anxiety or avoidance
BDSM and kink
Non-Monogamy & Polyamory Counselling
Jealousy and insecurity
Social stigma and judgement
Unclear agreements and boundaries
Betrayal or trust issues
Attachment and relational patterns
Disability and Neurodivergence
Social stigma
Chronic pain
Medical trauma
Accessibility and accommodation needs
Identity, advocacy, and burnout
Weight stigma and body-based discrimination
Trauma Counselling
Relational trauma
Childhood trauma
Sexual assault
Traumatic loss