Maddison Miller

(she/they)

ACCT - Registered Therapeutic Counsellor
Canadian Certified Art Therapist
Facilitator for Solstice Stillness: Winter Art Therapy Workshop (Dec 11, 2024)

Hi there! I'm Maddison (she/they), a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (RTC) and Canadian Certified Art Therapist based living and working on the sovereign, unceded lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Peoples (in so-called Vancouver, BC). I use art therapy to support people with creatively processing their emotions through compassion and mindfulness. My approach is person-centered, meaning I honour your unique experiences and use art to explore your feelings together.

A bit about me...

I spent my childhood moving around, living in Hong Kong before returning to BC in the early 2000s. As a queer, neuro-curious therapist on my own mental health journey, I've learned the importance of embracing imperfections and supporting myself and others through life's ups and downs. So far, I’ve come to understand the healing journey isn’t one of linearity and perfection, but rather welcomes non-linearity and the radical acceptance of imperfection.

How can I help you?

I offer creative support for people dealing with anxiety, burnout, stress, sadness, or grief. I often work with queer, trans, and neurodivergent folks, hospitality industry workers, and those recovering from religious harm. I also offer virtual therapy to people living in rural communities across Canada. With over a decade of experience in the hospitality industry, I understand its unique challenges. I also help people recovering from any type of religious harm, but my personal experience stems from a Judaeo-Christian background.

My approach and influences...

My approach is flexible, and client led. I encourage you to take an active role in your sessions and goals. I may start with a warm-up activity but always leave space for free expression and discussion. If you need more structure, I'm ready with prompts and directives. My therapeutic approach is grounded in mindfulness, compassionate curiosity, and person-centered principles.

I believe that in the right environment with the right support, people can identify and befriend their inner critic and inner compass, set their own goals, and work towards them through self-directed means—a process known as self-actualization. Harmonizing the present self with the ideal self doesn't always mean achieving our initial goals but builds our capacity to have compassion and acceptance of our current state in the self-actualization journey. This is where the compassionate piece comes in. Renegotiating our inner critics beliefs on self-acceptance, value, worth, and identity through the lens of the compassionate self. Together we expand ways to befriend our inner critic and inner child and recognize how self-actualization is an ongoing process throughout life. This honouring and awareness of life’s ebbs and flows empowers clients throughout their journey. I strive to create a space that facilitates growth and self-discovery. I aim to foster a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive space that honours your social location and the ongoing impacts of colonial and capitalist systems on the healing journey.

I am inspired by Gabor Maté and his theories on compassionate inquiry. Savneet Talwar (2010) and her exploration of intersectional frameworks, such as neurodiversity and queerness, which bridge understandings of the various identities making up who we are as humans. I am influenced by the intersectional work and reckonings of Bell Hooks, the philosophies, writings, and poems of Audre Lorde. I’m deeply inspired by the abolitionist movement of Angela Davis. I am encouraged by theories which hold space to have a reckoning with or rejection of socially constructed binaries. Recently, I read Avital Eisen’s Capstone Thesis. “Neuroqueering Art Therapy: Bringing Neurodivergent Gender Diversity into the Creative Arts Therapy Room: A Literature Review”.

Fun facts

I have a 9-year-old calico cat named Kali. I love walking in the forest and by the ocean. Recently, I've enjoyed growing tomatoes and peppers and making homemade pasta sauce.

Maddison is currently taking on new clients on Mondays and Tuesdays!

Online and in-person upon request

Session type:
Individuals, Children (10+), Teens/Adolescents, Adults

Approach:

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Anti-Oppressive, Art Therapy, Mindfulness Based Somatic Therapy, Neurodivergent Affirming, Somatic Experiencing, Trauma Informed, LGBTQ2S+ Affirmative, Health at Every Size Perspective

Specialties:

Anxiety, Depression, Complex Family Dynamics, Trauma + PTSD, Stress and Burnout, Blocks in Creativity, Life Transitions, The QTBIPoC Community, Body image and Self-esteem Concerns, Personal Growth, Relationship Challenges, Intersectionality, Religious Trauma, Ongoing Oppression + Injustice + Rage

Languages:

English

Accepts insurance coverage, Autism Funding approved counsellor