You don’t need fixing, you deserve space to let your spark glow.
I work with people navigating eating disorders, disordered eating, body image, perfectionism, poor self-esteem, work/life balance, and 2SLGBTQIA+ identity in a way that centers curiosity, compassion, and liberation.
Together, we’ll loosen the grip of old narratives and create room for you to take up space, trust yourself, and shine in ways that feel true.
Your spark is already there. This work is about helping it glow a little brighter.
Who i am
Hello! My name is Rachel Ness (she/her), MA, RCC, LPC and I am a queer, White, temporarily able-bodied, cisgender woman of British, Scottish, and Polish ancestry. I live on the stolen lands of the Lək̓ʷəŋən, Songhees, Sc’ianew (Beecher Bay), MÁLEXEȽ (Malahat), and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples. I’m a somatic counsellor, which means my primary approach to supporting clients is through the body.
I specialize in working with people who have eating disorders (Binge Eating Disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder), disordered eating patterns, and body image distress. My approach is weight inclusive and deeply rooted in respecting your body autonomy. I am working on getting my certificate as a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist.
I also help people navigate life transitions (career, school, etc.), decrease anxiety and depression, improve quality of life, gain coping skills, and much more. It is important to me to support people on their journey of gender affirmation. I provide hormone and surgical readiness assessments, as well as space to explore 2SLGBTQIA+ identity.
When I’m not working, I love to spend time with my family and pets, take walks, attend dance performances and roller derby, do all the crafts, and stick my feet in the ocean.
My Approach
My work is grounded in somatic psychotherapy, which I use in conjunction with expressive and evidenced-based practices. These include Culturally Responsive Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Expressive Arts Therapy, and Brief Solutions Focused Therapy to name a few. In sessions with me, you can expect to use music, movement, sound, drawing, and talking to approach challenges from multiple angles.
It is important to me in therapeutic work to acknowledge and explore the interplay of intersecting identities. I have worked with clients who identify as neurodivergent, 2SLGBTQIA+, multiracial, and having physical disabilities and/or chronic illness. Populations I’ve worked with include survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, people on parole or probation, university faculty and staff, people pursuing eating disorder recovery, and students.
My values
Respect
Authenticity
Empathy
Compassion
Bodily Autonomy
Harm-Reduction
Playfulness
Collaboration
Weight Neutrality
frameworks i use
Somatic Therapy
Person-Centered Therapy
Health At Every Size (HAES)
Expressive Arts Therapy
Anti-Diet
Culturally Responsive Therapy
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Solutions-Focused Brief Therapy
Feminist Therapy