Yvette Savella

BA, MC, Registered Clinical Counsellor #17797

Yvette Savella is currently accepting new clients.

Yvette (she/hers) is committed to creating a meaningful and consequential difference in the lives of her clients and to restoring hope and optimism in facilitating client change. She provides a safe therapeutic space which supports her clients to heal, grow and move forward with strength, courage, and positive spirit.

In her clinical practice, Yvette takes an integrative therapeutic approach which celebrates unique client strengths and capabilities and involves a balance between clinical judgment, creativity, and flexibility. In an effort to assist individuals to fulfill their full potential and maximize their well-being, Yvette works collaboratively with her clients to create integrated, individualized counselling plans that leverage strengths, improve coping strategies and uncover new helpful perspectives.

Yvette is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) who earned a Master of Counselling Degree from Gonzaga University. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree (Major in Sociology, Minor in Gerontology) and a Certificate in Family Studies from Simon Fraser University.

hello@imua.ca

Yvette’s Informed Consent Form can be found here. Her Zoom Informed Consent form can also be found here.

Areas of Practice

Anxiety
Depression
Disordered Eating
Negative Body Image
Grief and Loss
Stress Management and Reduction
Self-Esteem
Career and Life Transitions
Motivation and Goal Setting
Trauma

Approaches Used

Person-Centered Therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Strength-Based Therapy
Solution Focused Brief Therapy
Trauma-Informed Therapy

What experience or background do you bring to your counselling and supervision practice that is uniquely yours?

My desire to become a counsellor began in junior high school when I was elected as a peer-counsellor by my fellow classmates. It was the first step in understanding empathetic listening, open-ended questioning, and what it took to provide valuable service to people in need. This proved to be a formative experience as it allowed me to discover my passion to connect with people and develop skills to help individuals identify and make changes to negative thought patterns and self-harming behaviors. Helping people recognize and overcome these problematic behavioral patterns was extremely rewarding and I have continued to pursue similar experiences in my education, career and volunteer work ever since.

What is your favourite thing about working closely with people every day?

I love working with people. I pride myself on being patient and empathic, and my years of providing assistance to people in social services have allowed me to develop sound judgment, sensitivity, tact and objectivity when responding to the needs of individuals impacted by trauma. Most importantly, I am highly motivated to foster positive mental health outcomes and well-being of my clients. With a deep compassion for people to reach their full potential, I remain inspired by the compelling life stories of my clients and their determination to improve their circumstances.

What is a personal challenge that you have overcome in your own life?

As an individual who is driven by a goal-oriented mindset and intense motivation to succeed, I have a natural tendency to focus on measurable achievements. As a result, I impose high expectations and outrageous amounts of pressure on myself to excel in all facets of my life, ultimately prone to underserving and wicked self-criticism. To overcome my own personal struggle, I have learned the importance of treating myself with the level of respect, compassion and kindness that I demonstrate to others.

What have you learned from your work?

Establishing a therapeutic alliance is fundamental to the counselling process as there is a solid base for which to build when a foundation of trust, respect, and acceptance exist in a counselling relationship. There can be no effective or meaningful therapy without the connection and relationship developed between the counsellor and client. The therapeutic relationship – removed from judgment and prejudice – is essential in establishing and promoting willingness for the client to share and engage in the therapeutic process.

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