Welcome to Shine Forward

Life isn’t linear. It’s messy and beautiful, filled with seasons of clarity and confidence, and others of uncertainty, stuckness, or deep pain. Therapy offers a space to pause, make sense of those in-between seasons, and reconnect with your inner steadiness. Sessions are available at our East Vancouver location, Walk-and-Talks and Online.

Who We Support

Our practice provides a safe, grounded space for:

Individuals: Supporting everyone from adolescents to seniors through life’s diverse seasons. Anyone navigating the messy transitions of modern adulthood who needs a place to process and grow.
Couples: Navigating the complexities of partnership, from deepening connection to the challenges of separation and divorce.
Group Therapy: Small, curated circles focused on healing relationship dynamics and mastering sleep health through shared experience and expert guidance.

Areas of Support

People come to us when life feels “in-between” or overwhelming. We can help you navigate:

Anxiety & Stress: Breaking the cycle of chronic overwhelm and finding your inner steadiness.
Burnout & The Grind: Moving beyond “just coping” to reclaim your energy and motivation, in your career and life.
Mood & Connection: Navigating seasons of depression and anxiety, stuckness, or feeling disconnected.
Relationships: Healing friction and building deeper intimacy with partners, family, coworkers or friends.
Identity & Growth: Overcoming perfectionism and self-doubt to trust your own path.
Major Transitions: Processing career pivots, perimenopause, or the “launch” into adulthood.
Healing Patterns: Addressing how past trauma or old stories affect your life today.

Our Theraputic

approach

We don’t believe in “one-size-fits-all.” Instead, we draw from a range of proven evidence-based modalities to meet you exactly where you are:

Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT): To help you process and make sense of deep-seated feelings.
DBT & Radically Open DBT: Practical tools for emotional regulation, stress, and greater openness.
Internal Family Systems (IFS): A gentle way to explore the different “parts” of yourself and heal old patterns.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Rewiring thought patterns to change how you feel and act.
CBT for Insomnia (CBT-I): Specialized, practical strategies to help you finally quiet your mind and reclaim your sleep.

Tailored to you. We weave these approaches together to create a path that honours your uniqueness and lived experience.

Hi I’m Magdalena.

My career began in the non-profit sector, fueled by a lifelong curiosity and a natural propensity to help others. Over the last decade, I have transitioned from Consultant and Executive Coach to Clinical Counsellor, moving from the world of performance into the deeper spaces of identity, belonging, and healing.

I specialize in the "in-between" seasons of life.

Whether it’s career shifts, parenthood, or midlife changes, where things often feel disorienting and tender. My approach is warm, grounded, and thoughtfully direct. I don’t aim to "fix" you; I work to help you reconnect with the wisdom you already carry.

My perspective is shaped by my own journey as a child of immigrants.

I am an immigrant, a single parent, and someone who has navigated divorce and reinvention. I bring clinical training and lived experience into every session with humility and deep respect for your story.

When I’m not in the therapist's chair.

I am a mom of two, an avid runner, and an occasional baker. I am a constant chaser of the golden light, always looking for the beauty and warmth in the world around us.

Flexibility & Individuality

By integrating these modalities, we create a flexible, individualized approach — one that addresses both the practical and emotional aspects of stress, life transitions, and psychological challenges. Whether you’re navigating burnout, anxiety, depression, relationship stress, or identity shifts, our goal is to help you reconnect with your inner resources and move forward with resilience and self-trust.