Counsellor

Patricia is a registered Social Worker with a Master of Social Work degree from UBC. As a bilingual Latinx therapist based in Kelowna, she brings over 15 years of experience in mental health, education, and community support.

Her therapeutic approach is integrative and trauma-informed, weaving together humanistic, somatic, psychodynamic, and mindfulness-based practices. Patricia supports clients in building emotional regulation skills, fostering self-compassion, and aligning with their values — drawing from both traditional and evidence-based modalities.

In addition to 1:1 therapy, she facilitates therapeutic groups and healing circles that center community-based healing, land connection, and honour the collectivist traditions of her Mexican roots. She also integrates menstrual cycle awareness into her practice and personal life, helping individuals reconnect with the cyclical nature of life as a source of healing, creativity, and inner wisdom.

Patricia Gómez Barajas, MSW, RSW (ella)
Terapeuta en This Space | Profesora Certificada de Yoga

Patricia es una Trabajadora Social registrada con Maestría en Trabajo Social por la Universidad de Columbia Británica (UBC). Es una terapeuta bilingüe radical radicada en Kelowna, con más de 15 años de experiencia en salud mental, educación y servicios sociales.

Su enfoque terapéutico es integrador y sensible al trauma. Combina prácticas humanistas, somáticas, psicodinámicas y de atención plena. Acompaña a cada persona a desarrollar herramientas para regular sus emociones, cultivar la autocompasión y reconectarse con lo que da sentido a su vida. Su trabajo une saberes tradicionales con enfoques terapéuticos basados en evidencia.

Además de ofrecer terapia individual, facilita grupos terapéuticos y círculos de sanación que promueven la sanación colectiva, conexión con la naturaliza, y que honran las tradiciones colectivistas de sus raíces mexicanas. Patricia también incorpora la conciencia del ciclo menstrual en su práctica e visa personal, apoyando a las personas a reconectarse con la naturaleza cíclica de la vida como fuente de sanación, creatividad y sabiduría interior.

Idiomas: Inglés y Español.

Counsellor.

Karen is a Registered Social Worker with a Master of Social Work. Karen is Punjabi and her family immigrated from India.

Over the years of working with young people, Karen has developed a strong interest in social justice and advocacy. As a counsellor, she focuses on creating a safe space for everyone that is trauma and culturally informed. She welcomes cultural beliefs and spirituality into sessions if wanted. Some areas of focus include race related trauma, life transitions, identity, anxiety, depression, adolescent pregnancy, substance use, and sexual violence. Karen has previous work experience working with youth in/from government care and foster families as well.

Karen is passionate about offering accessible counselling services and she recognizes a culturally specific need for mental health supports for international students.

In her spare time, she enjoys attending live music events, attempting to make fancy lattes, and listening to records.

Languages spoken: English and Punjabi

Counsellor.

On parental leave until 2026.*

Naaz is a social worker and did her MSW placement with This Space. Proudly Punjabi Sikh, Naaz brings a rich cultural background shaped by her family’s immigration journey from India. She currently resides on the traditional and unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan, colonially known as Vernon.

With over 5 years of experience in mental health, Naaz focuses her practice on supporting young people ages 12 - 24, with a special focus on fellow first-generation individuals and South Asian youth. She strives to create inclusive spaces that honor and celebrate diverse cultural and racial identities. Passionate about decolonizing Western counselling approaches, Naaz advocates for more inclusive and culturally sensitive therapeutic practices.

As a counsellor, Naaz takes a holistic approach that focuses on culture and acknowledges the complexities of our various identities. She welcomes and respects cultural, religious, and spiritual beliefs and practices in sessions. Naaz also believes in the healing power of humour, recognizing the power it can play within the healing journey. Some of her key areas of focus include race-related trauma, identity exploration, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, confronting oppressive systems, and integrating non-Western wellness practices and teachings. For Naaz, it is all about meeting you where you’re at and supporting you along the way in a safe space.

In her down time, you can find Naaz listening to music, spending time with her cats (and yes, she will show you pictures of them if you like), exploring all the restaurants and eateries Vernon has to offer, camping, and *attempting* to learn to cook. She will also never turn down a good cup of coffee.

Languages Spoken: English and Punjabi

Group Facilitator & Drop in Staff

Phoebe is a neurodivergent, queer, white settler. They graduated from UBCO with a Bachelor of Arts in Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies, with a minor in Psychology. Phoebe will be entering the Bachelor of Education (teaching highschool) at UBCO in September. She has also completed the Sexual Health Educator Certification (SHEC) program through Options for Sexual Health.

Phoebe has been working with This Space as a group facilitator since 2023. On top of her work with This Space, she researches sexual health education with the Emotion Dynamics Lab at UBCO. 

Phoebe is passionate about neurodivergence, 2SLGBTQIA+ identities, mental health, sexual health, and relationships. In their spare time, Phoebe can be found spending time with friends, reading, playing board games, or exploring nature (i.e., looking for slugs, mushrooms, birds, and cool plants and bugs). 

Counsellor

Florence is a culturally fluid first-generation immigrant from Hong Kong and Macau, an eldest daughter, and an unapologetic member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Florence has spent over 7 years as an English and social studies teacher, and after years of observing the gaps within our education system, she is now pursuing her masters in social work. She hopes to bring her passion for decolonization, anti-racism, and anti-cisheterosexist ways of healing into her advocacy and therapeutic practice. Florence is always excited to learn about different ways of delivering trauma-informed care, individual and cultural empowerment, and reconnecting with ancestral knowledge, and she hopes to someday be able to facilitate the creation of spaces where all individuals can freely step into their power.

In the wild, you might find Florence at a local board game store, at the theatre, or near a body of water where she can talk a friend’s ear off about her latest interest. She is currently obsessed with envisioning an alternate reality where all urban and transportation design revolve around the 1965 Peel Trident.

Languages spoken: English and Cantonese

Counsellor.

Kate is a Registered Social Worker with a Masters of Social Work. Kate is a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and she believes in equitable care for all. Kate has a strong passion for social justice, activism and making meaningful change. Kate values making connections, building community, and exploring experiences to find meaning and purpose. Kate is honoured to have worked with children, youth, families and adults seeking support for 2SLGBTQIA+ identities, mental health and sexual violence.

In Kate’s spare time, you’ll find her in at least one item of rainbow clothing, chasing after her fluffy husky, yelling at the Celtics to sink a 3, and exploring the Okanagan valley.

Counsellor

Stan is a Canadian Certified Counsellor with a Master of Counselling from Gonzaga University. He is a queer person of colour with Chinese and UK heritage, born on Turtle Island and currently living and practicing on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Peoples.

Stan’s counselling approach is trauma-informed and rooted in humanistic traditions, Relational-Cultural Theory (RCT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). He believes in fostering resilience, self-compassion, and psychological flexibility to support folks in taking meaningful steps toward the lives they want to lead. His practice centres on collaboration, curiosity, and care, welcoming individuals of all identities and lived experiences.

Stan has experience working with youth and adults navigating life transitions, identity exploration, anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADHD, OCD, and neurodivergence. He has a breadth of experience facilitating group wellness, mindfulness, and somatic (yogic) programs and has worked closely with youth, post-secondary students, first responders, and racialized communities.

One of Stan's fondest and favourite achievements was collaborating to launch and facilitate (Re)Claim and Connect, a guided storytelling group for people of Asian heritage in Canada in the Okanagan. The group explores themes of place, race, and family to foster connection through shared stories and collective healing.

Outside of counselling, Stan enjoys paddleboarding, hiking, playing board games, and spending time with his partner, chosen family, and his corgi, Oatey—who proudly believes he runs the household.

Counsellor & Group Facilitator.

Bree walks through the world identifying as a queer woman, passionate about building community and encouraging vulnerability among the people she comes in contact with. Bree’s years of experience working in social services combined with her background in energy healing and mindfulness has equipped her with a unique perspective on the human experience.

Bree believes in self-awareness when facilitating personal freedom with people. Bree looks forward to supporting folks in unlocking that.

Bree enjoys spending her time connecting with people. She spends as much time as she can outside — mountain biking, hiking, skiing, and simply existing in nature. She will also never turn down baked goods and a good cup of coffee.

Counsellor.

Dan has his Master of Counselling Psychology and has spent many years working with young folks in crisis response, counselling, and community building. Dan is a member of the 2SLGTBQIA+ community and works to support young folks who struggle to feel accepted in their various spaces.

Dan works to support people to feel at their best and to resonate within their bodies, minds, and being. He uses trauma-informed and strengths-based approaches to empower people on their journey towards wellness.

When he has downtime, he spends it with his two pups, being in nature, and being a nerd with his friends. Ask him about his favourite hiking and camping spots in the valley.

Group Facilitator.