Lara Ellison, MSW, RSW
Lara Ellison MSW, RSW is deeply grateful to have been living, playing and working as an uninvited guest on the traditional homelands of the Coast Salish peoples since birth. Starting her work in the helping profession at Peak House, a youth residential alcohol and drug treatment centre, and the supervised injection site in 2006. Lara works with youth and adults navigating their relationships to various problems in their lives.
Lara also has experience working as a doula. Between her undergrad and masters she supported families through their birth experiences, with a focus on renegotiating the narratives that accompany new families experiences alongside pregnancy, birth and post-birth identities. This was an intentional part of her journey as a therapist, and though she is wildly happy with her career, she misses birth spaces and is extremely excited to be around birth workers and expecting families again.
Lara has worked and trained within the local Narrative Therapy community at The Vancouver School for Narrative Therapy since 2013. Through this approach, Lara is committed to, and experienced in supporting folks who are renegotiating their relationships to addictions, anxiety, depression, colonialism, trauma, post-birth self identity, family and parenting concerns, grief and loss, and concerns related to sexuality, gender identity, sexual orientation, homophobia and transphobia.
Lara is of mixed ancestry; she is from the Choctaw nation and European settler decent. Being raised disconnected from culture, Lara began her journey of identity and understanding as an Indigenous woman in her adult life. Outside of work she can be found eating up the moments with her partner, two hilarious kids and older boston terrier.
Lara Ellison, RSW, MSW
T: 604 715 8216
Offering phone and online appointments only
