Jennifer Hollinshead
BSc, MA Registered Clinical Counsellor #5106, Canadian Certified Counsellor - Supervisor #5088
Jennifer (she/hers) started Peak Resilience in 2015 with a vision for easy to navigate, high quality, trauma informed, intersectional feminist therapy that transforms not only clients, but counsellors, clinical supervisors, the mental health industry and our world. Throughout the last 15 (ish) years, Jennifer has used the support of supervisors and colleagues along with curiosity, compassion and critical analysis to help all types of humans manage suffering and discover their power. She’s learned that the main causes of human suffering stem from forces of colonization, capitalism, patriarchy and white supremacy. The world of psychology and mental health was created under the influence of these forces of oppression, so it’s up to all of us to challenge the aspects of mental health support that harm humans and our planet.
Jennifer spent years providing individual therapy to the best clients ever (her opinion). With a focus on undoing aloneness and challenging the divisiveness of colonization, Jennifer is shifting her individual client work and focusing her efforts on group therapy, supervision and the sustainability of counseling as a practice. After witnessing some of the most profound healing in individual sessions, Jennifer is excited to combine intersectional feminist, trauma informed therapy with the power of group connection.
Outside of group therapy, Jennifer provides consultation, support and supervision to the team at Peak Resilience and can't believe how lucky she is to be surrounded by such strong, compassionate, and authentic humans. Jennifer also educates anyone who will listen on the benefits intersectional feminist therapy, supervision, and the need for all of us to look to Indigenous matriarchs for leadership.
Jennifer was named one of BC’s 40 under 40 in 2020. She has a reputation in the business community as a leader in anti-oppressive, creative and transparent business practices that challenge patriarchy and critically engage with harmful forces of capitalism. Jennifer is working to make mental health support available to all, while advocating for sustainable working conditions for therapists during a traumatic turning point in our world.
Above all else, Jennifer is a daughter, granddaughter, mother, sister and friend. As an uninvited (white) settler on these stolen lands, she is slowly undoing state imposed ignorance and shifting towards a more decolonized future for our world and future generations.
jennifer@peak-resilience.com
Addiction
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Complex PTSD - including repeated trauma, childhood trauma, sexual trauma
Depression
Anxiety
Stress Management and Reduction
Goal Setting and Motivation
Disordered Eating and Body Image
Infertility/Reproduction Struggles
Compassionate parenting for boys
Medical Trauma and
Dissatisfaction and Pain from Heterosexual Relationships
Intersectional Feminist Clinical Supervision for Therapists
Intersectional Feminist Therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing
Group Therapy
Motivational Interviewing
Psychodynamic Therapy
Solution Focused Therapy
What experience or background do you bring to your counselling and supervision practice that is uniquely yours?
Apparently my face is very expressive. Clients and counsellors often laugh at my reactions, even when I’m not trying to be funny. I try to tell people when I am amazed by them (I don’t think I should keep those thoughts a secret). Finally, I’ve had my own mental health struggles which helps me understand on a personal level how difficult they can be to navigate.
What is your favourite thing about working closely with people every day?
I’m constantly inspired by people’s resilience, strength, creativity and ingenuity when going through difficult life situations. I feel very connected to each one of my clients in ways that are unique to the individual. I have always gravitated to helping people in difficult situations, mainly because I think it’s such a privilege to help them discover their strength. That being said, sitting with pain is hard. I feel people’s pain because I’m a human. So I’ve made sure that I limit the time I’m with people so that I can give my whole self to each person I work with.
What is a personal challenge that you have overcome in your own life?
I’ll speak about the PTSD I healed from years ago. I’m grateful I went through it (now that it’s over) but honestly when I was in it I felt out of control, scared and debilitated by my symptoms. I was drinking a bottle of wine almost nightly to avoid the nightmares that terrified me. I had to take time off work (5 months to be exact). I quit drinking, started doing yoga almost daily, went to therapy, started running, ran a few ½ marathons, and once my symptoms started disappearing, I had to learn how to be compassionate and love myself.
What have you learned from your work?
There is always hope, resilience and strength. Sometimes we just have to be creative and curious enough to find it.