Erin Kyle

Hello, my name is Erin Kyle (she/her), and I am the current Counselling Student Intern at Camosun’s Lansdowne Counselling Centre. I am a 4th generation Canadian settler, with Ukrainian, Irish, and Swedish ancestry who has grown up on the traditional territories of the Xatśūll, T'exelcemc, and Néhinaw Peoples. I feel gratitude to be a visitor on the traditional territories of the Lək̓ʷəŋən and WSÁNEĆ Peoples. I am inspired by the wisdom, knowledge, and resilience of all of these Peoples as they continue to act as stewards to their lands, as their ancestors have done since time immemorial.

Professionally, I have experience working on crisis lines, with minors in the foster care system, and with young people who have experienced or are experiencing being unhoused. I feel deep empathy for students who have taken ‘non-traditional’ paths into post-secondary education based on my own experience of dropping out of high school and then re-engaging with school later on by upgrading my credits, finding my rhythm, and eventually graduating from university. Now, I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and I am completing the final year of my Master’s in Counselling Psychology through UVic.

As a Counsellor, I aim to help students feel understood, build self-compassion, and gain an understanding of the unique ways emotions, thoughts, and memories can live in their bodies and impact the way they interact with the world. I believe that when a person is feeling overwhelmed and stressed, it can cloud their intuition and disconnect them from their sense of self and belief in their own capacity. I hope to help students reconnect with their body, identity, and abilities so they can feel confident in the decisions and changes they make while navigating their lives. I currently practice from a person-centred, narrative and dialectical behavioural therapy approach. As a student intern, I am also learning to integrate solution-focused therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and somatic therapy into my practice.

During my time at Camosun, I will be working closely my supervisor, Sylvie Cottell, who’s profile I also invite you to read.