Therapy that welcomes all of you.

I work with individuals and couples who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or like something essential is missing — in their relationships, in their self-worth, or in their connection to themselves. You might not have the words for what’s wrong, but you can feel it. My role is to help you slow down, listen in, and gently untangle the deeper threads of what’s really going on. Therapy with me is warm, honest, and collaborative. This work is often tender, sometimes intense, occasionally funny — and always human.

A bit about me

I was born and raised in Barcelona, and I spent my summers between the pine trees of the Costa Brava and the olive groves in the south of Spain. That landscape — sun-warmed, spirited, earthy — still lives in me. It’s shaped the way I show up in this work: with warmth, humour, directness, and a quiet belief in people’s capacity to grow and change. I’ve also lived in the Pacific Northwest for over a decade now, and its rain, depth, and forested stillness have softened and deepened me in equal measure.

Laura Avila counsellor in BC

How I work

My approach is grounded in somatic and relational therapies — primarily Internal Family Systems (IFS), nervous-system-informed work, and attachment theory. I also integrate feminist, decolonizing, and queer-affirming frameworks that honour complexity and lived experience. I offer a space where all parts of you are welcome — even (especially) the ones you’ve been told are too much, too confusing, or not enough. Together, we slow down, listen to your body’s signals, and invite the wisdom that already lives within you to speak.

Clients often say…

…that I bring a calm and steady presence. That I’m real — I’ll gently challenge when needed, and hold space for the messiness of being human. That our sessions feel both spacious and grounding. I don’t believe in fixing people. I believe in walking alongside you as you remember who you are.

Professional background

  • Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC #14096) with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors

  • Master’s degree in Counselling from the City University of Seattle

  • Somatic Attachment Therapy
    The Embody Lab | 2023

  • Trauma Informed Practice Training: Level 2
    Trauma Informed Practice Institute | 2023

  • Trauma Informed Practice Training: Level 1
    Trauma Informed Practice Institute | 2023

  • Externship in Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples
    Vancouver Centre for Emotionally Focused Therapy | 2022

  • The Sexually Competent Therapist
    Allura Sex Therapy Centre | 2021

  • Dreams and Dream Interpretation
    The Adler Centre | 2021

Next steps

I’m not currently accepting new clients, but if my approach resonates, you’re welcome to join the waitlist or subscribe to my Substack for writing, reflections, and updates on future offerings.