Maddy Battisti
Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC)
B.A., M.Ed.
Populations: Couples, Individuals, Families, Teens Availability: Weekday & Evenings Session Format: Virtual
Hi, I’m Maddy!
I’m a Registered Clinical Counsellor who works with individuals and couples navigating a wide range of experiences, including depression, anxiety, body image concerns, self-esteem, and relationship challenges. My goal is to meet clients exactly where they are and create a safe, welcoming space for exploration, healing, and growth.
My approach is person-centred and rooted in narrative therapy. I work to ensure clients feel heard, understood, and supported, while gently challenging unhelpful patterns and fostering new ways of relating—to themselves and to others. Whether you’re seeking greater clarity in your life, wanting to strengthen your relationships, or working through difficult experiences, I strive to bring warmth, curiosity, and practical support to our sessions.
I believe every person holds unique strengths and the capacity for change. Together, we’ll work toward harnessing those strengths, developing new skills, and creating meaningful shifts that lead to a deeper sense of self-confidence, resilience, and connection.
WHO I WORK WITH
I work with individuals and couples who are navigating the complexities of modern life—often high-functioning, thoughtful, and deeply caring, yet carrying more than they show. Many of my clients are moving through attachment challenges, relational trauma, anxious or depressive cycles, people-pleasing patterns, burnout, or the lingering impacts of sexual trauma.
I often support adults in their 20s and 30s who are exploring identity, purpose, career direction, or the desire for more meaningful relationships—with themselves and with others.
With couples, I help partners communicate more openly, reconnect emotionally, navigate separation or divorce, and support children who are impacted by relational transitions. Together, we’ll explore what’s happening beneath the surface so you can move forward with clarity, steadiness, and connection.
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Anxiety
Boundaries & Communication
Depression & Hopelessness
Life Transitions
Perfectionism
Relationships & Attachment
Relationship/Couples Counselling
Self-Concept & Self-Esteem
Stress & Burnout
Trauma-Informed Counselling
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I have extensive experience supporting people recovering from relational trauma, whether that’s an abusive relationship, painful parent–child dynamics, or long-standing family-of-origin wounds. I also work with clients who are coping with anxiety, burnout, and the chronic stress that comes from feeling overextended. I help couples navigate separation with compassion, communication, and support for everyone involved.
I also work with individuals who are in seasons of transition or self-discovery, including those wanting to strengthen their self-esteem, reconnect with their identity, and pursue personal growth with more confidence and clarity.
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My approach is compassionate, relational, and deeply person-centred. I draw from Narrative Therapy and Internal Family Systems (IFS), helping clients understand the stories they carry, strengthen their inner resources, and create space for new perspectives and meaningful change.
At the core of my work is the relationship itself, building a safe, non-judgemental therapeutic connection where you can explore openly, feel understood, and experience change at a pace that feels right for you.
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I see therapy as a relational space where healing grows through safety, trust, and compassion. The therapeutic relationship itself often becomes the first place someone feels truly heard, understood, and allowed to show up as they are. When clients experience this kind of attuned connection, new perspectives and emotional possibilities begin to emerge. Change happens gradually through curiosity, insight, and personalized tools that support you in moving from survival mode into a more grounded, authentic way of being.
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Narrative Therapy
Person-Centered Therapy
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
MY APPROACH
CREDENTIALS & TRAINING
Education
Master of Arts
Counselling Psychology
Yorkville University
Bachelor of Arts
Psychology
University of British Columbia
Registrations
Registered Clinical Counsellor
BC Association of Clinical Counsellors
Therapeutic Training
Gottman Method Training Level I
The Gottman Institute
Emotionally Focused Therapy For Couples by Sue Johnson
PESI Continuing Education
IFS Immersion
PESI Continuing Education
Process-Based Therapy Workshop
PESI Continuing Education
Additional Training
Foundations of 2SLGBTQIA+ Inclusivity
Qmmunity
QPR Suicide Prevention Training
University of British Columbia
safeTALK
Vancouver Crisis Centre
Tools for Managing Stress and Burnout
Vancouver Crisis Centre
1. What’s your general vibe in session?
✓ Calm, caring, relational
☐ Structured and goal-oriented
☐ Quiet and mostly observational
☐ Direct and highly focused on solutions2. What do you often find yourself saying in therapy?
✓ “What's been on your mind recently?"
✓ “Where's your mind going right now?"
✓ “Let's get curious.”
✓ What are some ways you can rest today?
☐ “And how does that make you feel?” (with way too much intensity)3. I work well with people who...
✓ Are navigating "what am I doing with my life?" moments
✓ Are in relationships that feel more complicated than they do connective
✓ Have spent a long time in relationships that felt unsafe4. How do you want therapy to feel for your clients?
☐ Feeling like they need to make me happy
☐ Emotionally intense 100% of the time
✓ Like there is space to be a little funny and a little serious at the same time
✓ Safe to be open about their thoughts and feelings
✓ Comfortable to give me feedback5. What do you think sets you apart as a therapist?
My style is gentle, steady, and deeply present. I’m someone who sits with you, not above you, and clients often share that therapy with me feels like talking to a trusted friend who just happens to have the training to help things make sense. I’m fully with you in session, attuned to the moment rather than running through a mental checklist, and I approach each conversation with care, clarity, and groundedness.
I notice the small things, subtle shifts in tone, a held breath, the way your eyes change when something lands. I see these moments as openings for connection and insight. Working relationally means we pay attention to how we show up together, creating a space where safety, curiosity, and honest exploration can unfold.
My hope is that you feel supported in your tenderness and strengthened in your resilience, leaving each session with a deeper sense of self-trust and a clearer path forward.PERSONALITY QUESTIONNAIRE
Kind Words Shared By Previous Clients
“Maddy is incredibly easy to talk to. She’s warm, calm, and actually present in the room. I never feel judged, and she has a way of helping me understand things about myself without it feeling heavy. I always leave feeling clearer and more grounded.”
— A. L.
“We were new to the couples counselling process, and Maddy helped us feel at ease right away. We are able to see one another in a different light now, and have way better skills for managing conflict.”