Natalie Chan

Counselling Intern · Incourage Institute · Taking clients from January 2027

• Family and parenting
• Couples and relationships
• Life transitions
• Children, youth, and young adults
• English, Cantonese, Mandarin

The distance you feel from the person next to you every day. The criticisms quietly whispered in your ear at work or school. The conversation you wish you could have a do-over. The feeling that something is wrong, without quite knowing what.

How I work

Sometimes we know something is hurting, but we don’t yet have the words for it, or the space to explore it without feeling judged, rushed, or misunderstood. Experiences can be hard to make sense of, and memories can be painful, but sometimes the words we have for them don’t articulate what we actually feel, especially when those words have to cross a language or culture.

I work in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin, with children, teens, young adults, couples, and parents. You don’t have to figure it all out before you begin. We can start with what is there.

I deeply believe that growth helps us navigate life and make tough decisions, but growth is not linear. Moving forward all the time is not the only way to grow, and moving backward does not mean you are failing. Growth does not happen at one pace, or look the same for everyone.

What we really need is a space to unwind, to be heard, and to explore. Growth begins quietly, as we become more comfortable with where we are and with who we are in this very moment.

I am here to know you as a person, to listen to what you feel and what you need. Maybe you’re questioning who you truly are or where you are headed; maybe you are feeling stretched by family responsibilities or expectations; maybe you are no longer feeling the teamwork or connection with your partner; or maybe you just need a third pair of ears as you adjust to a new chapter in life. You don’t have to find the perfect words before you can bring these thoughts and emotions into our space. Wherever you are, we can start there.

Background

Before training as a counsellor, I worked in wellbeing, developing and delivering programmes supporting neurodivergent children and teens, as well as working professionals and leaders in corporate settings. More recently, I have supported women and children as they moved away from homes that have stopped feeling safe.

These experiences have taught me something I carry into every counselling session: a person is never just one story. We are shaped by many stories: our relationships, families, cultures, experiences, losses, hopes, and the environments we move through. These stories meet and influence one another, sometimes leaving footprints that we carry with us longer than we thought.

My approach

I work from an Adlerian perspective, integrating mindfulness practices and emotion-regulation skills, based on the needs and preferences of each individual. My approach is trauma-informed and grounded in my experience supporting individuals and families through periods of significant change and crisis, promoting self-compassion and growth.

As a student counsellor, my clinical work is undertaken under close clinical supervision. I see supervision not simply as a requirement of training, but as an important part of practising thoughtfully, ethically, and with care.

Education

• Master of Counselling Psychology (in progress), Adler University, Vancouver, expected 2027
• Bachelor of Arts, English Studies, City University of Hong Kong