Kim Sholinder, MC, RCC

Registered Clinical Counsellor | Founder of Sholinder Counselling Collective

Book A Free Consult With Kim

Hi, I'm Kim,

I'm a Registered Clinical Counsellor and the founder of Sholinder Counselling Collective. I work primarily with adolescents and young adults, as well as parents, caregivers, and families.

I’ve worked with children, youth, and people facing complex challenges for over 15 years. I started my career as a teacher, working primarily in alternative schools where I supported young people who needed an approach to education that fit their lives—because traditional school isn’t the right fit for every learner.

I believe the same is true for counselling.

Counselling shouldn’t be one-size-fits-all. That’s why I shifted gears and now focus my work on creating a space where people can feel safe, comfortable, and genuinely understood. My approach is practical, collaborative, and grounded in the belief that you know yourself best.

I’ve also had the opportunity to teach Child and Adolescent Psychology and Addictions Psychology in City University’s Master of Counselling program, which has allowed me to combine my passion for teaching with my work as a counsellor.

I know starting counselling can feel a little weird. You might know something isn't working, but have no idea how to explain it. You might have a very clear idea of what you want help with. Or you might just know that you don't want to keep doing things the same way.

You don't need to have the right words before we start. We can figure that part out together.

Who I Work With

 

I provide neuroaffirming and queer-positive counselling for adolescents and young adults, typically ages 12–25, who are navigating some of life's more complicated challenges. I also provide caregiver and family counselling, helping families develop practical, collaborative strategies to improve communication, relationships, emotional wellbeing, and safety.

I commonly work with people looking for support with navigating:

Not sure where your concerns fit? That's okay. You don't need to know exactly what you need help with to reach out. We can talk about what's going on and figure out whether counselling might be a good fit.

My Approach

I draw from a range of therapeutic approaches and tailor my work to each person I support. There isn't one approach that works for everyone, so I focus on finding what feels useful and meaningful for you. Some of the tools I use are:

But ultimately, I don't believe therapy should be about fitting you into a particular approach—or trying to “fix” you. These are tools in my toolbox, and I'll draw on the ones that make sense for you, your goals, and what you're dealing with right now.

You know yourself better than anyone. My job isn't to tell you who you are or what you should be doing. It's to help you understand yourself a little better, build on the strengths you already have, and figure out what actually helps.

What You Can Expect From Me

 

Honesty.
I'll be genuine with you, even when the conversation is difficult.

No judgement.
You don't need to edit yourself to make your experiences easier for me to hear.

Practical support.
We'll work on things you can actually take outside the counselling room.

Collaboration.
This is your therapy. We'll figure out what works together.

A little humour when appropriate.
Because therapy doesn't have to be serious every second of every session.

I don't think you're broken.

Sometimes therapy can feel like someone is trying to figure out what's wrong with you.

That's not how I see it.

You already have the skills, strengths, and coping strategies that have helped you get this far. Sometimes those strategies stop working, or life changes faster than we can adapt to it.

Our work together is about figuring out what's getting in the way, what you already have going for you, and what you can build from there.

And sometimes that means having a hard conversation. Sometimes it means learning a new skill. Sometimes it means sitting with something that's really difficult.

There's no one-size-fits-all version of therapy. It is a collaborative process, and we will work together to build the approach that is best for you.

Research & Professional Work

 

My interest in working with young people and finding different ways to approach counselling has been part of my work for a long time.

As part of my graduate work, I co-authored a master's thesis exploring Response-Based Drama Therapy as a viable option for youth experiencing anxiety. The project brought together response-based practices and drama therapy in an eight-week group for young people experiencing anxiety.

We were interested in approaches that could make space for young people's experiences without reducing them to a diagnosis or a set of symptoms.

We later presented this work at the North American Drama Therapy Association conference.

A Little About Me

 

When I'm not counselling, you'll usually find me somewhere between the mountains and the ocean—hiking, running, or generally trying to spend as much time outside as possible.

And then there's Raisin, my rescue dog. She came from a pretty devastating background and has spent a lot of time learning what safety, trust, and a new life can look like.

Watching her figure that out has been a pretty constant reminder that change is possible, even when things have been really hard.

Prefer To Meet In Person?

 

While I offer online counselling across Canada, I also see clients in person in Victoria, BC.

There’s something different about sitting across from someone in the same room, and for some people, that’s simply a better fit. If you’d prefer to meet face-to-face, I’d be happy to connect with you in person and see if we’re a good fit.

I would like to acknowledge that I am a settler and uninvited guest on the territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples, the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations.

Finding The Right Counsellor Matters

 

Counselling is personal. You don't have to choose a counsellor just because they have the right credentials on paper.

You should feel comfortable with them. You should feel heard. And you should feel like you can actually be yourself.

If you're not sure whether I'm the right fit, I'm happy to have a conversation and help you figure that out. And if someone else in the collective is a better match, I'll help connect you with them.

Ready to see if we're a good fit?

We offer FREE 15-minute consultations to get to know each other.

Book a free consultation