Now Taking Virtual Clients Across Canada!
About S.O.U.L. Therapy
Porcha Palmer, BA, MACP
Canadian Certified Counsellor (C.C.C.)
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Hello and Welcome!
​
I'm Porcha, the founder of S.O.U.L. Therapy, a private counselling practice based in Calgary, Alberta.
S.O.U.L. stands for 'seeds of unconditional love' - this acronym represents the core philosophy of my practice, which revolves around assisting clients in discovering the transformative healing power of planting more seeds of love and compassion in our lives.
​
I offer counselling sessions to teens (16+), adults, and couples. My aim is to foster a brave and supportive environment where I collaboratively work alongside clients as they navigate life's challenges. I create individualized, tailored treatment plans that address the unique needs of each client that I have the privilege of supporting. I believe in the innate potential for healing and personal growth within everyone, and I am deeply committed to supporting my clients on their journey towards healing.
Areas of Practice
Cultural Identity
Grief
Trauma
Culture is so influential in shaping our identities - it impacts our values, beliefs, and behaviors. I offer a brave, non-judgmental, and compassionate space for clients to explore the intersection of their multifaceted identities, including dimensions such as culture, gender, sexuality, religion, class, and more. I collaboratively work with clients to explore how these dimensions intertwine and how intersectionality shapes our life, our experiences, and our opportunities.
Grief is such a profound and deeply personal journey that people face when they experience a loss of any kind - whether it's the death of a loved one, a significant life change, the loss of a dream, or the end of a chapter. I offer a compassionate space for clients to explore their grief, gain a better understanding of their emotions, and find solace in the midst of sorrow. I honor and hold space for the pain that comes with loss, while gently helping clients discover a path forward.
Trauma leaves a lasting imprint on a person's life, and ultimately affects our overall well-being. I provide a brave and validating space for clients to share their experiences, hold space for their emotions, and develop effective coping mechanisms. I view working through trauma with clients as a collaborative journey where clients can begin to work towards regaining a sense of control and reclaim their lives beyond the shadows of trauma.
Relationships
Navigating the various relationships in our lives can be challenging at times. Building healthy connections is such a vital part of our overall well-being. I work closely with clients to identify and define exactly what a healthy relationship involves, while working to develop/improve communication skills, build trust, and ultimately strengthen the relationships in their lives.
Depression
Depression affects every aspect of a person's life, and is often characterized by feelings of hopelessness. I strive to create a supportive environment in which I can work collaboratively alongside clients to gently explore and address the root causes of depression. I offer clients various tools that can be helpful in managing depressive symptoms, challenging negative thought patterns, and building resilience.
Anxiety
Trying to navigate anxiety on your own can be a very overwhelming and debilitating experience. My therapeutic approach involves creating a brave, inclusive, and non-judgmental space in which clients can dive deeper into exploring the root causes of their anxiety, gain insight into their triggers, and learn valuable coping strategies to effectively manage and alleviate their symptoms.
My Philosophy
Compassion
Compassion allows me to meet clients where they currently are in their journey, and offer both encouragement and validation. By offering a compassionate approach to my work, and encouraging clients to practice more self-compassion, I aim to help clients discover their inner strength and resilience, and facilitate personal growth and healing.
Trust
I recognize that building trust in therapy takes time. In my work, trust is a delicate balance of confidentiality, empathy, and consistency. It means that clients can rely on me to offer a nonjudgmental, empathetic, and brave space in every session, and know that I will honor the confidentiality of their most personal disclosures.
Collaboration
As a therapist, I am a facilitator and guide. An analogy I often reference is that I am traveling with clients in their car. The client is always in the drivers seat, and I am a passenger, pointing out the client's blind spots along the ride. I work collaborative alongside my clients to co-create solutions, set realistic therapeutic goals, and ultimately achieve growth.
Holistic Healing
Holistic healing is a fundamental part of my therapeutic approach, as I recognize that humans are complex beings with interconnected physical, emotional, mental, cultural, social, and spiritual dimensions. Through my work I aim to address the whole person rather than isolated symptoms, as I strive to understand the underlying causes of a client's distress on a holistic level.
Cultural Competence
I am deeply committed to understanding and respecting the diverse cultural backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences that my clients bring to the therapeutic relationship. For me, culturally competent care involves recognizing the intersectionality of culture, and exploring the many ways in which culture impacts an person's values, perspectives, and mental health.
Authenticity
I am a firm believer that authenticity is the heart of the therapeutic relationship, and as a therapist, I believe in its transformative power. Being authentic means creating a genuine and open space for clients to express themselves without fear of judgment. It involves me, as the therapist, being transparent, honest, and vulnerable at times, thus modeling the same courage I ask client's to have.