The Spaces Between Counselling
The Power of Perception
The greatest area of growth my clients experience from our work together is the shift in perception that their problems are not what they thought they were. Struggle is a place of transition and can be your power spot.
You are on the “threshold” of creating and learning something new in your life.
Although this can be difficult, anxiety and struggle act as a motivator to create change. That is its job. You are at a place where all the possibilities and richness of life are yours to be found. What will you choose to do?
Surrey Counsellor, Liz Coleman MTC, RCS
“Different perspectives create different choices and different choices create different results!“
Liz Coleman
“Know that what you do in the time of your greatest trial can be your greatest triumph.”
Neale Donald Walsch
Counselling Services
Your struggles can be the key to discovering the tools to turn your life around. Take this opportunity to get to the root and find clarity about what derails you and what gets you back on track to living your goals and life purpose.
As a Master Therapeutic Counsellor and Registered Counselling Supervisor (MTC, RCS) based in Surrey, BC, I'm dedicated to working with you to create positive changes in your life. Let's work together to make a real impact!
Couples Therapy & Relationship Counselling
Couples in distress can feel chaotic, affecting not only their own lives, but also those around them. Whether you are at the beginning of your relationship, in the middle, or questioning if this is the end, Couples Counselling can help.
Anger, Healthy Boundaries & Communication Counselling
Is your anger or silence pushing people away? Are you afraid of losing those closest to you? Good or bad, your ability to manage your anger and communicate effectively with others touches all areas of your life.
Stress & Anxiety Counselling
Are stress and anxiety running your life? Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, exhausted or stuck, know you are not alone! Also know that a different experience is possible. That is the goal of counselling — to identify and make even small changes that will create a positive difference.
Self-Esteem Counselling
Low self-esteem is the main reason people seek counselling. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has found 1 out of 4 adults suffer from a psychological disorder and low self-esteem is the underlying factor for the majority of them.
Clinical Supervision
Liz Coleman is an approved Registered Counselling Supervisor with The Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada (ACCT).
Providing competency-based supervision for counsellors who:
– Require ongoing proof of supervision through their counselling association.
– Are new counsellors and would like support in setting up their practice.
– Want to take their practice to the next level.
– Seek ongoing growth and learning.
“Liz has an uncanny knack for getting straight to the heart of the matter, to carve out new ways of seeing things I never had before.”
“I used to think it was weak to do this (counselling) but now I see the benefits.
Negative energy used to stay with me constantly and I’d push people away by yelling and getting angry. Now I notice the feelings bubbling up and I take an extra minute before I talk or not. I have awareness of my feelings now and can see what’s most important to me.
I never realized my yelling and anger was a problem and now I see it’s not necessary. I still have moments that I revert back but it’s not as often.”
The Spaces Between
I named my business The Spaces Between as soon as I heard the phrase. It perfectly explained the experience I wanted to cultivate in my counselling practice.
Definition:
Firstly, it symbolizes the dynamic connection and potential between things and people where sparks, growth, shifts in perspective and thinking—essentially all the good stuff — happens! 
Secondly, it represents mindfulness, those moments of calm amidst the constant chatter of our minds. These are the subtle gaps where we can reflect on who we are, who we aspire to be and the habits or mistaken beliefs that are getting in the way.
However, our obsession with external distractions like social media, busy-ness, or perfectionism overshadows these powerful moments. Consequently, when these vital thoughts and feelings are overlooked, they can manifest in disruptive ways – from panic or anxiety attacks to aggression or conflicts in relationships. As well as internally as depression, physical ailments, or overall dissatisfaction with life.
To access this innate wisdom, we must cultivate awareness and practice mindfulness. By pausing and listening closely to our inner dialogue, we can uncover valuable insights about ourselves.
And counselling helps by offering invaluable support and guidance to navigate and learn from the experiences that arise within “The Spaces Between.”
The Power of Perception
An optical illusion was an obvious choice to me for my business logo once I’d picked the name. To me, this particular optical illusion represents new perceptions and growth in the space between the faces. Plus, it perfectly explains how counselling works.
With an optical illusion, you know there’s another picture or another way of seeing what your eyes are telling you is there. The four skills needed to see the other picture are trust, willingness, curiosity, and determination. It’s the same with counselling through a problem.
When we’re in pain, struggling, stuck or frustrated with a situation, choosing to talk to someone means you know there’s got to be a better way, but nothing you’ve tried has worked. We can’t see through these things alone because the struggle is a blind spot, something we haven’t learned yet (a new picture) so we can’t see it.
Four Key Skills
- Trust — that there is another way of seeing it.
- Willingness — to surrender the ‘truth’ of what your eyes are telling you, to see what is not yet visible.
- Curiosity — to stay open and available to anything. Opening your mind to any possibility.
- Determination — looking at the picture or issue for as long as it takes, determined to have a different experience and see something new.
It’s a relief to remember there’s always a bigger picture that you’re not seeing
Once you’ve seen the other picture in an optical illusion, you can’t un-see it. Like getting to know yourself, once you see the light at the end of the tunnel you never lose the knowledge of its existence. You may forget, but it comes back easily.
Unlike how we try to understand most things in life you can’t “figure out”, or “fix” an optical illusion. Only curiosity and openness will get you there which means you have to surrender or let go of what you think you know is true (what your eyes are telling you)
Like the hidden picture in an optical illusion, the truth or solution is in you. It doesn’t need to be “found,” created or arrived at. It’s already there. It just needs the space to be revealed.
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