Registered Social Worker

Abbie Hildebrand

Meet Abbie

What makes me come alive?

Abbie is a Registered Social Worker (RSW) and holds a Master of Social Work degree. Abbie’s counselling practice is rooted in a relational, trauma-informed, and person-centred approach. She believes in the power of the therapeutic relationship and prioritizes safety and connection throughout the counselling process. Abbie integrates Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused CBT, and expressive therapies including Play Therapy and Sandtray to her sessions.

Areas of Expertise

Children 4+, Teens & Adults
Play Therapy, Sandtray Therapy
Anxiety, Depression
Life Transitions & Academic Stress
Suicidal Ideation, Self-harm
Sexual Assault & Trauma
Grief & Loss
Christian Counselling

My Approach

Abbie’s counselling practice is rooted in a relational, trauma-informed, and person-centred approach. She believes in the power of the therapeutic relationship and prioritizes safety and connection throughout the counselling process. Abbie integrates Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused CBT, and expressive therapies including Play Therapy and Sandtray to her sessions.

Abbie creates a supportive environment where clients can heal, grow, explore, and build resilience through curiosity and self-compassion. She prioritizes each client’s unique needs, goals, and strengths to tailor her approach to best suit the individual. Abbie is passionate about equipping clients with practical tools to enhance their coping and support their mental health and wellness outside of sessions.

Abbie would be honoured to support you in your journey of seeking greater emotional and mental wellness in your life!

Play Therapy and Sandtray Therapy

“Toys are children’s words and play is their language.” – Garry Landreth

Children communicate through play which is essential in processing their thoughts and feelings and developing emotional strength. Abbie offers Play Therapy for children ages 4+ which supports learning to resolve conflicts, working through fears, building confidence, and developing self-advocacy skills. The Play Therapy process is non-directive and child-centred which creates a safe space for children to express themselves and make sense of their experiences. Play Therapy also allows for the therapist to gain insight to your child’s inner world and understand their experiences.

Sandtray Therapy allows individuals to process experiences of grief and loss, attachment injury, family conflict, and trauma through self-expression. Sandtray helps individuals to express thoughts and feelings that might otherwise be difficult to convey verbally by creating a scene in the sand using miniature figures. Through this process the therapist is able to witness a client’s lived experience and gain insight to their inner state. Sandtray is not limited to children and can be used with teens and adults who resonate with this expressive therapy.

Elements from both Sandtray and Play Therapy can be integrated with other treatments such as Trauma-Focused CBT to provide an engaging, tailored, and comprehensive approach to therapy with children and youth.

Recent Continuing Professional Development

Introduction to Play Therapy Fundamentals – Institute of Child Psychology

Introduction to Sandtray Therapy

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Clinical Training – National Association of Social Workers

Comprehensive Sexual Abuse Therapy for Children and Youth – BC Play Therapy Association

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Resilience Training

Professional Qualifications, Licensure & Affiliations

Master of Social Work, Advanced – University of British Columbia Okanagan, 2024

Bachelor of Social Work, Honours – Wilfrid Laurier University, 2023

Registered Social Worker #17116 – British Columbia College of Social Workers (BCCSW)

Member – The British Columbia Association of Social Workers (BCASW)

Registered Social Worker #856470 – Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW)

More about Abbie:

Abbie received her Bachelor of Social Work degree from Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario and she completed her Master of Social Work degree at UBCO. Abbie is a Registered Social Worker in both BC and Ontario.

With four years of experience working in responder and supervisor roles at 9-8-8, Canada’s National Suicide Crisis Helpline, Abbie is skilled in supporting individuals of all ages with concerns of suicide and related issues including anxiety, depression, and self-harm. In addition, through her work in Hospice care, Abbie brings a deep understanding of grief and loss to her support of individuals experiencing bereavement. Abbie is also experienced in supporting survivors of trauma and sexual assault in their healing journeys of moving beyond their experiences of abuse.

Abbie strongly believes in the power of the therapeutic relationship. She prioritizes each client’s unique needs and goals to tailor her approach to best suit the individual. She is passionate about equipping clients with practical tools to enhance their coping and support their mental health and wellness outside of sessions. Abbie is committed to creating a safe and supportive environment where clients feel comfortable to be vulnerable and share openly without judgement. She makes space for healing and growth and brings genuineness and warm humour to her sessions. Abbie’s professional background coupled with her personal lived experience accessing counselling services offers an authentic approach to therapy as she is able to understand and connect with clients on a deeper, more personal level.

Abbie is passionate about taking a holistic approach to mental health and ensures to consider the entire person (physical, mental and emotional, social, and spiritual factors) in her approach to therapy. She recognizes that faith is an essential component to a holistic approach to mental wellness and is able to provide Christian counselling to those who share a Christian faith background. In addition, Abbie acknowledges the positive impacts of physical activity on mental health and offers walk-and-talk therapy for those who enjoy being out in nature.

In between sessions Abbie enjoys activities which aim to nurture her mental, emotional, and physical well-being including spending time with family and friends, reading, piano, travelling, hiking, skiing, and CrossFit.

Abbie would be honoured to support you in your journey of seeking greater emotional and mental wellness in your life.

Get to Know Abbie

Get to Know Your Therapist – Abbie Hildebrand, RSW

1) What is your name, credentials, and where are you from?
Hi, my name is Abbie (she/her)! I am a Registered Social Worker, and I hold
Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work degrees. I am from Ontario, but
this past year I have grown to love Kelowna while I pursed my MSW at UBCO. I am
excited to stay in Kelowna and join the team at Alive!

2) What drew you into counselling?
My inherent passion for helping others as well as my personal experience accessing
counselling services motivated me to pursue a career in counselling. I am passionate
about mental health and have seen the positive impacts of counselling in my own life
as well as the lives of my friends and family. I feel strongly about the importance of
quality counselling services and the power of the therapeutic relationship. My
professional background coupled with my personal lived experience accessing
counselling services offers an authentic approach to therapy as I am able to
understand and connect with clients on a deeper, more personal level.

3) What are some of your favourite things to work in, and types of people to
work with?
I enjoy walking alongside teens and young adults on their journeys of seeking
greater emotional and mental wellness in their lives. I am passionate about
supporting individuals navigating anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide, self-harm,
grief and loss, trauma, and sexual assault.

4) What is it like to work with you? What do you believe about therapy, what
kind of approaches/modalities or strategies do you like to use?
I strongly believe in the power of the therapeutic relationship, and I am committed to
creating a safe and supportive environment where clients feel comfortable to be
vulnerable and share openly without judgement. I make space for healing and
growth and bring genuineness and warmth to my sessions.
My approach to therapy places the client at the centre of our work in order to best
suit their needs and highlight their unique goals and strengths. My approach is
eclectic while remaining person-centred, trauma-informed, strengths-based, and emotion-focused.

I am passionate about equipping clients with practical tools to
enhance their coping and support their mental health and wellness outside of
sessions. I work collaboratively with my clients to discover the treatment modalities
and interventions that resonate with them.

I am passionate about taking a holistic approach to mental health and ensure to
consider the entire person (physical, mental and emotional, social, and spiritual
factors) in my approach to therapy. I recognize that faith is an essential component
to a holistic approach to mental wellness and am able to provide Christian
counselling to those who share a Christian faith background. In addition, I
acknowledge the positive impacts of physical activity on mental health and offer
walk-and-talk therapy for those who enjoy being out in nature.

5) What do you love about counselling?
In counselling I appreciate the opportunity to connect with people where they are at
and collaborating with them discover the tools and strategies that work for them to
improve their overall mental health and wellness. It is an honour and privilege to hear
people’s stories and witness their growth as we journey through life’s challenges
together.

6) How does someone know if therapy is “working”?
Signs that therapy is working for you might include experiencing fewer negative
symptoms which may have brought you to counselling in the first place such as
panic attacks or interpersonal conflict. In addition, you may find yourself using coping
strategies and tools in your daily life with ease such as self-compassion, positive
self-talk, mindfulness practices, and grounding exercises. You also might find
yourself feeling relaxed or relieved after a counselling session as you were able to
express and release any pent-up emotions, stress, or worries you were holding onto.
There is no wrong answer as everyone is unique and will experience the positive
impacts of therapy in different ways!

7) What do you like to do for fun?
For fun outside of sessions I enjoy activities which aim to nurture my mental,
emotional, and physical well-being including spending time with family and friends,
reading, piano, travelling, hiking, skiing, and CrossFit.

8) What are three mental health tips/resources you would like the world to
know?
 Spending time outside and in nature
 MindShift app
 Box breathing

9) If someone is curious about counselling, what would you encourage them to
start with?
Starting counselling and meeting a therapist for the first time can be nerve-wracking.
If you are curious about counselling, but not sure where to start, I would highly
recommend booking a free consultation to learn more about what counselling would
look like and what you can expect. It would be my honour to meet with you and guide
you through the process step by step!

The Beginning of Your Journey

Contact us to begin your next step

Looking for, finding, and connecting with a counsellor can seem overwhelming. We appreciate where you are, we know what that is like, and want to encourage you that you are brave. In our experience, it is so worth it; you are so worth it! You will never regret investing in yourself. Thank you for your time and courage.

Book Online with Abbie

Need some more Information?

Please feel free to fill out the form to contact Abbie before booking.

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