Low-Cost Counselling in Kelowna: Meet Our Practicum Counsellors at KTLT
Welcome to Kelowna Trauma & Life Therapy: Meet Our Newest Practicum Counsellors
Looking for affordable counselling in Kelowna? Our practicum program at Kelowna Trauma & Life Therapy (KTLT) offers low-cost, trauma-informed therapy with highly supported Masters-level counsellors.
Sessions with practicum counsellors are offered at a reduced rate, making therapy more accessible in Kelowna.
We are so thrilled to welcome Shilo and Tarryn to the KTLT team! Both grew up in the Lower Mainland and found their way to Kelowna. Shilo was drawn by the lake swimming, and Tarryn by the hiking trails she loves exploring with her dog. Though their paths to Kelowna looked a little different, they arrive with something important in common. Both Shilo and Tarryn bring years of experience working in the mental health field, with special interests that align around supporting people impacted by violence, trauma, and substance use. They share a deep commitment to accessible, trauma informed, and socially just counselling practice, and we could not be more excited to have them both on the team. Read on to learn more about each of them below.
Shilo St. Cyr
Shilo is a practicum student working with individuals and couples at KTLT. She has completed her coursework for a Master of Counselling Psychology at City University of Seattle and practices under the supervision of a Registered Clinical Counsellor.
Shilo brings over 15 years of experience in the mental health field. She is an Associate Mediator with Mediate BC and a certified sexual health educator, and currently supports students impacted by violence at the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO) at UBC Okanagan.
Her counselling draws on Person Centred Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and a Trauma and Violence Informed lens. Shilo believes that healing happens in relationship, in the experience of being truly heard, seen, and accepted. This belief is both professional and personal. Having navigated her own experiences with trauma and chronic pain, she understands firsthand that healing is not linear.
Her areas of developing specialty include trauma, gender based violence, conflict, disordered eating, perfectionism, burnout, sexuality, sex and intimacy, and relationship challenges.
Clients describe Shilo as playful, grounded, insightful, and empathetic. She brings curiosity, warmth, and a deep commitment to social justice to every session, always honouring each client's values and the pace they want to set in their healing.
Outside of counselling, Shilo loves spending time at the pool, reading, playing piano, and doing word puzzles.
Tarryn Adam
Tarryn is a practicum student at Kelowna Trauma and Life Therapy, where she works with individuals under the supervision of a Registered Clinical Counsellor. With half a decade of experience providing community mental health and substance use services, Tarryn brings both compassion and practical expertise to her counselling practice. Her work in diverse community settings has given her an appreciation for the many ways people navigate trauma, life transitions, systemic barriers, relationship struggles, and personal growth.
Tarryn is a student member of the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) and is currently pursuing her Master of Clinical Counselling degree through City University in Canada, and has completed all her coursework towards this.
Tarryn’s counselling approach is grounded in safety and collaboration. She works to foster a secure therapeutic relationship where clients feel genuinely seen, heard, and accepted. Her work is deeply relational and holistic, as she believes healing happens in relationship and involves the whole individual. Tarryn aims to create a non-judgmental space where healing and meaningful growth can unfold at each client’s own pace.
Her practice is trauma-informed, attachment-informed, and nervous-system informed, with an understanding that our challenges are shaped by both our inner worlds and the environments and situations we move through. Tarryn’s counselling is integrative and tailored to the unique needs of each individual or couple, drawing from a range of approaches such as Person-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Narrative Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PAT), somatic approaches, and mindfulness-based practices.
Tarryn’s areas of focus include psychedelic-assisted therapy integration, trauma, burnout, nervous system and emotional dysregulation, mind-body connection, stress management, life transitions, grief, substance use, anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, sex and sexuality, and identity exploration.
Outside of work, Tarryn enjoys adventures with her dog Lu, being in the forest or in water, and collecting plants and mushroom-inspired decor. Tarryn also dabbles in photography as a hobby/side-hustle and enjoys capturing emotion through photos and showing her subjects their true beauty, which parallels a part of therapy she loves.
What Does It Mean to Work With a Practicum Counsellor?
Working with a practicum counsellor at KTLT can be a wonderful way to access quality mental health care at a reduced cost. Whether counselling is not covered by your benefits, or you have encountered lengthy waitlists for sliding scale services, our Practicum Program exists to bridge that gap, offering lower cost and sliding scale counselling that is accessible and affordable, without compromising on the quality of care or the values we hold for both our clients and our counsellors.
Support
Our practicum counsellors do not walk this journey alone. At minimum, they receive weekly supervision, and beyond their clinical supervisor. They are also actively engaged in their Masters level coursework and attend supervision both here at KTLT and through their university. What this means for you as a client is that there is an extended team of professionals working alongside your counsellor to ensure you receive the best care possible.
Knowledge
As Masters students, our practicum counsellors are connected to the most current research and evidence based practices in Clinical Psychology, and they bring that knowledge into every session. Working with someone newer to the field often comes with a deep sense of curiosity and commitment to growth. Our practicum counsellors dedicate significant time to planning sessions, developing client specific activities, and consulting on cases to support your unique journey.
Ready to Connect?
If you are interested in working with Shilo or Tarryn, we would love to hear from you.
Looking for Affordable Counselling in Kelowna?
Our Low-Cost Counselling Program is designed to make therapy more accessible.
