Our therapists are licensed professionals registered with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counselling and/or The Canadian Counselling Psychotherapy Association and Registered Social Workers (RSW).
To read more about our team click here
Sometimes the hardest part isn't finding the courage to get help. It's finding someone in Vernon you actually trust to give it.
At Relate & Restore, our Vernon counsellors are accredited clinical counsellors with real roots in this community. We offer in-person therapy at our 28th Ave office and secure online sessions across BC for anxiety, depression, trauma, couples, families, and the kind of quiet struggles that are hard to name. No referral needed. Currently accepting new clients.
ICBC · CVAP · Autism Funding
RCC, CCC, RSW
Trauma-Informed Therapists
No Referral Required
Vernon · Kelowna · Anywhere in BC
You don’t need a diagnosis or a crisis to reach out. Most people who call us have been carrying something for a while. Anxiety that has become background noise. A relationship that used to feel easier. A loss they haven’t fully processed. Or just a persistent sense that something needs to change but they can’t figure out what.
Vernon is a community where people tend to push through. That resilience is real and it’s something to be proud of. But it can also make it harder to admit when things feel like too much. There is no shame in reaching out, and you won’t be judged for it here.
Whether you are a parent running on empty, a couple that has grown disconnected, a teenager overwhelmed by things they can’t explain, or an adult quietly navigating grief or anxiety, this is a place to start.
Our in-person Vernon counselling office welcomes clients from across the North Okanagan.
Mandy Hendrickson (She/Her)
BA · MACP · CCC
Mandy works with youth, adults, and relationships, supporting them with:
Anxiety, depression, and stress · Identity Exploration and Queer-Affirming care · Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating · Substance Use & Recovery · Trauma-informed care · EMDR Therapy · Life Transitions and Personal Growth · Relationship and Attachment Challenges · Poly and non-traditional relationship counselling · Self-esteem and Body Image · Youth mental health support
That constant low-level dread. The days that feel heavier than they should. The worry that loops back no matter how many times you talk yourself out of it. Our Vernon counsellors use evidence-based approaches including CBT, mindfulness, and somatic work to help you understand what is driving it and actually start to feel different.
Most couples don't come to therapy because their relationship is broken. They come because they're stuck. The same arguments. The same distance. The same feeling that you used to be closer than this and you're not sure how you got here. Our Vernon counsellors use Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to get underneath the conflict and work with what's actually happening emotionally for both of you. It's one of the most well-researched approaches for couples, and it works.
Trauma doesn't always look dramatic from the outside. It can show up as chronic anxiety, a short fuse, shutting down in conversations or a persistent feeling that you're never fully safe. Both Lisa and Mandy are trained in EMDR, one of the most effective trauma therapies available, helping clients process difficult experiences without having to relive every detail of it.
Kids don't always have words for what they're going through but their behaviour usually says it. Our Vernon therapists work with children and teens using age-appropriate, play-based, and trauma-informed approaches. Parents are active partners in the process, not just observers.
Divorce. Job loss. A move. A health diagnosis. The loss of someone you loved. Sometimes the hardest transitions are the ones nobody warns you about. Our Vernon counsellors offer a space to grieve what needs grieving and find your footing again.
Parenting is one of the hardest things a person can do and the pressure to get it right is relentless. Whether you are struggling with your child's behaviour, navigating co-parenting, or simply exhausted from giving so much, there is support here. We also work with caregivers looking after aging parents or family members with complex needs.
Living with ADHD as an adult, or parenting a child with it, can be genuinely exhausting. Lisa has specific experience working with ADHD clients, helping them build real strategies for daily life while addressing the shame, frustration, and self-criticism that so often come along with it.
If you have been in a motor vehicle accident in or around Vernon, we offer ICBC-approved counselling with direct billing. No out-of-pocket cost and no referral required. We help clients work through trauma, anxiety, and the emotional aftermath of accidents at their own pace.
Cost is a real barrier for a lot of people, and we don't want it to be the reason you don't get support. If you're struggling financially, please ask about our sliding scale fees. CVAP clients may also qualify for fully funded sessions.
Mandy Hendrickson is part of our Vernon team and brings a genuine passion for the North Okanagan community she works in. As a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community herself, she is deeply committed to creating a space in Vernon where everyone feels safe, seen, and welcome. When she is not in session, you will find her out in the nature that makes this part of BC so special.
Relate & Restore is a small, therapist-owned practice with two established locations in Vernon and Kelowna. We are not a franchise. Our counsellors are registered with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) and/or the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) and we are proud to be part of the North Okanagan community.
Our therapists are licensed professionals registered with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counselling and/or The Canadian Counselling Psychotherapy Association and Registered Social Workers (RSW).
To read more about our team click here
Best for: anxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts, perfectionism
CBT helps you identify the thought patterns and behaviours driving your distress — and build practical tools to change them. One of the most well-researched therapies available.
Best for: trauma, PTSD, accident recovery, childhood experiences
EMDR or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing works directly with how traumatic memories are stored in the brain, reducing their emotional charge without requiring you to talk through every detail. Our Kelowna team includes certified EMDR therapists.
Best for: couples, relationship conflict, attachment wounds, family disconnection
EFT gets beneath the surface of arguments to the emotional needs underneath — helping partners and family members understand each other and rebuild secure connection.
Best for: stress, burnout, emotional regulation, anxiety, chronic pain
Drawing from Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and other mindfulness frameworks, these approaches build present-moment awareness and the ability to respond to difficulty rather than react to it.
Best for: trauma, chronic stress, anxiety held in the body, nervous system dysregulation
Trauma doesn't only live in the mind — it lives in the body. Somatic approaches work with physical sensation and nervous system responses to release what talk therapy alone may not reach.
No referral. No waitlist pressure. Just reach out and we'll take it from there.
No. You can book directly — no doctor’s referral or diagnosis required.
Most plans cover sessions with a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC), or Registered Social Worker (RSW). Check your plan details. We offer direct billing for ICBC, CVAP, and Autism BC funding.
We offer sliding scale fees for those who need financial flexibility. CVAP-eligible clients may qualify for fully funded sessions. Please ask — we want to find a way to make this work for you.
Mandy works with youth aged 12 and up and adults navigating trauma, eating disorders, identity, sexuality, and relationship dynamics. She uses EMDR, CBT, and somatic awareness practices with a trauma-informed and 2SLGBTQIA+ affirming lens. If you are unsure whether she is the right fit, she offers a complimentary 20 minute consultation so you can find out before committing to a full session.
The approach and the fit both matter enormously. Lisa’s background as an Occupational Therapist gives her a different lens than most counsellors — one that considers the whole person, not just the presenting problem. If something hasn’t worked before, that’s worth talking about in a first session.
It’s a conversation, not an intake assessment. Mandy will gently explore what brought you in and what you’re hoping to change. You don’t need to have it all figured out before you come in.
Both. In-person at 3007 – 28th Ave, Vernon, BC. Online via secure video for clients anywhere in BC.
Please give at least 48 hours’ notice to cancel or reschedule — via the Jane booking system or by contacting Mandy directly.
In-person at our 28th Ave Vernon office, or online from anywhere in BC.