Willow Tree Counselling, located in Vancouver, BC, is the confidential counselling and therapy practice of Megan Sutherland, MSW, RCSW. Megan Sutherland founded Willow Tree Counselling in 2009 after over a decade of work in the public mental health sector where she helped individuals with complex mental health concerns, including treatment-resistant depression, panic, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder. The choice of the name Willow Tree emerged from the idea that, like the willow branch, it is beneficial to be flexible in response to the winds of worldly conditions; when we aren't, we often “snap.” Wanting to depart from the traditional medical model of psychiatry and return to the collaborative, person-centred, holistic training that made up her Master of Social Work education, Megan embraced the opportunity to start an independent counselling and therapy practice, with a Downtown Vancouver location. Megan prizes the therapeutic alliance, or quality of relationship between the therapist and client, as a key factor in her work with clients, all within an atmosphere of unconditional acceptance and respect. She keeps her practice open, welcoming clients with diverse experiences and needs, including depression, anxiety, borderline personality, addictions, relationship issues, couples concerns, grief / loss, life transitions, parenting issues and more. She actively promotes an LGBT positive environment. Measuring outcome and promoting client feedback and dialogue are of primary concern. The counseling itself is tailored to what clients identify as their needs and goals as opposed to a therapist-led model. Open communication and direct feedback regarding the therapy and the therapist is actively encouraged.