Sabrina Friesen, M.A., C.C.C.

Greetings! I’m happy to welcome you here, though I must admit there’s a bittersweetness to the salutation. Meeting clients is always a bit of a mixed experience for me. Part of me marvels at the courage and hard work it takes for folks to find help in a time of emotional stuckness or upheaval, while another part is filled with a hallowed reverence for the heaviness and hard things you carry with you here today. With both those in mind, I am really glad you’re here.

Let me tell you a bit about myself, so you can get an idea of who I am and decide if we might be a good fit to work together on the concerns you are bringing with you.

I received my M.A. in Counselling in 2011, and have obtained my Canadian Certified Counsellor designation through the Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association (CCPA). I have been privileged to spend over eleven years working as a therapist here in Winnipeg. Since completing my degree I have continued to pursue further training in emotion focused therapy, studies in grief, bereavement, and loss, as well as basic and advanced EMDR training. I am a Certified EMDR therapist, and consultant-in-training working on becoming an approved consultant who can support other EMDR clinicians. I love being a counsellor. Some of the most inspiring parts are witnessing raw courage as folks dig deep into hard spaces, the sacredness of being entrusted with a strangers’ story, and the privilege of bearing witness to transformation. I so often leave work bursting with gratitude for the pure gift of being able to connect with people in such an intentional and transformational way.

I also find much joy and purpose in my roles as a mom and as a wife. My kids are some of my greatest teachers and they have taught me more about myself, the world, love, patience, and creativity than I would have ever imagined. Loving them has changed me in profound ways, and I’d like to think I am a softer version of myself because of them. Marriage has shaped me into a better human, smoothing rough edges and encouraging me to stretch out in new areas. I have experienced first hand how relational safety mixed with good love can bring deep healing to hurt places.

I am an introvert, mostly. I enjoy people immensely but am often quiet in a crowd. I love music, nature, beaches, humidity, coffee, my neighbours, and mostly I just really love people. I dabble with jogging, but am a way better giver-upper than athlete. I’d like to think of myself as a truthteller, someone who isn’t afraid to be honest – but someone who can do it with compassion and without judgement. I hate small tasks, filling out forms, and mopping the floor. But you can often find me in the kitchen, cooking and baking and feeding people I love.

If you’re new here I invite you to stay a while and check out more about the services Bloom offers. Perhaps Bloom can be the right place to help you grow.