About Dianna
My curiosity, interest, and questioning of human behaviour through psychology comes naturally.
I like to dive deep and uncover answers to the internal struggles we have about ourselves.
Why do we think, feel, and act the way we do?
Find answers to questions that we don’t often talk about.
As a child I keenly watched the people around me and how they interacted with others.
In my early 20’s, when I was going through an incredibly challenging time,
I began self-reflecting and questioned why my life was the way it was ~
specifically why was I so unhappy, even though I had everything I thought I wanted?
What was wrong with me?
I felt broken until I entered the world of Adult Children of Alcoholics and started learning
about shame, self-blame and co-dependency. It was in that space and over many years I found answers.
But I still had these questions:
Why is it so hard to ask for what I need, and to say ‘No’ to others?
Why do I keep repeating the same patterns in my job and relationships?
Why do I still have negative self talk even though I have done so much self-work?
How do I stop being a human chameleon by always trying to fit in?
If you can relate to these questions, then perhaps we are walking on a similar journey
My formal education is a Bachelor of Psychology and Master of Adult Education.
My extensive trainings have focused on Somatic (mind-body) therapies and techniques
that blend Eastern approaches with Western psychology.
I am a PSYCH-K®️ Preferred Master Facilitator, Certified Group Coach, Certified Life &
Spiritual Coach.
Trained in Emotional Freedom Techniques (Clinical EFT/tapping), somatic therapy, and positive psychology.
You can learn more on my LinkedIn.
I have 25+ years experience working with youth at risk and women who have survived
sexual and domestic violence, specializing in helping them overcome the adverse effects
of their traumas plus childhood wounds and scars.
* My approach is guided by Trauma Informed practice and care.
* My passion is to create self-discovery experiences for women, so
they learn to love and accept themselves unconditionally.
* My daily practice is to walk my talk and ensure that I keep my mind,
body, spirit in balance - whether through journaling, mediation, or on
the trails and shores of my homeland, Vancouver Island, Canada.
Connect with me for a chat to learn if my life experience and training resonates with you.
While I love learning about myself, and figuring out the mystery that is me,
there were many years of silent struggling and quiet desperation as I searched for the
answers to my on-going mysterious physical illnesses and repeated life patterns.
I began my healing journey age 23 and by my mid-40’s finally felt happy and confident
because I could maintain my emotional balance and easily lift myself out of sadness, confusion,
and negativity. But I continued to be physically sick with a rare blood disorder.
Then, I learned how my beliefs about my health were holding me back.
Understanding epigenetics and learning how to change my beliefs and mindset was the final key
to healing my body. Now my health issues are resolved.
These past thirty years have been a long and winding road. I have learned that it takes patience, determination, courage, and self-love to cross the bridge from where you
are now to where you want to be.
There are many ways to cross the healing journey bridge and modalities to experience along the way.
In general, they are all good and the best ones are those that
resonate and feel right to you.
Over the years I have followed my intuition to experience countless modalities of eastern, western,
traditional and non-traditional practices that have helped. I continue to try new ones.
I encourage everyone to say ‘yes’ and try techniques that may seem out of their comfort zone,
as long as the technique and the facilitator feels ‘right’.
Listen to your gut feelings and don’t be convinced because you are desperate to heal - instead,
let your body guide you along with your intuitive ‘spidey senses’.
If it doesn’t feel right, say “no thank you” and walk away, especially if the other person is
trying to convince you.
When you set intention to be open to all healing opportunities that are in your highest and greatest good, you will be guided to the right ones.
It has been said that healing takes place like layers of an onion, and I have found that to be true.
Each technique you try and each experience you have will heal
what is ready and needed in that moment.
It takes time, energy, and effort ~ and the rewards are worth it.
A good start to your journey
is to learn the self-limiting beliefs that are underneath your thoughts and self-sabotaging behaviours.
Common limiting beliefs are:
I am not good enough, worthy, valuable, lovable, important,
don’t belong…
which means it’s not safe to be me.
To survive as children, many of us women got really good at behaviour patterns of:
perfectionism, people pleasing, and the need to control. These are often developed out of survival needs from the environment we grew up in: family, community, culture, religion.
The human need to be loved and cared for by or parents/caregivers/community
can often create co-dependent behaviours in which we behave in
self-defeating behaviours to be accepted.
We don’t realize we are creating self-sabotaging behaviours which are hard to break
because we often don’t realize we have them - it’s our blind spot.
However, when you can see and notice how these beliefs and behaviours show up for you,
the healing goes quicker.
My healing journey began as a mix of formal education in Psychology with informal learning of
self-study, as well as weekend retreats and groups that focused on Adult Children of Alcoholics
and overcoming childhood wounds.
I highly recommend
workshops, courses, and retreats in which you are supported on your learning journey.
Knowing you are not alone in your thoughts, beliefs, behaviours is very helpful.
I also recommend
reading the many self-help books available or resources on-line.
Take advantage of the experts and podcasts that are free.
When I started learning and practicing new ways of being in the 1980’s it was before the internet
and my main resources were books - here is a list of some of my favourites.
Many of the authors share their childhood lived experiences which is really helpful to see how
they crossed their healing bridge. Learning the stories of others can help ease our
pain and know we are not alone (or crazy).
Emotional pain from childhood knows no boundaries of age, gender, or economic status.
Unresolved childhood wounds often leads to co-dependency and sabotaging behaviours based
on fear and not knowing how to act and respond in emotionally healthy ways.
Unhealthy examples are:
roller coaster emotions such as anger, depression, anxiety; numbing behaviours and addictions;
self isolation; needing to be in a relationship because anxious of
being alone, lacking boundaries, or people pleasing.
There is much value to understanding the reasons behind why you feel and act the way you do.
The more I learned about myself the easier my life became. Perhaps like me, your increased
self-awareness will open the roots of understanding to your shame and self-blame so you will be ready to let go and re-write your story when the time is right.
Through my 20+ years working in human services with youth at-risk
and women recovering from domestic and sexual violence, my journey also included
intensive training and deep insights into how big “T” and little “t” trauma affects us all.
I learned how our mind and body are connected and constantly influence each other.
And how our life is a reflection of what we subconsciously believe
(either positive or negative) about ourselves.
Our beliefs become our thoughts, which become our feelings, which become our behaviours,
which lead to our actions/choices and the life we currently live.
This is an important understanding because if we want to change our lives and become who we want to be, we need to understand who we are ‘now’ - and link back to when the beliefs began,
and how they were reinforced as we grew up.
Then we can figure out what we want instead and make the choice to find ways to change our beliefs, practice new thoughts, and see our sabotaging repetitive behaviours.
Admitting and owning up to our choices and behaviours can be a challenge when we are
stuck in a negative mindset and feel resistant to change.
My healing journey led me to quite a few techniques that helped me emotionally
and energetically overcome my resistance.
There are 3 somatic (mind-body) modalities that helped me leaps and bounds.
These are the ones I trained in so I could help others feel the dramatic effects I have experienced:
PSYCH-K®
Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT tapping)
Somatic Experiencing®
I continue to use these techniques on myself when my highly sensitive nature is challenged
by life situations. Otherwise, I do my best to live a holistic lifestyle by connecting my body,
mind and spirit in daily habits that lead to a manifesting mindset.
All my efforts have paid off and I am now the healthiest, happiest, and most resilient version of myself.
As I reflect on my long journey I know that everything has unfolded the way it needed to be -
however if I had one wish, it would be to have had a mentor/coach relationship with someone who
knew the fastest way to heal.
A person who was supportive, safe, and knowledgeable about what was happening to me and
could explain the process. I bet it would have saved me 20 years of personal struggle.
And so,
I offer myself to you along with my experience, training, and knowledge.
My hope is that I can be the bridge of healing where you find your self-love and acceptance
as fast as possible, yet in the perfect time that is needed.
I know that in each of us we carry the ability to heal ourselves.
And that the journey is faster and more comforting when we have support and
guidance with someone who is willing to walk beside us.
A guide who shines the light to avoid the potholes and knows the best places to rest and be nourished.
Please connect for a chat if feels right for you.