About Home Within Counselling
Helping Empower You to Feel More Comfortable and Confident in Your Own Skin.
Hello! I’'m Sophia Kopelow (she/her)
I hold a master’s degree in counselling from Adler University, and am the Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC #18271) behind this practice. I grew up in Vancouver, and am a cisgendered woman with Jewish ancestral roots in Eastern Europe. Although I have always lived in Canada, I am an avid traveler, and love learning about and immersing myself in different cultures. I’m committed to appreciating individual diversity and understanding its impact on one’s identity– all cognitive/ physical abilities, genders, ages, race/ethnicities, sexual orientations, spiritual/religious are appreciated and accepted in the work that I do.
I am also a human being who is particularly passionate about supporting fellow highly sensitive people (HSPs) thrive in a world that can often feel overwhelming. Through my own journey as a client and student of life, I’ve learned ways to cope with these challenges and appreciate the unique strengths that come with increased sensitivity. I understand how it feels to process things more deeply, feel “different” than those around me, and can relate to others who are seeking greater meaning and connection in life.
The longer I do this work, the more I’m shown that with suffering/pain there often comes immense strength and resilience. I know that it takes courage to reach out for help, particularly when feeling vulnerable, anxious, overwhelmed, or wrought with emotion, and feel privileged to have the opportunity to support clients grow and change into more authentic versions of themselves.
When I’m not working with clients, I enjoy spending time with my friends and family, moving my body and exploring the outdoors as much as possible. You can also find me slowing down by making homemade cards and other crafts, searching for new music, and basking in the sun.
A Relational, Holistic Approach to Therapy
.The essence of my approach involves viewing you as a whole person rather than only focusing on specific symptoms.
I offer an intuitive and holistic perspective, supporting the connection between mind, body, emotions and soul. Using a person-centered, strengths-based, and trauma-informed lens, my focus is on establishing safety and trust as the foundation for our work together. We'll begin with where you are at today, at a pace that feels sustainable based on your unique concerns, strengths, and therapeutic goals. I see my role as a guide who is walking alongside you on this path.
I incorporate a mix of cognitive, mindfulness, and somatic based practices into my sessions including: CBT, ACT, IFS, EFT (counsellors love a good acronym).
My aim is to help you reconnect with your inner resources and feel liberated from the obstacles blocking you from experiencing connection, fulfillment and joy.
This work is grounded in:
Safety and trust
Creating a space where you can feel secure enough to be fully yourself—without pressure, judgment, or expectation.
Compassion and understanding
Meeting your experiences with care and curiosity, rather than criticism or the need to “fix.”
Authenticity and honesty
Showing up as a real person in the room, and creating space for you to do the same.
Empowerment and choice
Supporting you in reconnecting with your voice, your needs, and your inner sense of direction.
A whole-person perspective
Honouring the full picture of who you are—your mind, body, emotions, relationships, and lived experience.
Credentials and Specialized Training
Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC #18271)
Masters of Counselling Psychology from Adler University
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, University of Victoria
EMDR Basic Training
Trauma-Informed Practice Training Level 2
Gottman Couples Therapy Level 1 Training
Gabor Mate’s Compassionate Inquiry in Action Course
Complete IFS Therapy Immersion: Integrating the Internal Family Systems (IFS) Model Across Clinical Applications— PESI Online course
Focusing Oriented Therapy: The Fundamentals (Leslie Ellis)
Mindfulness - Based Somatic Therapy Training Workshop
The Ultimate Clinical Supervision Certificate Course: Preparing Supervisees for Today’s Most Critical Issues in Psychotherapy— PESI online course
San’Yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training
Why the Turtle?
The turtle is a meaningful symbol at the heart of Home Within Counselling.
It represents an internal sense of safety—the ability to carry home within you.
When life feels overwhelming, the turtle doesn’t fight the waves. It returns to its shell, reconnects, and moves at its own pace. That’s the kind of relationship this work supports you in building with yourself.
A grounded, steady place within you that you can return to—again and again.
The turtle also symbolizes inner guidance. Just as it navigates vast oceans using an internal compass, you have your own intuition, values, and inner knowing to guide you.
In many indigenous cultures, the turtle is also a sacred symbol of creation and Mother Earth. The original name of North America is actually Turtle Island because legend describes that it was formed on the back of a giant turtle, and therefore holds the world on its back. It is a marker of identity, culture, and a deeply held respect for the environment and interconnectedness of all life.
A Space to Come Home to Yourself
This is a space where you don’t have to shrink, perform, or figure it all out on your own—where you can feel seen, supported, and gently reconnect with yourself at your own pace.
If you feel drawn to this work, you’re welcome to reach out or book a consultation whenever it feels right.
“Nothing goes away until it teaches us what we need to know”
- Pëma Chodron