Xiva Taverna
OUR TEAM
Xiva Taverna
Master Practitioner in Clinical Counseling
EFT - Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy Trained
IFS - Internal Family System Trained Counsellor
Hi I’m Xiva, I believe change begins when we learn to listen to our inner knowing — the quiet wisdom that lets us know when we’re out of alignment.
My path into counselling emerged from a personal turning point. I followed an intuitive pull without a clear plan, and through exploring my upbringing, relational patterns, and protective parts, I discovered self-compassion, forgiveness, and the courage to be vulnerable. In that process, I found something deeper: a more honest relationship with myself. That inner shift transformed my marriage, my friendships, and the way I show up as a parent.
Today, that lived experience informs my work. I support men, women, and couples who feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or quietly exhausted from holding it all together. Many are navigating relationship strain, life transitions, or identity shifts while appearing “fine” on the outside.
My approach is compassionate, relational, and experiential. Drawing from Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), I honor both the emotional and spiritual dimensions of healing. Together, we move at a pace that feels safe, helping you reconnect with yourself and build deeper, more secure relationships.
I don’t see therapy as fixing what’s broken. I see it as reclaiming the parts of you that were pushed aside. Healing is a return to wholeness — and you don’t have to walk that path alone.
Andressa Taverna
OUR TEAM
Andressa Taverna
Registered Therapeutic Counsellor
EFT - Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy Trained
EMDR Therapy Trained Counsellor
You may feel that there’s something off, yet you can’t pinpoint precisely what. Perhaps you feel disconnected from the world and from your truth.
“Am I doing enough? Am I doing life the right way?”
The trouble is that overwhelming feelings can make it even harder to open up and trust friends, loved ones and even therapists—right when we need connection most.
Being human can get complicated sometimes, and there is nothing wrong with how you feel. What’s more important is you know that you’re tired of feeling like this and deep down, you trust that there is a better way and that you are worthy of that.
Hi, I am Andressa Taverna.
Being a trauma survivor has moulded me and impacted my life in many obvious and also many mysterious ways.
Numbing out and dissociating has helped me bear the trauma, but burying it deep and pretending it didn’t exist never really worked.
It was only when I started looking at it and inviting my demons to come forward, to speak up, to scream out their rage, that what I saw behind it was pain. Eventually, I saw that they were not demons after all, but my inner child.
It has taken me lots of therapy, many different medicines, so much pain and many many crashes and falls for me to turn down the numbing, the denial, the self-blaming and the huge shaming, and put all that into my forgiving journey, which can only start with self-forgiving.
When I connected with my inner child and received adequate support, I could then understand and separate who I really was and what was just the effects of the trauma. When I started feeling like my true self, I could also begin dreaming and choosing how I wanted to move forward. Today, I feel honoured to hold space for people that have hurt, too, even if it’s not the same pain (no pain is the same, after all).
As a Registered Wellness and Therapeutic Counsellor with the ACCT—Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada—I support clients like yourself towards deep acceptance and the radical inclusion of all the parts of who you are. I offer to help you explore your inner world and to move towards spaciousness, integration and joy.
I work with many people who are struggling with anxiety, depression, childhood trauma/PTSD through the use of trauma-informed, somatic based IFS (Internal Family Systems). I abide by a non-judgmental and compassionate framework, and I can assist you individually or in a couples/relationship setting. I also have a background as a Doula and Life Coach and I draw on these aspects in my clinical work.
If you are ready to step out of the pain, I would be honoured to hold your story and help you to find peace and safety with your truth as a person.
John Cooper
OUR TEAM
John Cooper
Registered Therapeutic Counsellor
EFT - Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy Trained
IFS - Internal Family System Trained Counsellor
ADHD Specialist
Hi, I’m John. Like many of the people I work with, I’ve had seasons in my own life where I felt stuck in patterns I couldn’t quite name — repeating the same dynamics, pushing harder but not getting different results. That personal experience deepened my respect for how hard change really is, and how possible it becomes when we’re not doing it alone. I’m a therapist who helps people understand why they feel stuck, why certain patterns keep repeating, and what it actually takes to create real change.
I work with adults, couples, and individuals who want something deeper: clarity, connection, confidence, direction. Sometimes that means untangling long-standing relationship cycles. Sometimes it means making sense of ADHD wiring and learning how to work with it rather than fighting yourself every day. Sometimes it’s about rebuilding after heartbreak, or finally confronting the emotional weight you’ve been carrying alone.
My approach is warm, straightforward, and genuinely collaborative. I don’t sit back and nod while you talk in circles — I’m engaged, I’m present, and I’m with you in the work. I’ll push when it helps, I’ll slow things down when it matters, and I’ll help you notice the things you’ve been too close to see.
Underneath all of it, I believe this: You’re not broken. You’re not “failing.” You’re running patterns that made sense once — and it’s time to write new ones.
Whether you’re navigating a relationship that’s lost its rhythm, managing the intensity of an ADHD mind, or trying to reconnect with yourself after a rough season of life, you don’t have to figure it out alone.
If you want therapy that’s honest, practical, and actually helpful — I’m here for it.
Why Choose
Terra Counselling?
We believe therapy should be:
Understanding Your Needs
We begin by listening closely to your story and understanding your unique needs. This initial step allows us to tailor therapy to your specific goals, challenges, and circumstances, ensuring you feel heard and supported from the very start.
Personalized Treatment Plan
Based on your individual needs, we create a customized treatment plan using evidence-based therapies like IFS (Internal Family System) Therapy, EMDR, and Somatic practices. Our goal is to address the root causes of your concerns, fostering long-term healing and personal growth.
Ongoing Support & Growth
As you progress, we offer continuous support and guidance, helping you navigate challenges and celebrate milestones. Therapy at Terra Counselling is an evolving journey, where we adjust our approach as needed to help you achieve lasting change.
