ABOUT CORY STEVENS, RCC

Therapy for you, just as you are.

I offer warm, collaborative counselling for individuals and relationships. I have extensive experience supporting queer, polyamorous and ENM clients, neurodivergent people, and those navigating trauma or living with chronic pain.

Monogamous

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Polyamorous

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Open

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CNM/ENM

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Queer relationships

Why I'm a Counsellor

It's hard when the usual advice doesn't fit.

My life has shaped the focus of my counselling. I’m bisexual and polyamorous, and I’ve struggled to access queer and polyamorous counselling. I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, and I understand how challenging it can be both to live with and adapt to this way of being. I also live with and manage chronic pain. Through these experience, I know what it can feel like to live in a system that wasn’t designed with your particular life in mind.

However, that doesn’t mean I will assume we have the same experiences, and of course, it’s not necessary to share my experiences; this just means that I’m comfortable with the complexity that people can bring with them into the counselling session. You won’t need to spend your therapy session justifying your choices or explaining the basic shape of your life before we can get to what you actually came to talk about.

What you can expect from me

A setting that fits real life.

Walk and Talk Queer ADHD Counselling Burnaby Nature

Curious, not forceful

I’ll ask questions, point out patterns, and offer strategies you may not have thought of. I won’t try to push a specific tool or approach on you. 

Burnaby Counselling Neurodiversity ADHD

Comfortable with complexity

I’ll ask questions, point out patterns, and offer strategies you may not have thought of. I won’t try to push a specific tool or approach on you. 

Burnaby Counselling Life Change Decisions

Practical, solution focused

Although insight is important, I also want to give you things you can actually try. Depending on your preferences, this might include tools, experiments, worksheets, or exercises.

My approach to counselling

The theory behind my support

Walk and Talk Queer ADHD Counselling Burnaby ADHD

Practical, solution focused

You know your life better than I do.

Although insight is important, I also want to give you things you can actually try. Depending on your preferences, this might include tools, experiments, worksheets, or exercises.

Walk and Talk Queer ADHD Counselling Burnaby Active Therapy

Trauma- and nervous-system informed

Your reactions serve a purpose.

Instead of asking what’s “wrong” with you, we can get curious about what your mind and body learned to do to keep you safe and whether those strategies are still helping.

Burnaby Counselling Life Change Decisions

ACT & values-based

What matters to you matters here.

We can look beyond simply reducing uncomfortable feelings and towards building a life that feels more connected to your own values.

Burnaby Relationship Queer ENM Poly Counselling

Attachment and relationship-focused

Patterns between people can be changed.

With individuals and relationships, I draw on attachment-based approaches including EFT to explore what happens when connection, safety, or trust feel threatened.

Affirming care

You don't need to leave parts of yourself at the door.

Sexuality, gender, neurodivergence, disability, culture, relationship structure, family, work, money and the systems around us can all shape what we experience.
I practise from a queer-affirming, trans-affirming, CNM/ENM-affirming and anti-oppressive perspective. I won’t assume that monogamy, heterosexuality, cisgender identity, marriage, productivity or any other particular way of living is the goal.

Outside the therapy room

When I'm not counselling....

You’ll often find me 

Training & Credentials

Professional background

Registered Clinical Counsellor

Bc Association of Clinical Counsellors

Master of Counselling Psychology

Adler University

Master of Counselling Psychology

Psychology, Counselling & Human Development. SFU

Pain Reprocessing Therapy

Pain Reprocessing Therapy Center

CVAP Registered Counsellor

Crime Victim Assistance Program

EFT Certificate

Sue Johnson’s Intensive Course in Emotionally Focused Therapy

Cognitive Processing Therapy Course

Kathleen Chard

Adult ADHD Specialist Certificate

PESI Canada

Wondering if we might be a good fit?

You don’t need to know exactly what you want from counselling before we talk. I’m happy  to meet with you so you can get an idea of if you feel comfortable talking to me.