Clinical Staff

Executive Director & Education Coordinator

Mason Shell (MCP, RCC) graduated with his Masters in Counseling Psychology from Adler University after completing his clinical practicum at the BCSMSSA. He has also worked with the Actor’s Union and Vancouver Film School. Though he works eclectically and incorporates multiple modalities into his work, he takes a foundationally narrative approach to therapy, believing the client is always the expert of their own story and that working with their interpretation of their own life is essential. He takes a grounded, non-judgmental, compassionate, and open-minded approach with clients while working through problems, but also believes that productive therapy should address how a client emerges and moves forward. Mason has worked with PTSD, depression, anxiety, BPD, OCD, couples, and groups, and he is always driven to continue his own learning and growth to better accommodate the needs of diverse clients. In 2018, Mason also took on an educational role and now facilitates seminars on male trauma.

Supervisors

Paul Whitehead (Ph.D., CCC) finished his Doctorate in Counselling Psychology at the University of British Columbia in 2005. He has taken advanced training in group therapy and therapeutic enactment techniques, as well as Levels 1 and 2 training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Paul has been a therapist with the BCSMSSA since completing his Masters’ Practicum training with this agency in 1997. Paul currently works with the agency as a clinical supervisor.

Mary Lang, (MA, RCC-ACS) holds a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology. She has been with our agency since September 2004. She uses an integrative approach inspired by Collaborative and post modern therapies, and informed by Relational Psychodynamic psychotherapy. Her understanding of child development, attachment theory, somatic approaches to post-traumatic stress, and Buddhist mindfulness (Vipassana) concepts influence her counselling approach. Mary currently serves the agency as a supervisor/consultant to clinical staff and supervisor of student interns.

Therapists

To contact a therapist please include their name in the subject of an email to therapy@bc-malesurvivors.com

Maureen Kwong (MACP, RCC) After an 8 months internship through her Master’s of Arts in Counselling Psychology program, Maureen joined the clinical staff in January 2018. Her approach to therapy is warm and non-judgemental and focuses on the quality of the therapeutic relationship as the basis for client growth and change. Through the relationship, she integrates modalities to flex and attune with the individuals’ needs – whether, affectively, cognitively, behaviourally, or physiologically and is informed by neurosciences and developmental perspectives. Maureen also continuously pursues current research and is committed to personal development, understood as an important part of her own professional advancement and passion for efficacy.

Daniel Prince joined the BCSMSSA staff as a full-time therapist after completing a 12-month practicum with the clinic. Prior to coming to BCSMSSA, he worked in international development in post-conflict communities of Central America and Eastern Africa for a number of years. Dan is currently completing the final chapter of his thesis on Cycles of Retaliatory Violence as the final requirement of his Masters of Counselling at City University. He has also attained a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Victoria, with a focus on neuropsychology, and an Applied Bachelor degree in Non-profit Management from Mount Royal University. Dan specializes in working with anger, dissociation, and social disconnection and looks to support his clients in their journey of healing by focusing on increasing psychological and physiological flexibility. He practices from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and a Polyvagal informed approach. Dan helps his clients in feeling more connected to the vitalizing components of their life, and gaining tools and strategies to counter the deep roots of trauma. When not at the clinic, he is a lover of nature, philosophy, and overly-pricey coffee. Dan is also the co-founder of Fortify Mental Health, a new mental health initiative supporting high-level athletes transitioning out of competition.

Sonja Huege (MCP, RCC) has been passionate about being on the Male Survivors team since 2021. She sees how trauma tears us up inside. We abandon ourselves by letting people treat us poorly just because we want connection. We have one part that wants to be close to people and the other that’s terrified to let anyone in. We have one part that wants to do the trauma healing work and another that can’t bear the thought of walking in the door. She helps people work with those aspects of themselves to find harmony, wholeness, and connection inside again so that we can make good, healthy choices for ourselves again. She also utilizes evidence-based approaches such as EMDR trauma processing, body-based techniques, and sometimes she’ll just listen to you and be with you, human to human, if that’s what you need. She helps her clients break old patterns for good and begin to choose the experience of life in all of its sorrows and joys over emotional numbing and running from the deep pain caused by this type of violation. She is all about you understanding why your body is doing what it’s doing so you can have more grace and compassion for yourself. As Carl Rogers puts it, “The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I change.”

Poran Poregbal (MA, RSW, RCC) is a doctorate candidate and is working on her doctorate degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy. Poran earned her Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from the Adler School of Professional Psychology in 2008.   Poran is a registered clinical counsellor with the BC Association for Clinical Counsellors and a registered social worker with the BC College of Social Workers. She has been practicing in the fields of Counselling, Social Work, Rehabilitation, and Victim Support for the past 29 years of her professional career. Poran Joined BCSMSSA in 2004 as a victim support worker, offering victim support and crisis intervention to male survivors of sexual abuse. Since September 2011, Poran has been a therapist within this agency in conjunction with her private practice located in West Vancouver. Poran is a trauma-focused and person-centred psychotherapist providing an evidence-based and culturally appropriate treatment for her clients. Poran is on multiple advisory committees, and she is the executive director of a non-profit agency providing clinical and psycho-educational services to individuals and families from various intersections and walks of life. Poran is fluent in English, Farsi and Swedish.

Jenna Mitchell is a Registered Clinical Counselor and holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from Adler University. She has a research background in men’s health and sexuality. She completed her practicum with the B.C. Society for Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse, working with a variety of presenting issues. She has supported clients with trauma, sexual abuse, anxiety, depression, grief, and other mental health concerns. Jenna uses a blend of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, as well as Emotion Focused Therapy in her sessions.

Ava Kottmeier (MCP, RCC) is a queer, neurodivergent counsellor who supports people struggling with big feelings, difficult pasts, and systemic oppression. Her work centres talk therapy while also encouraging creative and body-based activities to support emotional processing and provide an expressive outlet for both joy and pain. Ava has several years of experience supporting marginalized communities with their mental health and helps people thrive through challenging emotions, identity exploration, relationship concerns, life transitions, trauma healing, and more. When you finish working with Ava, you might realize that you understand the world differently, that you have answers to your questions, or that you’ve acquired a new skill.

Mason Slavner is a pre-licensed counselor finishing his Masters of Arts in Counselling Psychology at Adler University. He has worked with folks experiencing addictions, trauma and mental illness. Mason is passionate about working with people of all genders, sexualities, and relationship structures. He is working to specialize in sex and relationships counselling. Mason believes in every person’s fundamental ability to change and grow. He is ecstatic to work with anyone who is willing to look inward, and create positive change for themselves. When he is not counselling you can find him on a mountain somewhere, either rock climbing in the summer, or skiing in the winter.

Practicum Clinicians

Master’s level practicum clinicians commit to an eight months training program with us, as part of their degree requirements.  practicum clinicians have come to us from universities in seven countries. Their work with us involves individual therapy and co-facilitating a twelve-week cycle of group therapy.

Tori Petryshyn is a pre-licensed counsellor completing her Master of Counselling Psychology at Adler University. Born and raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, she holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences with a Major in Addictions Counselling from the University of Lethbridge in Alberta. Motivated by the limited services available in small communities and the need for counsellors with skills to address diverse needs, Tori pursued her master’s degree in British Columbia to better prepare herself to meet the challenges faced by her community. Tori applies her experience in addictions and mental health services to offer person-centred support for individuals experiencing substance use, psychosis, depression, anxiety, and trauma. For Tori, therapy is a relational journey—a meeting of souls with a shared understanding of suffering. She considers it an honour to hold her clients’ stories with compassion, empathy, and unconditional acceptance. Tori’s therapeutic style is eclectic, primarily drawing upon Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and trauma-focused modalities like Polyvagal Theory, while always honouring the inherent resilience each client possesses. When she’s not studying or working, you can find Tori enjoying a book or exploring the beautiful landscapes of her new home on the unceded, ancestral, and traditional territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

Miranda Hoag is a pre-licensed counsellor working towards her Masters of Counseling Psychology at Adler University. Originally from Texas, she attended the University of Houston where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a Minor in Anthropology. Following her degree she worked primarily in special education helping families and professionals work together to develop and carry out individualized lesson plans. Neurodivergent and disabled herself, she was struck by the lack of adequate support for this population and decided to pursue a degree in counselling to better understand and serve marginalized communities. Miranda utilizes her experience working with individuals and families to offer holistic, humanistic support to those struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, 2SLGBTQIA+ issues, and issues related to neurodivergence and disabilities. Following Adlerian theory, she believes that all human beings have a fundamental inclination towards growth which is best fostered through acceptance, insight, and a sense of belonging.