Dea Parsanishi: Working with First Nations, Exploring spirituality as a resource

“I live and work on the west coast of Vancouver Island where I have had a private trauma psychotherapy practice for 10 years. Much of my current clinical work is with early developmental trauma and attachment and I work as a counselor educator with both the SE Trauma Institute and the University of Victoria. “I have been blessed to work in a number of First Nations communities and have been taught how communities survive multi-generational trauma, the importance of spirituality in healing, and the overlap between SE and some traditional ways of healing. This experience informs and affects my work with both First Nations and non-First Nations people. “I work from a body-oriented perspective, incorporating SE, movement, touch and touch awareness. “I also work and play with a fabulous team of SE-affiliated people, surf, build parts of my house with my husband and play, play, play with my young son.” Published October 2011.