Therapists

Surya Govender

Country: Canada
State: British Columbia

As an art therapist, I take a feminist, trauma-informed perspective, focused on compassion, harm reduction and finding joy. I use somatic techniques, which means I believe that healing is rooted in the body. We begin with your strengths and work to access a deeper connection between mind and body through art making. We will consider your personal context and recognize the very real impacts of culture and society on your circumstances and choices.

I enjoy working with clients with overlapping identities. I particularly welcome people living with addictions or in recovery, BIPOC, sex workers, folks exploring their sexual or gender identity, and people living with anxiety. I am also a parent with a deep understanding of the ways our chosen and birth families shape us.

In my personal life, I love making art with textiles, paint and collage. I am co-parent to a tween, a teen and a middle aged dog, and an auntie to many in my extended network. I am biracial – of German/Canadian and Indian/South African heritage – queer, able bodied and cisgendered. I am a second and third generation settler, located on the unceded traditional and ancestral land of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

I will work with you to create a safe, nurturing space to learn and heal. In my practice, I centre the making of art as a place to begin; I also value the role of verbal and body-centred processing and our sessions may include all these approaches.

I am fully vaccinated and will wear a mask on request for in-person appointments. I do not require that you wear a mask, but you are welcome to.

Website – Golden Thread Story
Website – Collective Healing

Languages Spoken: English