Lau Mehes, RSW
Associate Counsellor
(she/her/hers)
In-Person and Virtual Sessions
Lau is currently accepting new relationship clients!
If you are interested in connecting with Lau, please contact lau@collective-healing.ca. For existing clients, self-book here.
Hello!
My name is Lau, it’s so nice to meet you. I’d love to tell you a bit about myself and my counselling practice, so you can gauge if I might be a good fit for you!
I am a Registered Social Worker with the BC College of Social Workers, and a Masters in Social Work. I am a white, cisgender, queer, non-disabled femme (she/her) of British and Russian-Jewish background living on the stolen lands of the səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam) Nations. I grew up between small-town BC and Buenos Aires, Argentina, and I have been working in health and education systems with young people, adults, and families for the past 13 years. I have worked with 2SLGBTQ+ youth for many years, as well as Indigenous families, folks who use substances, and folks who are experiencing anxiety, depression, relationship violence, and self-harm. I also have extensive experience working with folks experiencing grief, loss, acute crisis, family conflict, and acute medical trauma, including first responders. In my personal life I love to sing in choirs, garden, cook, ride my bike, and laugh and snuggle with my toddler.
In my counselling practice I believe in working collaboratively with you in a relationship-focused space. My practice is grounded in respect, empathy, curiosity, and encouragement. I truly believe that you have the skills to help yourself and solve your problems, and I hope to create a space where we can co-create opportunities for healing, growth, and liberation. I strive to offer an anti-oppressive, trauma-informed, and harm-reduction approach. My work is deeply informed by intersectionality, and I recognize the learning I have done from BIPoC women/trans/nonbinary folks. I strive to center social justice and decolonization in my practices, but I recognize that this is ongoing work of unlearning and listening.
Some of the approaches and tools I use include narrative therapy, emotionally-focused family therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, attachment theory, queer/intersectional feminist theory, and somatics. However, I think the most important part of a counselling experience is the safety and acceptance you feel to explore your inner and outer worlds, heal your suffering, and grow your self-awareness and connection to self and community. With me you can expect a supportive environment that values consent, self-reflections, and laughter. I look forward to joining you on your journey.
Areas of Focus:
Anxiety
Chronic Stress and burnout
Depression
Emotional regulation
Exploring sexuality and gender identity
Family Conflict
Grief and loss
Life transitions
Medical trauma and crisis (inclusive of first responders)
Relational trauma
Relationship issues (inclusive of all relationship structures)
Self-esteem
Substance use/Addictions
Lau’s Rates
15 min Phone Consultation
No Cost
Individual Counselling
50 min
Sliding Scale: Closed/Full
Standard: $150
Generous: $155+
75 min
Sliding Scale: Closed/Full
Standard: $225
Generous: $230+
Relationship/Family Counselling
50 min
Sliding Scale: Closed/Full
Standard: $185
Generous: $190+
75 min
Sliding Scale: Closed/Full
Standard: $260
Generous: $265+
Hormone Readiness Assessments
Two 40-minute sessions: $300 per assessment
Lau’s Availability
Location: Venables, Virtual
Days and Hours:
Monday 12:00pm - 3:00pm (Virtual)
Tuesday 8:00am - 3:00pm (Venables or Virtual)
Occasional evenings by request
Approaches in Therapy
I use an integrated approach that centers the needs of each individual or family. My approaches are informed by the following therapies:
Person and relationship centered
Anti-oppression
Trauma-informed practice
Narrative therapy
Attachment theory
Queer theory
Sex-positive
Intersectional feminist theory
Cognitive behavioural therapy
Somatics
Strengths-based
Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT)
Licensure & Degrees
Registered Social Worker (RSW), BC College of Social Workers
Master of Social Work (2023, Wilfrid Laurier University)
Bachelor of Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Social Justice (2011, UBC)
Selected Professional Training
Dulwich Centre Narrative Therapy Basics (2021-2022)
Emotional Focused Family Therapy Core Training (2021-2022)
Integrated Care for Eating Disorders and Substance Use (Vancouver Coastal Health, 2020)
Mental Health First Aid (Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2019)
San’yas Anti-Racism Indigenous Cultural Safety Training (2017)
Lau Mehes, RSW
Image Description: Lau is centred facing the camera, smiling with her teeth and her hands on her hips. She has short wavy black hair. She is wearing a black sleeveless top with buttons, orange pants, and hoop earrings. She stands in front of a turquoise wall.