Allius Services was incorporated in 2020, but Lurline Raposo, the founder and Clinical Director, has been in private practice since 2011, first in Calgary, AB, now here in Nanaimo, bc.
Our clinic name, “Allius,” comes from combining ALL, I, and US - reflecting our commitment to fostering connections. For the Allius team, it is all about people connecting with themselves in order to connect better with others. This is what we aim to support in our work with people, both young and old.
Our team would like to acknowledge that our clinic is located on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish People -- the Stz'uminus, Snuneymuxw, and Snaw-naw-as Nations. We recognize the importance of the lands we each call home. We do this to reaffirm our commitment and responsibility in improving relationships between nations and to improving our own understanding of local Indigenous peoples and their cultures.
Lurline Raposo
MA RCC-ACS, RPT, BCRPT-S
Clinical Director/ Registered Clinical Counsellor & Play Therapy Supervisor
Lurline is an experienced professional with over 20 years of dedicated work in the field of children, youth, and family support. Her primary focus is assisting parents in effectively caring for their children. She holds several important credentials, including being a Registered Clinical Counsellor, Registered Play Therapist, Supervisor for Play Therapy, and an Accredited Clinical Supervisor with BCACC.
Throughout her career, Lurline has worked extensively with complex families both in British Columbia and Alberta. Her expertise is recognized as she is a BC Hear the Child Roster Member. Additionally, she has completed comprehensive training in Family Mediation and serves as a Family Court Assessor. Lurline’s specialized training encompasses various areas, such as family mediation, parenting coordination, needs of the child reporting, and parental capacity assessment.
In terms of clinical supervision, Lurline offers her guidance in multiple practice areas. She brings a diverse range of counselling models into her approach, including attachment-based and neuroscience approaches, Accelerated Resolution Therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, family systems, and more. By incorporating these different methodologies, she ensures a comprehensive and effective approach to therapy.Ladona Pinder
MA RSW RCC
Counselling Associate/ Registered Social Worker & Clinical Counsellor
Ladona brings over 20 years of experience in working with children, youth, and families. Her expertise lies in providing support for attachment, behavioral difficulties, developmental differences, parent coaching, and resolving family conflicts. She has received formal training in various therapeutic approaches such as Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Neuroscience Satir in the Sandtray, and Prepare Enrich couple and family interventions.
With a family system, attachment, trauma, and culturally sensitive lens, Ladona approaches each individual and family with a deep appreciation for their unique circumstances. Drawing from her personal and professional background, she brings valuable insights to her counselling work with families and children, whether they are navigating divorce, blending families, or involved in adoption.
Ladona specializes in play-based therapy for children as young as five years old. Under the supervision of her registered play therapy supervisor, she is working towards becoming a registered play therapist herself. Her therapeutic environment is warm, welcoming, and caring, ensuring a supportive space for both children and adults alike.Nicole Puckering
BA MA RCC
Counselling Associate/ Registered Clinical Counsellor
Allius Services is privileged to have Nicole as a Counselling Associate and a member of the Ahousaht First Nations. With an MA in Counselling Psychology and a BA in Child & Youth Care, specializing in Child Protection, Nicole brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role. For the past decade, she has dedicated herself to working with children, youth, and families who face trauma, conflict, and complex family situations. Her passion lies in supporting kids, families, and parents through their challenges. Nicole is also open to assisting individuals dealing with mood disorders, life transitions, and other family difficulties.
Nicole’s professional training and experience encompass a range of therapeutic modalities, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), attachment-based approaches, trauma-informed practice, and Child and youth development. She has undergone advanced training in ACT specifically to enhance her counselling work with preteens and teens.
As a registered Clinical Counsellor with BCACC, Nicole’s long-term aspiration is to provide culturally-informed counselling experiences tailored to Indigenous individuals residing in the Nanaimo area. Her dedication to inclusivity and cultural sensitivity ensures that her clients receive support that aligns with their unique backgrounds and experiences.
Michelle Mills
BA MA (Pending)
Counselling Associate/ BCACC (student member)
Michelle holds a degree in Child and Youth Care and possesses 8 years of valuable experience working with children, youth, and adults. For the past four years, she has dedicated her efforts to a school environment, providing support to children and families with diverse and complex needs. Michelle possesses a deep understanding of both child development and attachment in parenting. She prioritizes a trauma-informed approach, emphasizing empathy and care to foster a robust therapeutic relationship with her clients. Through her work experience, Michelle has recognized the significance of respecting each individual’s unique life journey and delivering non-judgmental, compassionate care that facilitates healing.
Michelle’s therapeutic toolkit includes experience with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and she is actively expanding her skills by incorporating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Mindful Self-Compassion into her practice.
As a student member of BCACC, Michelle is actively working towards meeting all the requirements to register as a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC). Her commitment to ongoing professional development reflects her dedication to providing the highest quality of care to her clients.
Chaowen Yuan
BA, MS.Ed
Counselling Associate
chaowen@allius.ca
Chaowen has been working with children, youth, and families for the past 10 years. She obtained her MS.Ed in Developmental Psychology and has worked as a youth counsellor and mental health educator for schools and non-profits where she supported kids and youth with complex needs, helping them to navigate through their challenges and build resilience.
One of Chaowen's areas of expertise lies in assisting youth and families with career development and major choices. By helping young individuals recognize their potential and facilitating constructive conversations within families, she has empowered numerous individuals to make informed decisions about their future.
Chaowen is keen on continuing to support families and individuals to achieve their goals in therapy with her move to BC. She creates a compassionate space where clients can freely express themselves, fostering a sense of trust and safety. Through her therapeutic work, she aims to empower her clients to overcome obstacles and lead fulfilling lives. Chaowen is in the process of registering as a Registered Clinical Counsellor upon meeting all her BCACC requirements.
Liz Baerg
BHS, MA (In Progress)
Counselling Student Intern
Liz holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Services and has over 20 years of experience working with families, teens, and new parents. Most recently, Liz has been working in employment services, assisting individuals with barriers to find employment. Liz has completed her graduate study coursework at City University and will be applying this knowledge to her work at Allius Services.
Liz greatly appreciates the individual and their unique experience and strives to support them to interact authentically within their families and environment. She values a warm therapeutic relationship and aims to work with clients to find new insights and understandings.
Once Liz graduates from her masters program she plans on registering as a clinical counsellor.
To foster improved intra-personal and interpersonal connections that bring greater harmony to the individuals, families, organizations, and communities we serve.
Healing through better connections both inside and out.
We prioritize our professional learning while continuously striving to improve our practices and models to offer greater benefits to the clients we serve.
We believe “playfulness” is a cornerstone of healing and wellness. As such, clients of all ages are encouraged to incorporate humor, expressive arts, sand
tray, sport, music, dance, or other creative hobbies and pursuits into their therapeutic process.We know that sustained emotional availability can only be achieved through balance and self compassion. Clinicians and coaches must feel supported in
prioritizing self-care to be effective and inspired in their work long term.We appreciate the uniqueness of each person and family with whom we work while thoughtfully considering the influence culture, identity, history, and socio-political systems have on us.
The healing power of relationships is a foundational principle, and we seek to cultivate true connections with clients, each other, and our community.
We are humans first and counsellors second. As humans who face suffering throughout our lives, as clinicians, we can guide with this shared vulnerability.
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Allius Services serves clients across Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Ladysmith, Chemainus, Port Alberni, and the surrounding areas.
Allius Services gratefully operates on the traditional lands of the Snaw-naw-as, Snuneymuxw, and Stz’uminus Nations. Our team acknowledges the necessity for reconciliation and redress for all First Nations People.