Ashar Neufeld, Associate Counsellor
Ashar is accepting new clients.
Sessions with Ashar are online.
Online
Monday, Tuesday, Friday
Sessions Types: Individuals, Couples, Teens 18yrs+
Ashar Neufeld (he/him) is a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (#2669), trained in Transpersonal Counselling. He is a licensed member of the Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada (ACCT).
Ashar works with clients that struggle with anxiety, overwhelm, intrusive thoughts, fatigue, burnout, procrastination, people pleasing, lack of meaning and purpose, shyness, perfectionism, depression, lack of follow through, hyper-vigilance, fear of intimacy, body dysmorphia, and self-isolation. He has experience helping clients with developing healthier boundaries, considering decisions from a more self-empowered place, and in being more present in their lives.
Ashar entered into a depression in his mid to late twenties, while he was in Art School. This difficult experience led him to seek help. For the first time, he began seeing a counsellor. He found the immersion into therapy very valuable to him as it gave him the support necessary to allow him to feel what he was actually feeling; something which was very unfamiliar to him up until that point. He discovered yoga at that time, as well, which would prove to be a great catalyst for growth and resilience. One of things he discovered about this ancient method was that it was very good for providing self-regulation. Bit by bit, he started to learn how to trust himself and recognize the gifts and talents he possessed. This started to bring new found fulfillment in life and relationships. He became a teacher of yoga and meditation and then, years later, his passion for helping people led to training as a counsellor. The path of healing has been a long one that I don’t think will ever end; however, the key for me is the understanding that it can be okay if struggle shows up…that you can know your value, no matter what upset is occurring, and still have a choice in how you want to show up in the world.
Treatment Philosophy
As a trauma-informed, holistic counsellor, Ashar uses Somatic Experiencing, the shared intuition of the therapeutic relationship, Attachment Theory, Mindfulness, Strengths Based therapy, EFT, Family Systems, Parts work, tools of Yoga, and Non-dual Spirituality to help bring a more authentic and satisfying relationship within yourself and with others. Ashar believes that from wherever one is standing it is impossible to know what everything means, especially when the nervous system has become activated. For this reason he takes the approach of helping clients focus more on what is happening right now inside of them in order to gain understanding of their experience, rather than trying to understand everything that is happening around them. His goal for therapy first is to offer safety, empathy, acceptance and loving kindness. Secondly, building your capacity to receive help. Thirdly, to facilitate the understanding that whatever he is offering, it is inside you and that you can access that at any time. With this therapy, you may experience more alignment with your core values, more power to choose what you really want, and more of a sense of wellbeing through the alleviation of your presenting symptoms.
Education & Certifications
- Somatic Experiencing | Intermediate 1 | Somatic Experiencing International, Vancouver| February 2023
- The Neurobiology of Attachment: NICABM | Feb 2022
- Trauma and Memory (online) – Peter Levine | PESI Inc. | September 2021
- IFS Course (online) – Greater Than The Sum Of Our Parts | Sounds True | July 2020
- Transpersonal Counselling Diploma | Clearmind International Institute, Vancouver | 2016-2019
- Trauma, Transformation, and Integration Course | Beyond Addiction, Vancouver | April 2019
- Studio Yoga Teacher | Kundalini Yoga | Vancouver, BC & Mexico | 2007-2016
- Thai Massage Level 1 | Alchemy & Elixir (Sharon Brown-Horton), Vancouver | 2012
- Sat Nam Rasayan Healing | GuruDev Singh’s Tutoring | 2008 – 2015
- Yoga Teacher Training 500 hr | KRI Institute | 2007-2011
- Fine Arts | Emily Carr, Vancouver | 1996-1997
- Foundation Fine Arts | Langara College, Vancouver | 1994-1996
- Environmental Studies (1 of 2 yrs completed) | Langara College, Vancouver | 1992-1993
