Cassey van der Merwe, MACP Student Clinician
Cassey believes counselling works best when clients feel genuinely seen, met with compassion, and not rushed toward “fixing” themselves. Many of the individuals she works with come to therapy feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, burnt out, or stuck in patterns that go deeper than surface-level coping strategies.
Her approach is integrative, relational, and body-aware. Cassey draws primarily from Internal Family Systems (IFS) and somatic-based therapy, paying attention not only to thoughts and behaviours, but also to the nervous system, bodily sensations, emotions, and the different “parts” of a person that have developed to protect and support them over time. Rather than judging or trying to eliminate these parts, she approaches them with curiosity, respect, and care.
Cassey works at a pace that honours each client’s capacity. Sessions are collaborative, grounded, and shaped by what feels most present, whether clients are navigating life transitions, processing grief or burnout, or learning how to feel safer and more connected within themselves. She has particular care for individuals who are sensitive, thoughtful, or creative, as well as those who have spent much of their lives feeling responsible for others while quietly setting their own needs aside.
Her journey into counselling has been shaped by lived experience and a deep respect for the resilience of the human system. Cassey values authenticity, gentleness, and emotional safety in the therapeutic relationship, and strives to create a space where clients do not need to perform, explain themselves perfectly, or have everything figured out. Her work invites clients to slow down, listen inwardly, and develop a more compassionate relationship with themselves—supporting meaningful change through presence and care rather than pressure.
Cassey is currently accepting adult clients from British Columbia and Ontario.
