Leanne Stepp, MSW, RSW, RYT
Therapy: My Approach
I’m the dreamer behind Heart Work, a transformative healing space where understanding your life story merges with your body’s wisdom. Thank you so much for being here.
I’m a therapist, professor, and yoga teacher who believes healing begins when we understand the patterns of our choices and can generate both practical skills and self-compassion for the change process. My work combines a collection of nearly 20 years of therapeutic support with theories from narrative therapy, Internal Family Systems, relationship and sex therapy, and embodied practices, including yoga therapy, to support individuals and couples through tender and transformative moments.
In the chair or on the yoga mat, we’ll co-create a space where you can pause, breathe, and uncover the meanings and values of your life. It is such a human, universal experience to feel changed by the grief of a relationship ending, the ache of not knowing who you really are, the longing to feel alive, the question of whether or not you’re using your life the way you’re meant to. You don’t have to be alone in that. I know how to hold space for that level of inquiry and can help you to find clarity.
I don’t see therapy as “fixing” you. You’re not broken. Instead, our work together is about uncovering the parts of you that already know how to grow, love, and live deeply. Over time, things will shift. This is heart work. And it changes everything.
RATES
THERAPY
Individuals: $160/55 mins
Individuals $220/75 mins
Couples: $235/75 mins
YOGA
Therapy and Yoga: $175/60 mins
Therapy and Yoga: $235/75 mins
Private Yoga, Individuals: $125/60 mins
Private Yoga, Couples or Small Groups: $125/60 mins
DIRECT BILLING AVAILABLE FOR FNHA, ICBC AND MEDAVIE RECIPIENTS.
EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATIONS
Master of Social Work (University of Victoria). Registered Social Worker (BC College of Social Workers). Advanced training in Narrative Therapy, Internal Family Systems, and Sex & Relationship Therapy. Registered Yoga Teacher (Yoga Alliance).
POPULATIONS
Adults navigating identity, relationship transitions, and personal growth. Couples seeking deeper connection and intimacy. People exploring meaning, purpose, and embodiment.
AGE GROUPS
Adults (18+).
Older Adults.
Youth when their parents are seeing me for couples or family therapy.
COUNSELLING MODALITIES
Narrative Therapy. Internal Family Systems (IFS). Sex and Relationship Therapy. Trauma-Informed Practice. Mindfulness and embodiment-based approaches. Somatic Work through Yoga Practices. Existential approaches. Gottman Level One.
AREAS OF PRACTICE
Life transitions. Grief and loss. Relationship, sex and intimacy challenges. Self-discovery and identity work. Burnout and meaning-making.
My Story
Heart Work, this little universe right here, emerged after a period of fierce transformation. My beloved big brother died unexpectedly and the grief process involved a reckoning so intense that I had to change both the way I do therapeutic work and how I hold myself accountable to the meaning and ethics of my life. Real healing is not found in quick fixes or ten tips for wellness, though I think I’ve studied them all, but in presence, connection, and reflection.
Over the past 18 years, I’ve supported people in moments of change, loss, and rediscovery. I teach at the University of Victoria, in one version, mentoring future helping professionals and encouraging them to bring their whole selves to the work and in another version, offering occasional night classes that combine memoir writing with therapeutic inquiry. I teach yoga to people of all ages, combining ancient and spiritual wisdom with wellness information from today.
Beyond my professional life, I’m nourished by time exploring Vancouver Island on my bike or on a run, deep conversations, good books, and the people in my chosen families. I believe in love, in the resilience of the human spirit, and in creating a life that feels both rooted and alive.