Leanne Stepp, MSW, RSW, RYT
You want to feel alive, connected, true to yourself.
But right now, maybe you’re carrying grief after a breakup, feeling the ache of the “how did my life end up this way?”, or questioning how to work through difficult relationships with family, community, the world. It can feel heavy, confusing, and lonely.
You’re going through a process of reckoning. We all do. But with the right support, you can turn this season of change into something that not just heals, but transforms you.
I bring nearly two decades of experience as a therapist, professor, and yoga teacher to support you through tender and transformative moments. My approach blends the insight of narrative therapy (making sense of the stories shaping your life), the depth of Internal Family Systems (getting to know the parts of you that hold pain or wisdom), and the practical tools of the Gottman Method and sex and relationship therapy (building healthier, more fulfilling connections). For those interested, I also know how to integrate the grounding and restorative practices of yoga therapy to help you reconnect with your body’s wisdom, regulate your nervous system, and create space for deeper healing.
Every session is a chance to pause, breathe, and uncover new possibilities. Together, we’ll explore what keeps you stuck and reconnect you with the inner wisdom that already knows how to heal and grow.
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. Masculinities. First Responders. People experiencing burnout, especially helping professionals. People experiencing perimenopause.
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.