Bea Armstrong

I'm currently thirty-five years old. I've lived in a half-dozen different countries on three different continents, and have travelled to many more. I've worked in education, helping professions, hospitality, academia, nightlife, sex work and fine arts. I've been unemployed and self-employed. I've had (and lost) a few dream jobs. I grew up in Christianity, have been practicing forms of Buddhism and Animism for over a decade, and continue to pursue deeper spirituality daily. My mom says I used the word “anxious” at 2 years old (then accurately described my sense of worry and impending doom to her). I’ve had extended periods as a patient in the clinical system on psychotropic medication in my childhood and youth, but the most successful chemical treatments for my personal mental and emotional health came in the form of psychoactive substances like THC, DMT, and MDMA. For this reason I am a strong proponent of decriminalizing narcotics for harm reduction and research. I have almost 20 years of education in fields of traditional Psychology, Parapsychology, Philosophy, Neuroscience and Cognitive-Behavioural Studies. I have high emotional intelligence and empathy, strong listening skills and a commitment to real open-mindedness and radical honesty. I am not good at self promotion or “small talk”, which is probably why it has taken me a bit long to pursue starting a formal professional counselling practice.