About Alice Mickelson

Alice Mickelson, Registered Social Worker, MSW

“For a child, it is in the simplicity of play that the complexity of life is sorted like puzzle pieces joined together to make sense of the world.”― L.R. Knost

Alice has worked with adults, children, youth and families for over ten years. Approaching her work from a growth mindset, she recognizes each individual’s capacity for growth and change and believes that every individual and child is unique and sacred.

Alice has a natural empathy towards people and desire to support individuals in their general well being. Utilizing evidence based therapies as well as play therapy – a form of counselling that allows children to work through their challenges via their natural medium of expressive play – Alice creates a relationship with every client in which they feel seen and accepted. Alice champions the power of family and believes that cultivating a strong and supportive relationship between child and parent(s) or caregiver(s) is one of the most important parts of the therapeutic process.  She supports parents to draw upon their strengths and values to deepen their understanding and connection with their children of all ages.

Alice draws from both directive and non-directive therapy approaches, including: child-centred, Adlerian, and cognitive based therapies; attachment theory; compassion focused, and strengths-based approaches; and art therapy. With a focus on strengthening inner abilities, Alice supports individuals and children to increase both social and emotional functioning in the face of challenges including: adoption, behavioural and emotional challenges, trauma, grief and loss, anxiety, and attachment.

Having worked in the field of adoption for several years, Alice supported families through their process of adoption, and worked as a family counsellor for Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society and Urban Native Youth Association. Alice was fortunate to train under Indigenous elders both in her education and practice, and her approach to working with Indigenous children and families is rooted in a culturally relevant and trauma-informed approach.

Through personal experience, Alice is also passionate about supporting individuals and couples through the process of infertility and assisted reproduction.

Alice is a registered social worker with the BC College of Social Workers (BC CSW), and holds a Master of Social Work Degree, from York University in Toronto. In addition, she completed a Bachelor of Social Work, at Nicola Valley Institute of Technology, BC’s Indigenous Post Secondary Training Institute, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, at Simon Fraser University. Alice is a member of the BC Association of Play Therapists (BCPTA) and the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society (CFAS).

Outside of work, Alice finds joy being with her partner and two children. She enjoys hiking and spending time outdoors exploring the forests of Vancouver Island. She loves to read fiction and non-fiction and explore creative endeavours.

Alice Mickelson, Registered Social Worker available for adult and child/youth counselling in Victoria