About Paul

I was born in Los Angeles, California, and grew up surfing along the Southern California coast. In my mid to late teens, while immersed in the beauty of the ocean and waves, I began reflecting more deeply on my life. This introspection led me to start studying and practicing Tibetan Buddhism at the age of eighteen. For over 20 years, I have been immersed in the views, meditations, and rituals of the Himalayan Buddhist tradition, including living in Nepal for six years and spending a cumulative two years in meditation retreats. Over these years I found that each of us possesses an innate awareness—an inner knowing—that is fundamentally stable, clear, kind, and spacious.

Yet, throughout this journey, I recognized areas within myself that needed further attention, maturity, healing, and growth. This recognition prompted me to return to university, where I earned a BSc in psychology and an MA in counselling psychology. Alongside my studies, I also sought the support of trained mental health professionals, deepening my understanding and personal development.

I volunteered as a counsellor in community mental health, offering counselling to a range of people experiencing acute and long-term stress, anxiety, depression, ADHD, low self-worth, and trauma. As a counsellor, I supported individuals in navigating life’s most challenging moments, whether they were dealing with personal transitions, unresolved trauma, or struggles unique to men’s mental health. My approach is grounded in creating a safe, non-judgmental space where clients feel grounded enough to explore their emotions, thoughts, and behaviours.

I specialize in working with men navigating challenges related to identity, relationships, and emotional expression. I also have a deep focus on supporting individuals through trauma, using a polyvagal-informed lens alongside evidence-based techniques like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) to help clients build safety and resilience in the subtlety of their nervous systems.

Life transitions—whether they are career changes, relationship shifts, or personal development—are another area where I provide support, helping clients embrace growth and transformation in meaningful ways through the inevitable internal and external changes of life.

I also provide support for individuals who are struggling with their spirituality. Whether it involves questions of meaning, inner conflict, or reconciling personal beliefs, I offer a compassionate space for you to explore and process these challenges, helping you to align your spiritual path with your emotional and psychological well-being and the realities of daily life.

Furthermore, my goal is to help individuals feel safe and grounded within their bodies, creating a strong foundation for addressing and healing emotional and relational challenges. With over two decades of meditation practice, I am passionate about supporting people to discover and integrate a thread of awareness into their daily lives, whether in moments of ease or during times of adversity.

In my free time, I enjoy staying active through swimming, biking, and running and doing the occasional triathlon. I live on the beautiful west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, together with my wife and cat.