~ You are not alone.
You are seen. I am with you. ~
About Sandra Filippelli- Founder & Owner
Welcome! My name is Sandra Filippelli and I am the founder of Infinity Child & Family Counselling located in Coquitlam, BC.
I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC #21198) with a Masters in School Counselling from City University of Seattle (2023). I also have a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed- 2006) and a Bachelor of Human Kinetics (B.Kin- 2005) from the University of British Columbia.
I have been a teacher for over 17 years in both the Coquitlam and Surrey School Districts. I have taught Grades 1-7, Social Development, and I have been part of the Learner Support Team. I have great knowledge and experience working with children and youth with a variety of needs, as well as families and parents.
Most recently with the completion of my Masters in Counselling, I have continued my love of helping, supporting and communicating with others to further pursue my career in Counselling in private practise.
I am a wife, mother of two beautiful children and fur mama to our Teacup Yorkie named Bailey. I enjoy spending time with family and friends, watching and playing sports, the outdoors and camping, listening to music, drinking a good coffee and travelling.
I look forward to sharing your healing journey with you!
Why INFINITY (/inˈfinədē/)?
~the state or quality of being infinite
~the concept of something that is unlimited, endless, without bound
~unlimited extent of time, space or quantity: boundlessness
“Your limits are somewhere out there, waiting for you to reach beyond infinity.”
What is Counselling?
Families and individuals often come to counselling because they are struggling with coping or with conflict, or because they want something in their lives to be different. You may want to address a specific concern, make a decision, or gain a better understanding of yourself, your partner, or your child. Your counsellor will listen carefully and non-judgmentally to understand your world. They look for patterns in your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, and work with you to formulate strategies to enhance your life, help deal with the stressors, and ask questions to stimulate thinking.
Counselling is a collaborative process in which you develop a relationship with a trained professional to examine thoughts and patterns that may not be working in your life. You can also examine how to tap into existing resources and develop new ones to improve relationships and your life.
Things to Talk About
in Therapy
Worried about what to talk about in your Counselling Session? Here are some ideas to get your started:
Your feelings around being in therapy:
When starting therapy, you may be asking yourself what to talk to a therapist about as it relates to your experience in therapy. This is a common challenge, but remember that therapy is your safe space designed for openness, exploration, and personal growth. Each thought that crosses your mind is something you can discuss. Consider the following areas that focus on a specific experience or emotion around being in therapy:
Your hesitation or skepticism about being in therapy
Your previous therapy experiences
Your beliefs about therapy
Not knowing what to say in a first session or follow-up sessions
Feeling unsure about what’s bringing you to therapy
Your relationships:
Different people have different things to work on in therapy, but a lot of people talk about their relationships — whether they’re causing problems or not. Your interactions with the people in your life are rich areas for exploration regarding what to talk about with your therapist. Here are some issues and areas regarding relationships you might wish to delve into:
Important people in your life
Frustrating people in your life
People you miss
What you wish people would do more of
What you wish people would do less of
How to set boundaries and expectations
Your family and friends
Your emotions:
In the journey of self-discovery and healing, emotions are undoubtedly among the crucial things to talk about with your therapist. Discussing how your mood has shifted over time can also provide insight into your mental health and overall well-being. Here are some emotion-focused topics that you might find beneficial to explore:
What makes you laugh
What makes you angry
What makes you cry
What scares you
How your mood has changed
Your thoughts:
Your thought patterns and concerns are one of the key things to talk to your therapist about. Recognizing irrational or intrusive thoughts can also be good for self-awareness and healing. Below are some thought-focused topics to consider discussing in counseling:
Patterns you find yourself repeating
Memories you think about a lot
What worries you
Irrational thoughts
Intrusive thoughts
Your thoughts about yourself
Your everyday life:
When wondering what you talk about in therapy, don't overlook the seemingly mundane aspects of your everyday life. Daily experiences and routines can help your therapist understand more about you and your circumstances.. Here are some everyday life topics that could be beneficial to address in your therapy sessions:
What makes you feel stress
Where you feel stuck
What you want to change
What you want to stay the same
Things that bother you
What goals you want to set
How you cope or what gets you through hard times
~ This list of what to talk about in therapy is nowhere near exhaustive, but it can serve as a starting place if you’re feeling at a loss with what to talk to your therapist about in any given session -even if you’ve been in therapy for years. ~