Natalie Macdonald is a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor who has opened her own practice – Tideline Wellness.
She has always been drawn to helping people and has always been fascinated by the mind, body and soul connection.
“It’s about helping people conquer their mental and emotional barriers so that they
can realize their full potential,” says Natalie.
“That’s what it is all about. I get so much joy from seeing people break through and live their best lives.”
Natalie has developed highly customized counselling approaches for: individual counselling, trauma-focused counselling, business and career advancement counselling and athletic performance counselling.
“I honestly don’t have a ‘typical client’,” says Natalie.
“Each of my clients is a unique individual requiring an approach designed to be specific to their needs. Tideline is a place for everyone.”
Natalie knows that finding the right counsellor is a deeply personal experience. “Everyone has unique backgrounds, experiences, uncertainties, goals and desires for their mental and emotional well-being,” she explains.
“In that sense, it’s not that someone should come to me over any other counsellor, it’s about creating a friendly, trusting and welcoming environment so that individuals feel comfortable and empowered when choosing to work with me.”
As such, on a client’s first visit, Natalie and the client talk about how to customize the counselling experience so that the individual mental health and wellness goals can be addressed.
It’s not just sitting around the office talking, either.
Natalie offers ‘Walk and Talk Therapeutic Power Sessions’ to speak with clients while strolling along Okanagan Lake. “Something about walking in nature can really free up and release thoughts and feelings,” she says.“It’s a very popular modality with my clients.”
After earning her undergraduate degree in Psychology in Canada and a Honours Degree in Australia, Natalie published a research article. She then did some of her own mind, body and soul connecting in Australia by training for and competing in her first half-Ironman.
Since then, there have been travels to VietNam, back to Australia, to New Zealand, then back home to Canada. After becoming a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor and while building her own private practice, she trained for and completed the Ironman Penticton.
Tideline Wellness is about to undergo an expansion that will include other practitioners with a focus on the mind-body connection.
She hopes to include services such as: massage therapy, naturopathic medicine and nutrition.
“I am creating a beautiful, collaborative space that will house a variety of wellness services so that residents of the Okanagan Valley are supported holistically in their wellness journeys.
While Tideline Wellness’ main focus is in providing individualized counselling services to people from all walks of life, it has also identified that organizations are in need of mental health services for staff, stakeholders, and members. So, we’re looking to expand our reach further to create individual wellness programs for businesses and athletic programs.”