Meet Brandon Bate, MA, CCC
Psychotherapist and Counsellor in Abbotsford
Welcome! I am a psychotherapist, a Canadian Certified Counsellor, and owner of Cedar River Counselling, located in Abbotsford, BC. I hold a M.A. in Counselling Psychology from Trinity Western University. I have further specialized training in Existential Analysis, Emotion-Focused Therapy, and Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Processing.
Growing up, I developed a deep appreciation for diverse perspectives and recognized that empathy is the thread that binds us all together. I’ve faced challenges in my own mental and emotional health, which has fueled my passion for helping others navigate similar struggles. I firmly believe that reaching out for support and finding the right therapist can profoundly transform lives and propel individuals toward their goals more swiftly and effectively. It brings me great joy and honor to support my clients in this important work.
In my personal time, you can find me spending time in nature, kayaking the coastline of BC with my wife, or attending live theatre.
Therapeutic Approach
Emotion-Focused Therapy
At the end of the day, what matters most to you? Even though there is much that makes us similar to our fellow humans, we are also incredibly unique as well. Pursuing what matters most to you in life is likely to bring the most fulfillment. But how do we know what matters most to us? Through what we refer to as your core identity. This identity is how you understand yourself and what guides you through the hundreds of decisions we make on a daily basis. And the way we access that core identity is through our emotional experience. You will likely get the most passionate, alive, and determined version of yourself when you are grounded in what your experience is communicating to you. Through the use of techniques that focus on your emotional world, we can gain better understanding into what you care about most, and likely what you need to do next.
Attachment Theory/Interpersonal Neurobiology
How has your nervous system been formed? We are social creatures by nature, and the way we are raised will have a profound impact over how we live and move through the world. Our closest attachments - both in adolescence and through adulthood - will play a great role in how your mind and nervous system develop. By using the research of attachment theory, we are able to gain context for the maladaptive ways we have learned to cope with our struggles. We can slowly relearn how to connect with others and get our needs met in healthy ways.
Family Systems / Cultural Development
What role do you play in your family? Taking a step back to explore the influences of previous generations, family dynamics, and cultural contexts can be incredibly beneficial. A fundamental principle of my approach is recognizing that we are shaped and guided by the broader systems around us. By drawing on systemic theories such as Bowen Family Systems, the Satir Model, and other theories of human cultural development, I encourage my clients to take this wider perspective and consider what influences have brought them to where they are today.
Cedar River Philosophy
It’s my deep belief that people don’t need to be taught how to love, have joy, or flourish. Those things come naturally. They are ingrained in us all from birth. It is our natural state of “flow”. But when we are hurt, or when we are scared, a block can form inside us. We close up to protect ourselves, or we start to pretend to be something other than what we are, or we cut off the parts of ourselves that we are told are fundamentally bad. We push through in order to survive, but we are no longer in that state of flow anymore.
How would you help a river flow again? You would simply remove the blocks.
Here at Cedar River, the goal is not to change who a client is, but merely to help them remove the blocks so they can enter the flow again.
“If obstacles are removed, the individual will develop into a mature, fully realized adult, just as an acorn will develop into an oak tree.”
“Brandon effortlessly connects with his clients, holding a great deal of compassion and understanding for their experiences. He skillfully supports them in attuning to their inner world and wisdom, while supporting them in practical ways.”
Melissa Drabbant MA, RCC
“Brandon is a skilled and compassionate therapist. He takes the time to deeply attune to his clients’ needs and co-create the healing process together, helping them move towards inner healing and live a more fulfilling life.”
Derek Thiessen, MA, RCC, CCC
“Brandon is an exceptional listener who engages people with authentic warmth and curiosity. He has a keen insight into mental health struggles and knows how to help clients identify what may be just out of reach.”
Kenton Klassen, BFA, MA, RCC