Dave A. Waugh (Wali), RPC (Registered Professional Counsellor), is the director of Elements Counselling in Vancouver, and has over twenty years training and experience in psycho-spiritual development. His private practice includes one-to-one, couple and small group work for people interested in transformation, psycho-spiritual development and relationship work. His general orientation is to assist people to access their inner resources in order to develop more conscious choice in their lives, and thereby foster the potential for growth in their evolution of consciousness. This often unfolds as one develops an aware ego process that leads to ever greater individuation while contributing their gifts to their community and the world. He believes that if we want meaningful change to happen in others, we must first learn to practice the perspective that Gandhi espoused, “we must become the change that we seek in the world.” 

 

   Presently Dave is 55 years of age and has been living in Greater Vancouver BC on the beautiful West Coast of Canada for the past 35 years. Home is close to the ocean and is shared with his beloved wife/partner/friend Sue and their cat. 

     Dave also co-facilitates retreats annually for men around the theme of friendship, healing and creativity. He also co-facilitates annual mixed retreats for men & women around the themes of friendship and creativity. In addition, he facilitates local ongoing groups in psycho-spiritual process and meditation.

 

   In the past, Dave has worked as a counseling instructor in a three year training program at Langara College in Process Counseling. He also worked as a senior’s program coordinator in a community center for seven years. While in this position he co-created senior men and women’s health fairs which were extremely popular. He facilitated two weekly groups - one for frail elderly women, and the other for retired men that fostered a sense of camaraderie and support. Dave also was the owner of a successful electrical service company for over 10 years with a staff of up to 14 people.

  COUNSELLING:

     The approach that Dave uses is a creative blend of different counselling modalities that together comprise the discipline of Integrative Process Counselling. It is an integral approach that honors body, mind, and spirit, and looks to the client’s unfolding process for direction in which method is applicable for their particular situation and where they are at in their process. The goal is to access inner resources that support the conscious awareness process and the development of true free will. Over time this can assist the client to develop the potential to grow in their evolution of consciousness and unfold toward individuation while fostering deeper intimacy in community and the world.

     The mentors for Dave’s training and process in counselling have been many but the two local counselling therapists with whom he studied and had sessions with the most were Ian McNaughton PHD (Bodynamics, Gestalt, Family Systems, Focusing & EMDR) and David Roomy MA, (Jungian Psychotherapist and Process Work Diplomat.)

     Dave has major certificates in two, three year Counselling training programs, one in Client Centered Counselling and another in Process Work (Track III). This led to a part time teaching position in a three year counselling training program called “Process Counselling” offered at Langara College in Vancouver. Dave also has various other certificates in Gestalt, Meditation in Counselling, Conflict Resolution, Voice Dialogue and Spiritual Guidance etc.

  VOICE DIALOGUE:

     Rather than a formal training, Voice Dialogue or the “Psychology of The Selves” is a consciousness model and more of an apprenticeship program.  It is recommended by the elders of the community that it is best to study with many different teachers and most of all to develop a more Aware Ego process over time. This happens naturally as one learns to access awareness to stand in relation to the opposites within oneself.  Some of the methods of developing an Aware Ego process are by being facilitated yourself, doing journaling and dream work etc. All of one’s previous training and psycho/spiritual practice contributes to this process. So far, Dave has taken training and had sessions with senior Voice Dialogue teachers J’aime ona Pangaia and Hogan Bays & Chosen Bays, Co-Abbots of the Great Vow Zen Buddhist monastery.  He also gets facilitated regularly by other practitioners and studies the available teachings. In July 2006 he assisted in a Voice Dialogue retreat at Hollyhock Retreat Center on Cortez Island, BC with J’aime Ona Pangaia and others.

  RAPHAELITE WORK:

     Dave is a Certified Raphaelite Work practitioner having graduated from the required four year training. His mentor/trainer was Himayat Inayati THD who is the founder of this work and was the international head of the Sufi Healing Order which offered the training at that time.

  TRANSFORMATIONAL SPEAKING CIRCLES:

     Speaking Circles is a method that helps one become a more natural speaker with individuals and groups. It does not focus on performance but rather on the healing power on “essence” and “relational presence.” Some people are drawn to Speaking Circles to become a more effective speaker, some come to heal from a lifetime of fear of speaking in groups and some come for the emphasis on essential spirituality. Dave trained in San Francisco with Lee Glickstein, the founder of this method, and is a Certified Speaking Circle Facilitator.

  SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE:

     Dave has been fortunate to learn from spiritual teachers of many different traditions. His orientation is to cultivate an integral consciousness practice that honors the essence of the world’s nondual sacred traditions while integrating the insights offered from psychotherapy and relationships. Dave prefers a psycho-spiritual awareness perspective that can hold the tension of the opposites, so that one can cultivate more true conscious choice. Over time this may lead to the maturity of individuation and living more respectfully on the earth with all sentient beings. Each person is unique and has in essence what is referred to in Voice Dialogue as a “psychic fingerprint” or “soul’s code” so their path will also be unique. If you are presently unaware of your life’s purpose or are suffering from lack of meaning, Dave’s hope is that together we can assist you in the awakening of what is a meaningful perspective for your life’s direction.

     For over 17 years Dave has received guidance and trained with Transpersonal Psychotherapist & Sufi teacher Thomas Atum O’Kane. This culminated in his completion of a two year training program with him through Hollyhock called “the Art of Spiritual Guidance.” Dave also assisted Atum for another two years in the next Spiritual Guidance training program. Currently Dave leads a meditation group once a month and is devoted to daily consciousness practices which are assisting him to see life as sacred practice.

  CPCA (Canadian Professional Counsellors Association)

     As a member of this association Dave is certified as a Registered Professional Counsellor. For the safety of his clients Dave is required to have competency based training upgraded yearly, a criminal record check, and carry professional liability insurance.