About Darren Wong
Get to know the person behind
the practice.
Before booking, take a moment to get a sense of who I am, how I work, and what matters to me outside of the office. Fit matters.
Before booking, take a moment to get a sense of who I am, how I work, and what matters to me outside of the office. Fit matters.
My path into counselling began as a wrestling coach, where I developed a deep appreciation for resilience, discipline, and emotional regulation to help athletes succeed on and off the wrestling mat. From there, I spent time at an international boarding school, learning how to support students from vastly different backgrounds as they navigated living and learning together in close community. For the past decade, I've been working in the North Vancouver School District as a high school teacher, walking alongside students through academic stress, identity development, and mental health challenges.
In the last two years, I've been completing my Master's Degree in School Counselling and have transitioned into the role of high school counsellor. My approach focuses on collaborative and client-centred counselling for youth and adults based on the systems we surround ourselves in. I employ cognitive-behavioural techniques, mindfulness, and culturally responsive care to help clients move through the difficult areas of their lives and find solutions that fit their lifestyles.
Travel has been one of the most meaningful ways I've grown both personally and professionally. My trips to Japan and India during my twenties were truly transformative. I immersed myself in cultures with deep histories, different relationships to community and well-being, and a pace of life that invited real reflection. These experiences shaped how I understand resilience, connection, and the many different ways people find meaning in their lives.
With my wife, we've travelled to Taiwan where we learned how to make beef noodle soup and xiao long bao, Hong Kong where I reconnected with my family heritage, the Netherlands where we biked on some of the best bike paths, France where we explored history beside modern buildings, Thailand where we met rehabilitated elephants, and Vietnam where we had banh mi and pho everyday! We love stepping into the lives of locals, reconnecting with old friends, and of course, the food!
I grew up on the classics like Super Mario World, Golden Axe, Chrono Trigger, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and later StarCraft, World of Warcraft, Minecraft, DOTA, and Slay the Spire, just to name a few. Gaming has been one of the most consistent ways I've stayed connected with friends. Whether we're on Discord coordinating strategies in real time or just catching up between matches, those spaces have allowed for both high-energy collaboration and meaningful conversations about life.
As a kid, shows like Dragon Ball and Pokémon were my entry point into anime culture. As I got older, that evolved into deeper narratives like Avatar: The Last Airbender, and an appreciation for science fiction through series like Star Trek: The Next Generation. These stories allowed me to explore themes of identity, morality, growth, and what it means to be human.
Many of my clients share similar interests, and I've found that video games, anime, and pop culture can be powerful entry points for exploring complex emotions, identity, and relationships. These shared references often make it easier to connect, reflect, and engage in meaningful conversations in a way that feels natural and authentic.
Living in North Vancouver means I'm incredibly lucky to have world-class trails right at my doorstep. You'll often find me hiking barefoot up Grouse Mountain which I find helps me feel more connected to the earth and helps me work on balance! Forest bathing is one of my favourite ways to reset after difficult times because being among the trees, listening to running water, and moving through the landscape helps clear my head and bring me back to the present.
I also love foraging for mushrooms and spotting them tucked into the forest floor. Few things make me happier than finding a new patch of woods where chanterelles are beginning to emerge. I especially enjoy sharing this interest with friends, inviting them to explore the forest with me, and watching them discover the mushrooms for themselves.
This love of nature is also a big part of why I offer Walk and Talk sessions. Getting outside can shift the energy of a conversation in a powerful way. It feels less like a formal appointment and more like two people moving through the world together while making sense of things.
Now that you know all about me, let's book a session so I can get to know you!
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