Get to know: LCC therapist Deidre Keating

A selfie of Deidre wearing a multicolour scarf and a reddish orange cardigan in the forest in the fall, with yellow leaves on the ground and trees behind her. Deidre has sunglasses on her head, medium-length brown hair and is smiling in the photo.

Tell us a bit about yourself :)

Hi! I’m Deidre. As I’m a big believer in showing up in my humanness in all I do, here are some things about me that you may wish to know, as a person and a professional.

I am an early 40s, cis, white, small fat, able-bodied human being who is currently living on the east coast of Canada (Newfoundland, the unceded lands of the Beothuk people). This is my home, a quirky, cozy place that is equal parts magical and challenging.

I am the mama of a sweet eleven-year-old kitty, who has been in my heart since she was four months old. We live in St. John’s, in a vibrant little house that was built in the 1930s. When I look out my window, I see trees and a river, and I know the ocean is very close by. This is important to me – being surrounded by nature – and something I seek no matter where I am in the world. There is peace and simplicity in nature, and my nervous system really appreciates that.

Speaking of nature – I have had the awesome experience of living for several years on the Lower Mainland (both Vancouver and Bowen Island), and I miss the trees and mountains there, deeply! Before the pandemic, I was content making my home on the west coast. During the pandemic, however, my longing for roots became SO visceral, and I decided to up-root and re-root in the soils of my home island. I’ve been back on the east coast for a year now, and what a year of returning, regulating, and re-connecting it has been.

(side note: I love supporting clients both in BC and NL, so please don’t let my location be a barrier, if you’d like to work with me.)

What are you personal and professional values?

I believe in living a values-based life, and the values that I hold the most dear are curiosity, compassion, autonomy, growth, meaning, peace, and creativity. Everything I do is grounded in a combination of these, as much as humanely possible.

I also believe in the value of slowing down; this has been so powerful in my own healing journey. I lived in a space of hyperarousal for many years, and am being very intentional in reclaiming my slowness now. Slow days are delicious, slow movements, slow bodies, slow thoughts, slow everythings. My nervous system is happy to have made the shift.

I am endlessly curious about all things. People are fascinating – what we do/don’t do, what we think, how we feel, what drives our behaviours, how we are shaped, how unique we all are, yet how connected we all can be. Being a human being is a wild experience. I am grateful that my chosen field as a therapist allows me, and requires me, to be curious and to honour all experiences with appreciation, respect, and fascination.

What’s your personal journey with mental health been like?

I, too, have had my own colourful mental health journeys in my life, including extreme disconnection from my body, the unexpected loss of my dad at a vulnerable age, depression, prolonged grief, PTSD symptoms, and burnout, several times. I’ve also had lots of beautiful healing experiences, and my own journey of unlearning/learning, which form a very important part of my day to day now.

It’s true - therapists also have our own vulnerabilities and raw places. This helps us understand and hold our clients’ experiences with a lot of tenderness and care.

Please do be in touch if you’re interested in working with me. I’d love to connect with you. Thanks for reading. 😊