Tessa Lloyd - Counsellor - Photographer

Meet Tessa

I am a counsellor, writer and photographer based in Victoria, British Columbia. I have a BA in Child and Youth Care, and a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology.

I grew up in the seaside village of Mumbles, in South Wales, and in my late teens I volunteered for two years in a residential school for children with disabilities, on the banks of the River Dee in Scotland.

I immigrated to Canada in 1976 spending five years in Alberta before heading west.

I was so relieved to live near the sea again! I am thrilled to call beautiful Victoria, BC home. It’s here that I raised my four girls and acquired four great sons-in-law. And it’s here that I greeted the most gorgeous brood of grandchildren, Liam, Sophie, Olivia, Charlotte, Rhys and Benjamin.

It’s also here that I met and married my soul-mate Peter Campbell. He’s an award-winning documentary filmmaker and Poppa extraordinaire to our grandchildren. Together we love to hike, bike, camp, cook, garden, and read each other poetry. We are equally enthusiastic about adventure travel, heading off the beaten track, and discovering the magic of how other people live. Our travels have included Cuba, Mexico, Honduras, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Singapore, Malaysia, France, Greece, Italy, Hong Kong and Morocco.

Counselling

“Children do not get traumatized because they are hurt. They get traumatized because they are alone with the hurt.” —Dr. Gabor Maté

After many years as a counsellor in public and private schools, I now have a small private practice as a Registered Clinical Counsellor.

I provide counselling for children and adolescents facing mental health and identity concerns, developmental and behavioural challenges, and school-related difficulties. My approach is cognitive-behavioural, child-centred, developmentally informed and grounded in attachment theory.

Whether kids need to talk about stress, anxiety, school pressures, family/peer relationships, or big questions about identity, gender, meaning of life, and planning for the future, my aim is to help them feel understood, gain practical coping tools while building their self-awareness, resilience, confidence—and sense of personal agency. At the same time, I want to ensure that my clients—big or little—are able to better understand their inner world—and regulate their thoughts and feelings rather than being ruled by them.

Much of my work is with families during separation and divorce, supporting young people and their parents navigate change while promoting emotional resilience, and fostering relationships. Children and teens often carry feelings they don’t yet have words for—confusion, loyalty conflicts, grief, despair, loneliness-and worry about the future.

My support helps families achieve stability and a positive adjustment to change.

Client Testimonials

“Tessa was recommended to us by our children’s paediatrician, more than ten years ago. She has provided our children with excellent counselling, in a safe, nurturing, and comfortable environment. Tessa has navigated us through many stages and many trying times. She has been an invaluable and consistent presence and resource for our family. Thank you, Tessa!”

“Tessa Lloyd has been an exceptional support to our family. She worked closely with our young children using cognitive behavioural therapy to help them manage anxiety, navigate transitions, and reduce stress. Tessa also provided invaluable guidance in addressing complex family dynamics, supporting parents in developing a consistent and united approach to parenting. Her work has been instrumental in helping us build, strengthen, and maintain healthy relationships with one another. Throughout our time working together, she has been calm, thoughtful, and highly professional, offering practical, realistic strategies and sound relationship guidance. Tessa is also kind and genuine, and her steady, supportive manner has made a meaningful and lasting positive impact on our family.”

“Tessa is an exceptional family counsellor. She brings a calm, caring, and highly professional presence, and has a natural ability to build trust and rapport quickly, especially with children. Her approach is thoughtful and balanced, and she creates a safe, supportive environment that helps families feel heard and understood while navigating life’s challenges and transitions. I am very grateful for her guidance and would highly recommend her to any family seeking compassionate, skilled support.”

Photography

My camera and I have been constant companions for four decades. I’m deeply passionate about capturing beauty, character and originality through my lens. As an unapologetic perfectionist, I notice and attend to the small details, the big picture, and the story at the same time. My approach is intuitive and candid, with a preference for natural light and outdoor settings. Here in Victoria, BC we are certainly spoilt for choice of locations that offer a beautiful backdrop.

Please send me a note if you are interested in using my photographic skills, or would like a have an image from one of my galleries printed and framed.

Look Who We Met Along the Way

Flora and Fauna

This is Our Work

© Tessa Lloyd. All photographs on this site are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced or used without permission.

My Book

Forty Fathers: Men Talk About Parenting was published in 2019 by Douglas and McIntyre, receiving wide national acclaim.

Forty Fathers is a non-fiction anthology that brings together the voices of forty Canadian men from diverse backgrounds reflecting honestly on their experiences of fatherhood. The book was born out of my realisation that books offering candid, father-to-father insight into parenting were few and far between. Having worked with many dads, I was aware that men can feel unprepared and unsupported when they became fathers, and they rarely lean on each other the way women do.

Many contributors speak candidly about their own struggles, childhood wounds, being limited by prevailing cultural narratives and the ways they have worked to be more present and emotionally responsive with their own children. The stories, complemented by my photographs of fathers and their children underscore the profound and lasting impact that fathers have on their children and on family life across generations.

The contributors are an eclectic group of Canadian dads, ages 29 to 89 and include wrestler Bret Hart, hockey player Trevor Linden, musician Alan Doyle, academic Niigaan Sinclair, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, restaurateur Vikram Vij, as well as a colourful bunch of writers, athletes, artists, and everyday dads, giving readers a comprehensive and textured portrait of what it means to be a father.

Material from the book is being used by the Dad Hero Project, serving fathers in thirty prisons across the country. This wonderful project helps dads develop communication and parenting skills, fostering a better relationship with their children. See https://www.cfcn-rcafd.org/dad-hero-project.

Excerpts from Forty Fathers are being used by the national fatherhood group, Dad Central (www.dadcentral.ca), who also feature “Champion Dads” on their website.

I am thrilled to know that the book is making a lasting difference for Canadian families.

Tessa interviewing Robert Bateman at his home on Salt Spring Island

"Hearing and gathering the stories from Canadian men for my book 'Forty Fathers' will remain one of the most heartfelt, uplifting and privileged experiences of my life."