BIO
Kenton Klassen, BFA, MA, RCC Psychotherapist
Welcome! I am a psychotherapist, a Registered Clinical Counsellor, and the owner of Beyond the Pines Therapy based out of Vancouver, BC. I hold a B.F.A. in Theatre from U.B.C. and an M.A. in Counselling Psychology from The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. I have completed clinical internships through the Dr. Peter Centre and Nightingale Counselling & Research, and am committed to ongoing education and clinical supervision. I am currently a fellow of Launchpad Counselling, a collection of Registered Clinical Counsellors passionately dedicated to providing outstanding care and effective support to our clients and each other.
Having grown up in northern towns all over Western Canada and moving 30 times by the age of 30, I am accustomed to building relationships with new people. I have enjoyed exposure to wildly different communities and have a background in various fields including industrial work, bartending, theatre/film, and education.
For a long time I avoided therapy, trusting only in myself to manage the unending impact of difficult past experiences and struggling far longer than was necessary. However, I was finally convinced to give therapy a try and found it transformative. I am now a passionate advocate for meaningful therapy and mental health education.
Outside of the therapy office you may find me at the cinema, exploring the coastline with my family, enjoying a very loud concert, rehearsing a new play, or immersing myself in a Steinbeck novel.
THERAPEUTIC APPROACH
Psychodynamic (Psychoanalytic) Psychotherapy / Depth Therapy
How has your mind been formed? The foundation of my approach is based on the fact that human beings are forever engaged in a process of development. Many of our struggles are caused by unconscious thoughts, feelings, and relational experiences that live outside our awareness but impact our behaviours, relationships, and emotional patterns. This means that mental health symptoms are more than something to simply get rid of; they are important indicators of the underlying issues. Building a trusted relationship with clients plays a crucial role in this form of therapy, as we listen together for what may be just out of reach.
I have specialized clinical training in British Object Relations, a school of Psychoanalysis that emphasizes the developmental impact of early parental attachments on the inner life of the mind. I also draw heavily upon contemporary (Jungian) Analytical Psychology, which emphasizes the archetypal and symbolic patterns of the human experience and the principle that we are fundamentally oriented towards wholeness.
“There is a consistent finding in the research of patients making considerable improvement, long after treatment has ended.”
- British Psychoanalytic Council
Click here to look at the research.
Dr. Jonathan Shedler briefly explaining how this type of therapy works.
Interpersonal Neurobiology / Attachment Theory
How is your nervous system connected to your mental health? I also draw upon my clinical training in Interpersonal Neurobiology, a school of research that examines how your brain, body, and mind are developed, function, and change in the context of human relationships. The science of Attachment is a central area of research in this field, and there is an emphasis on the healing impact of mindfulness and other contemplative practices.
Family Systems / Cultural Development
What role do you play in your family? It can be extremely helpful to zoom out and examine the impact of previous generations, the relational dynamics of your family system, and your surrounding cultural influences. A core tenet of my approach is keeping in mind that we are formed within larger systems. I often refer to Bowen Family Systems , along with various theories of human cultural development, to assist me in this area.
BEYOND THE PINES PHILOSOPHY
“Out beyond ideas of wrong doing and right doing there is a field, I’ll meet you there. ”
The name Beyond the Pines was inspired by a Thrice song, which is based on A Great Wagon by the poet Rumi. It is also a nod to the Derek Cianfrance film The Place Beyond the Pines. These art pieces explore how divisions in society are related to divisions in our minds. We are living through a period of intensifying social division, which troubles me deeply. Wouldn’t it be great to find ourselves in the place beyond the pines, where we ultimately transcend our internal divisions and hateful projections, realizing how interconnected we all are? The name also points to the stunning Pacific North West, where I am located, and the Arthurian grail myth about entering the dark forest, which is an apt metaphor for transformative inner work. As relational beings, this inner work requires bringing our stories into trusted relationships. Providing an opportunity for this is the vision of Beyond the Pines Therapy.
“Wholeness is not achieved by cutting off a portion of one’s being, but by integration of the contraries. ”