My Journey: Becoming the Counsellor I Once Needed

My name is Pardeep Thandi, and I am a registered clinical counsellor in Langley, BC. I am a Punjabi Sikh Canadian who immigrated to Canada as a teenager — a transition that shaped much of who I am today.

Coming here as the eldest child, with no English language skills, was overwhelming. Even though I had cousins my age in Canada, we had never met before, and the cultural and language barriers made it difficult to connect. I often felt deeply lonely, even with my family around me. My parents hoped that staying with my aunt for a short time would help me to adjust, but the language gap made it just as challenging.

After finishing high school, I completed a diploma in travel and tourism but struggled to find work in that field. I spent the next ten years working in retail, got married, and became a mother of three. It wasn’t until after having my children that I returned to school to complete my bachelor’s degree, which became an experience that changed my life.

When I went back to school, I was a woman with little confidence, someone who often saw herself as “less than” others. But the support of my professors and classmates helped me grow academically and personally. Their encouragement taught me how to overcome barriers when we have even a small amount of choice and control. My family, including my husband, children, mother, and siblings, became my foundation throughout this journey. Completing post-secondary education was not easy. It took late nights, sacrifice, and constant juggling of responsibilities, but I achieved it because of the unwavering support around me.

After my bachelor’s degree, I began working in a shelter — a world I knew nothing about before. It was an eye‑opening experience that helped me grow both personally and professionally. I worked in several roles within the non-profit sector, moving between roles as a residential support worker, case manager, women’s support worker, and outreach worker for an offender management program. I even worked inside a prison, helping inmates reintegrate into the community. Along the way, I met a mentor who became like a sister to me and taught me so much.

These experiences inspired me to pursue further education. I completed my Master’s degree during COVID and later began working as a mental health clinician for a health authority, eventually registering as a counsellor. This journey took over a decade, and I faced many hurdles, sleepless nights, and moments of doubt along the way, but I kept going because I found a purpose, and once I found it, I never looked back.

The Pardeep people see today — the counsellor, the strong personality — was once someone who felt weak, underconfident, and full of self‑doubt. There was a time when I felt helpless, hopeless, and unsure of my place in the world. Finding meaning changed everything for me. It reminded me how important it is for every human being to discover something that gives them direction and hope.

Today, I embrace my many identities: Punjabi Sikh Canadian, daughter, sister, wife, mother, and registered clinical counsellor. I provide compassionate counselling to individuals and couples who are navigating life’s challenges, drawing from both my professional training and the lived experiences that shaped me.