From Corporate Cubicles to Healing Circles: Harjeet on Answering the Call to Counselling

Jameson Dean: Hello everyone to Rhodes Wellness College’s podcast, The Inside Story. Today we have a wonderful special guest and alumni of ours. Harj, who are you? What do you do? How do you do it? Go ahead.

Harjeet: Hey, Jameson. So good to connect with you as always. My name is Harjitira. What do I do? I’m a registered counsellor. I’m really loving the field and I’ve sort of had my hat in a couple of different places within this industry — coaching, counselling, instructing, facilitating, all that good stuff. So yeah, I’ve been exploring a lot of my work in this field.

Jameson Dean: Incredible to hear. And honestly, funny enough, I’ve seen your development in the last three to four years in terms of your coaching experience and now also your counselling experience. If I’m remembering correctly, you originally came to Rhodes Wellness College for coaching and then started a coaching practice and built up clientele there — and then were inspired to go more into counselling as well. Can you shed light on what that was like for you and why you went about it that way?

Harjeet: Yeah, absolutely. I’ll go back to 2015 because that was a really pivotal year for me in my healing journey. I was looking to work with someone who could support me in getting unstuck from the place I was in. And I worked with this awesome coach — really had a big life transformation during 2015 and 2016. I remember in one of our last coaching sessions, I said to her: “Where did you learn to do all of this?” Because I have always naturally navigated towards the healing work and the healing field. And I thought, you know what, since she’s really supported me and I’ve felt the transformation, I think this is a time in my life where I’m ready to step into that myself. And she was a graduate of a school called Rhodes Wellness College. I started to look more into it. A couple of years later, I ended up enrolling in the coaching program.

Harjeet: I did six months part-time. I was able to do it with my best friend, and we just had this really awesome coaching container. I graduated from the program, started working with clients, and really niched down into the work I was doing. And I realized at the same time that there was this desire to go deeper — I wanted to explore more of the trauma of what was happening for people. Coaching was so powerful because clients were really getting support in that process and building out their goals. But I was inspired to come back and take things further with counselling. So I came back to Rhodes to pursue my PCD in 2020. And it’s been such an incredible journey going through that program.

Jameson Dean: Wow. Incredible that you went through all of that — and you had a belief in yourself. I heard it right when you started talking. Once you see that you could do this yourself, or see that potential reality in your future, things can start happening — especially if we take action on it. What helped you take action on that belief?

Harjeet: Yeah. On one hand, when I look back at my life from a young age, I knew that I wanted to work in the counselling field. As a teenager, full disclosure, I had worked with counsellors in my youth. And I really, really loved that feeling — having that support, and the way in which counsellors sort of walked through the world. I always admired it. But it wasn’t until my later years that I thought, you know what, I actually could do this. And I think on one hand, it was a really good coach I was working with. When you’re working with a really talented coach, they will inspire that belief. They will really help you plant those seeds that you can quite literally do anything you desire. And that container kind of opened things up for me. At the time, I was working in a marketing role in downtown Vancouver. I had this fun aspect to the work I was doing, and I didn’t necessarily need to leave — but there was a calling that was inspired. A deeper knowing that it was time to transition.

Jameson Dean: It’s amazing that you were so brave and willing to leap — to commit to that and believe in yourself even though your life was stable. You knew there was more out there for you. Something that gives you that feeling of fulfillment and challenge, rather than stagnation. This work is ever-evolving and allows us to grow personally and professionally in such an infinitely interesting way.

Harjeet: Yeah — it’s a really good reiteration of that whole philosophy of life. I remember one point I was working in a sales role for a big company, looking out the window at a view of downtown Vancouver. And I remember feeling: I want to be out of here. I want to be somewhere out there. I wanted to be in the world doing something that mattered, something that was purposeful. It wasn’t about making a big company money or putting more money into another person’s pockets — it was about bringing more healing into someone’s heart. And there was this recognition: that’s true wealth right there. The cool thing is that all the skills we learn in those corporate jobs can apply when we build our businesses and create our purpose. But the heart has to be there first. And I recognized that’s what was missing. So I took those steps — one in front of the other — and off to the races we went.

Jameson Dean: Incredible. What do you think happened in your life leading up to the last five years — from a nature and nurture standpoint — that made you who you are today, the counsellor you’ve become?

Harjeet: That’s a really powerful question. As a child, there’s this intuitive piece that was innate — and I think a lot of us have that. I was blessed to be parented by a mother who was very nurturing of that. She brought me alongside her journey and all the things she navigated emotionally. I was kind of the sidekick to witnessing life unfold for her, and it put me into those deep emotional waters — really understanding people and having empathy. We have a beautiful relationship. And as life has continued, she’s supported me in understanding emotions from a deeper place.

Harjeet: It was in 2020 when my mom was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer. And again, in some ways she became the catalyst for going deeper into healing work. She’s with us today and she’s healthy and she’s great. But in that moment — we’ve got the pandemic, we’ve got a world in disarray, and in the heart of my home I had this world coming apart. And within all of that, there’s the theme again: when there’s breakdown, there’s breakthrough. She was both of those things for me. I had this moment of recognizing that this is the time to take that counselling work, to take myself up on it. If not now, when would a better time be? So I’d say that was the path — nature, nurture, environment, emotion — all leading up to that moment.

Harjeet: And I think a lot of us during the pandemic sat with ourselves and thought: what does life truly mean for me? What do I actually want to create? We had this time and space — that I don’t think many of us even realized we needed — to sit with ourselves, sit with nature, and explore what actually lights us up.

Jameson Dean: I’m feeling all kinds of ways because you have me thinking of the uprooting and disruption I experienced during the pandemic too. I see it metaphorically as taking a rototiller to a garden — churning up dirt that no longer serves the land, mixing in all the nutrients again so that new seeds can be planted, root upward, and thrive. The pandemic came in like that rototiller on so many people’s lives — giving an opportunity, however difficult, to change and improve.

Harjeet: Let’s not forget the mental health crisis was on the rise during that time. And it was like, okay, if there’s any time to step into this work, it’s for sure now. This mosaic just kind of came together. And coming into Rhodes at that time was such a lifeline — there’s a lot that was happening at once, and yet here’s this cohort of people who all decided to join their calling at the same time. It was quite an experience.

Jameson Dean: With Rhodes, the beauty was you were able to learn online in a very interactive and practical way — Zoom sessions, four and a half hours a day, five days a week — learning to become a counsellor during a worldwide pandemic, while a mental health crisis was actively rising.

Harjeet: Yeah. And there’s this worldwide trauma coming through at the same time, and here are these 20 souls saying — let’s step into understanding what emotions are and how we can support people. It was quite a bonding experience. I don’t think I’d look back and do it any differently. There was a lot more empathy involved, a lot more building of unity during a time of division. It was a perfect time to come in and say — everyone, let’s just put it all down and meet each other.

Jameson Dean: I love that. I’m curious: you’ve been out of school for a few years now and you have a very successful practice. How did you go from having one client to having a regular and growing caseload? What did you do to get yourself out there?

Harjeet: You know, what’s really interesting is that it comes back to that belief we talked about. There was nothing — nothing — that could have told me any different that I was going to be successful in this work. I was in a place of just not accepting difficulty as a reality or a possibility. I also came in with my marketing background — experience I could fall back on. And with Rhodes — the experiential model, diving into the work — I felt so prepared to step into the world and actually start helping people. I didn’t feel like I was floating. You’re jumping right into deep stuff with people on any given Tuesday, and that got me more fired up and excited to get into the work.

Harjeet: Social media became my main modality. I loved posting while I was still in school. As a student, I was sharing little pieces of what I was learning — taking people on the journey with me. That creative piece really sparked. Next thing you know, my social media following started to grow, people were messaging, and I was like: well, I can’t work with you as a counsellor yet because I’m still in school — but I can coach you. The brilliance of having coaching embedded at the beginning of the program was that I could start working with people right away. Marketing became something completely different for me. It became: how can I create content based on my story, on what inspires me, and put those into a creative outlet? The people who were meant to connect with me at that time connected with me. It turned traditional marketing upside down. You don’t have to push it out. Create alignment, and marketing just happens on its own. It became storytelling.

Harjeet: I also stepped back into the physical world as it reopened — hosting circles and events, dropping into ceremonial spaces, allowing the energy to speak for itself. And people just naturally started to come into my corner. It was a beautiful unfolding of doing marketing a different way.

Harjeet: I’ll add: I had a mom going through treatment at the same time. If anyone listening has ever been a caregiver to a loved one, you’ll know it’s such a journey to be on. Being in school during that time — school became the outlet, but it was also the purpose. When your back is against the wall, sometimes that’s when you step into some of your deepest healing work. All of my energy just got channelled into creating the work I wanted to do.

Jameson Dean: That authenticity — being so sure in yourself, not doubting that person — is remarkable. Was it coaching, counselling, or your upbringing that led to that confidence in yourself?

Harjeet: A little bit of all of it. It’s like a ricochet of things — events, people you meet — that all lead you somewhere. If I was to pull out the chunk that really drove home the sense that success is so possible, I would say coaching. It really planted the seed and opened up the world to me. At the time I took my first coaching course in 2018, a whole industry of coaches was emerging. Seeing that other people were really thriving in this field, and at the same time being trained to be a coach — that was big. And the way in which a really well-trained coach holds high positive regard for the person they’re supporting — the beauty of the training was that not only were we learning to do that for others, we were also opening up ourselves to receive that as a client. That’s why the experiential model is so key. How can you genuinely hold space for another person if you have not been cracked open yourself and met your edges? Coaching just opened up everything.

Jameson Dean: You were so okay with being cracked open — and that allowed you to help others feel fully open to talk about what they want to work on. From the coaching side, helping people move forward in the present moment — to the counselling side, which you saw great value in, to help people explore what has happened in the past that makes them who they are. Thank you so much for sharing.

Harjeet: Thanks for phrasing it that way. It reminds me of the philosophy: if we as facilitators can’t actually believe in ourselves or see that for ourselves, it’s not authentic when we show up for our clients. It has to be practiced before it’s preached. And by no means am I claiming to have it all figured out. I have days, Jameson, where things are just the opposite — where things feel heavy, and the tools feel far away. But at least we have the belief that the next day is going to be better. And we pick up and keep going.

Jameson Dean: And with that willingness to talk about your own issues with your own counsellors, coaches, healers, helpers — you do prevent transference between you and your client. When they’re talking about something, you’re not crying with them. You’re holding that space to help them feel things out.

Harjeet: Absolutely. The co-regulation — if you as a facilitator need to be regulated in that moment, it’s going to be really hard to connect to your client’s healing. I remember an instructor at Rhodes really bringing that point home: your self-care is going to be so important outside of this work. That just rings so true.

Jameson Dean: I totally agree. I speak to some counsellors who say, “I don’t take more than two clients a day. I go on four walks. I do my meditations and yoga.” The beauty of this work — with being potentially your own boss in your own practice — is you can design your schedule to help you get the self-care you need, so you can show up well for yourself and therefore your client. Self-care is number one.

Jameson Dean: In the next six months or a year, what are you working on within your practice — what are your goals to help it continue to grow?

Harjeet: There’s a shift happening in my world right now. I’m currently working at two private practices as a contracted counsellor, and it’s been the most incredible work and people I’ve been supporting. But I’m also shifting into more holistic care — additional to counselling support. Wellness-based content, wellness-based event spaces, ceremonial spaces, different structures — bringing more spirit and consciousness into holistic wellness from a really responsible way. A way that people can connect to on a soulful level. That’s the organization I’m building: One Truth Wellness.

Harjeet: My work started out more general — supporting people through life transitions. Then it shifted into working with people discovering themselves culturally. A lot of clients came from South Asian and Southeast Asian backgrounds, with a desire to bring the East and the West together. And now the work is shifting into relationship work — supporting people in building and maintaining healthy relationships. This actually comes full circle because I used to support people through the ending of relationships and the breakup process. Now, through my own lived experiences and professional development, I’m stepping into the Gottman Method and supporting people in how to stay and maintain healthy relationships. So, bringing relationship work and holistic care together within One Truth Wellness.

Jameson Dean: Wow. How things constantly seem to come full circle.

Harjeet: Absolutely. As long as you continue to grow and you continue to have belief in yourself, your business will not be the same from when you start — and it should always be growing with you.

Jameson Dean: I often call it a practice for a reason, because it’s just a constant practice. And it’s so compelling — how many lawyers, counsellors, accountants continue to grow and specialize and lean into different things that give them more passion or fulfillment.

Harjeet: Every millisecond of time matters — it all adds up to where we are. We can’t always look at one specific moment and say “that’s why,” because the moment before that had to matter too. This whole human experience is quite fascinating. I always think: one step in front of the other. Take a pause, look around, enjoy what’s happening. Then take the next step and really enjoy that process.

Jameson Dean: Something in life in general is this idea of enjoying the moment. The moment is all we have — The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. Let’s try not to get too tied to joy coming from the destination of graduation, of employment, of money. What if we just come back to the moment more? Come into our bodies more. Take some deep breaths, say a prayer if you need to — whatever it is to ground yourself and really own that moment.

Harjeet: Yeah, absolutely. So well put. And you know, as you’re saying this — in Punjabi, the second language I speak, they say “si bu de hoge”, meaning roughly “we have been completed.” So when someone passes, that person has been completed. Sometimes we want to put a timeline or an age on it, but it’s really just completion. Can you live your life to completion? What would that look like?

Jameson Dean: I love that. And at the same time I’m thinking — is “complete” passing with a life well lived?

Harjeet: I guess we each get to define that individually. What would that even feel like? What would that mean for you? That’s getting all existential and I love it. And the grief and loss class at Rhodes — I remember being in that class, starting to deal with those topics head-on. Topics I had never really spoken about or dealt with so directly. And those conversations don’t leave you. They hit your soul, your heart. They’re not things you ever forget.

Jameson Dean: I totally agree. Rhodes offers such an experiential, hands-on, practical experience to allow those types of conversations to come up naturally. Because if we’re constantly thinking about the fact that you’re going to be in the counselling chair and a client is going to say all of these things, how are you going to hold space for their feelings if you haven’t done that work in yourself first?

Harjeet: Absolutely. Being in the chair and supporting someone across from you who might be navigating something you haven’t personally experienced — you don’t have to have personally experienced everything in order to support someone. But the fact that so much ground is covered at Rhodes, visiting all these different areas, there’s a comfort in saying: there is nothing this person can bring up that I haven’t had to meet, at least within myself. And I think that’s what sets apart counsellors in the industry — your level of comfort in certain spaces and certain dialogues.

Jameson Dean: Absolutely, you nailed it. For anyone listening — how can they connect with you, work with you, or see you?

Harjeet: The main place I live is on Instagram — they can find me at One Truth Wellness. They can also type my name, Harj Tiara, into Google and the clinics I work at will also come up. I do have links available for one-on-one counselling support in my Instagram bio. So if people want to explore, book a consultation — they’re welcome to visit me at One Truth Wellness.

Jameson Dean: Amazing. I love that. And we’ll put that in the description of the podcast, the YouTube posting, and so on. I also want to mention — which is really important to us here at Rhodes Wellness College — Rhodes Counselling Centre. In the event that you’re looking for counselling in a more pro bono oriented way, online for anyone across Canada, Rhodes Counselling Centre is available. Our intake specialists can meet with you — find it on our website at rhodescollege.ca under Resources → Counselling Centre. There’s also a graduate and alumni booking page under Resources where you can see all of our graduates, the services they offer, and how to contact them. Our programs are offered online through Zoom in a very interactive, hands-on, and practical way. And my email is jameson@rhodescollege.ca if you want to reach out directly.

Jameson Dean: I wish everyone super well. My name is and has been Jameson — and you can also reach me at fullwelljameson.com in the event that you’re pulled to any of my services or want to check out what I do. We wish you all a wonderful, beautiful, blessed day. Be well. See you.

Harjeet: Thanks, Jameson.

Jameson Dean: Be well.