BIO
Kenton Klassen, BFA, MA, RCC Psychotherapist
Having grown up in northern towns all over Western Canada, and moving 30 times before I was 30, I am accustomed to building relationships with all sorts of people. I have enjoyed exposure to wildly different communities and have a background in various fields including industrial work, bartending, education, & theatre/film.
For a long time I avoided therapy, expecting to find my own way out of the enduring 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 mental health education and meaningful psychotherapy.
My personal experiences eventually led me a path to becoming a Psychodynamic Psychotherapist, a Registered Clinical Counsellor (R.C.C.), and the owner of Beyond the Pines Therapy. 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. Currently, I am 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.
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 Psychotherapy / Depth Therapy
How has your mind been formed? Many of our struggles are caused by the impact of thoughts, emotions, and relational experiences that remain outside our awareness but shape our day-to-day lives in numerous ways. This form of therapy understands mental life as tied to our personal development , with symptoms being more than something to simply get rid of — but also important indicators of what most needs tending. Psychodynamic Psychotherapy works to address the root of your issues, through exploration of your experience within a trusted relationship.
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 upon contemporary (Jungian) Analytical Psychology, which emphasizes the symbolic patterns of 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 VISION
“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 within our minds.
We are currently living through a period of ever intensifying social division. 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 interdependent we all are?
Beyond the Pines also refers to the stunning Pacific North West, where I am located, and the Arthurian grail myth about entering the dark forest — an apt metaphor for transformative inner work. As relational beings, lasting personal work requires bringing our stories into trusted relationships. Beyond the Pines Therapy aims to be a place where this can happen.
“Wholeness is not achieved by cutting off a portion of one’s being, but by integration of the contraries. ”