Our Counsellors
Dr. Linda Franchi
Dr. Franchi brings an incredible breadth of experience and passion to PWP, and we are honoured to have her join our team providing care to people with Parkinson’s across the region.
After three decades serving the Deaf and hard of hearing communities in a variety of leadership and counselling capacities in Vancouver, British Columbia, Linda relocated to Victoria in 2020.
She holds a PhD from Simon Fraser University, examining accessible communication, family and community relationships and end of life care. She is a certified Death Doula and Advance Care Planner.
Samina Malik Smith
We are so excited to introduce Samina Malik Smith to our PWP community. Samina is a Registered Professional Counsellor with the Canadian Professional Counselling Association. Her background includes mental health, grief and loss and navigating the life span. She is passionate about assisting individuals with Parkinson's to discover and reconnect with their strengths, navigate adversity, and find meaning during life’s most challenging moments. She is also a trained facilitator and certified life coach.
Samina is an active community volunteer and finds joy as a mom, to her two beautiful boys, her family including a cat and a dog, yoga, nature and a good cup of tea.
Give us a call to book an appointment with Samina. Her hours are flexible and she’s available Tuesday through Thursday. Next time you’re at Blanshard Street, whether for a class or a cup of coffee, be sure to stop by and say hello!