Online counselling in the Okanagan, from a practice that started here
Desert Solace began with offices in Oliver and Penticton. We’ve moved fully online, so you can still see us from anywhere in the valley, without the drive.
Looking for our old office? We’re online now
Our offices on Fairview Road in Oliver and Martin Street in Penticton closed in May 2026, when the practice moved fully online. There’s no longer anywhere to drive to, but the same practice is still here, by video or phone.
If you were a client at either office:
- You can carry on. Book in Jane as before, and choose an online appointment. Your counsellor will send a video link, or call you if you’d rather use the phone.
- Your records are safe. They stay in Jane, our secure booking and records system, and nobody else gets access because the office closed.
- Your fee and benefits work the same way. Online sessions are billed exactly like in-person ones. See fees and insurance.
If an old listing sent you here with an address, it’s out of date. We’re updating Jane, Psychology Today and other directories so the old addresses stop circulating.
Why online works in a small valley
In a small town, walking into a counsellor’s office can feel like a public announcement. Everybody knows whose truck is parked where. Online sessions take that off the table: you can talk from your kitchen, a quiet room at work, or a car parked by the lake, and nobody needs to know.
It also takes the drive out of it. No winter roads over the passes, no hour each way for a 50-minute session, and no hunting for the one specialist within reach. Research comparing video and in-person counselling finds the results are about the same for most common concerns. If the internet is patchy where you live, a phone session works. More on how online counselling works.
Who on the team knows the Okanagan
- Davis Wiggs founded the practice here. He spent 14 years in the Okanagan, studied psychology at UBC Okanagan, trained at the Kelowna College of Professional Counselling, and worked in unhoused and addiction communities before opening the Oliver and Penticton offices. He now lives in the Cowichan Valley and sees Okanagan clients online.
- Madison Morrison splits her time between Osoyoos and Vineland, Ontario. She works with big emotions, burnout, neurodivergence and chronic illness.
- Chantelle Efird is our low-fee counsellor, at $60 a session. She works with anxiety, ADHD and teens and young adults.
- Jasneet Purewal works from Surrey, in English, Punjabi or Hindi, and sees clients anywhere in BC, including the Okanagan’s South Asian community.
What people in the valley bring to us
The same things people bring everywhere, often with a small-town twist. Drinking that started as a way to get through the season. A gambling or porn habit that’s harder to hide when everyone knows everyone. Family pressure in a farming family or a family business. Burnout in jobs where you can’t call in sick. You’ll find every topic on what we help with.
Okanagan help when you need it now
Desert Solace isn’t an emergency service. If you need help right away:
- 9‑1‑1 if you or someone else is in immediate danger
- 9‑8‑8 call or text, for anyone thinking about suicide, 24/7
- Interior Crisis Line Network, 1‑888‑353‑2273 24/7 emotional support across the Southern Interior
- KUU-US Crisis Line, 1‑800‑588‑8717 24/7, culturally safe support for Indigenous people in BC
- Foundry Penticton and Foundry Kelowna free walk-in and virtual support for young people aged 12 to 24
Our crisis page has the full list.
Where we began
Desert Solace began on the unceded territory of the syilx Okanagan people, and we’re grateful to have done this work there.
Common questions
Do you still see people in person?
No. Since May 2026 every session is online or by phone.
Can I keep seeing the same counsellor?
In most cases, yes. Book an online appointment in Jane, or email us and we’ll help.
Do you work with people elsewhere in the Okanagan?
Yes. Sessions are online, so it doesn’t matter where in the valley you live, or anywhere else in BC.
Is online counselling as private as the office was?
In some ways more so. Nobody sees you arrive. Your counsellor takes the session somewhere private, with headphones, and sessions aren’t recorded.
Same practice, no drive
Book a free consultation by video or phone, from wherever you are in the valley.
Next you’ll pick a time in Jane, our secure booking system. It asks for your name, email and phone.
Not an emergency service. If you’re not safe right now, call or text 9‑8‑8.