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meet the counsellors
At Columbia Counselling, we know that life is hard. We have been walking with individuals of all ages, couples, and families since we first opened our doors in 1984.
We are a team of counsellors who are passionate about caring for people as they face the challenges and uncertainties of life. We offer support, care, and insight to help you move from a place of brokenness and pain towards a place of healing and wholeness.
(he/him)
M.Ed., R.C.C
Brian has a Masters of Education in Counselling Psychology from the University of Alberta and a Bachelor of Arts from SFU. He is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors.
Brian's approach to psychotherapy has evolved since he began working with clients in 1989. At the heart of any beneficial counselling relationship is a sense of warmth, acceptance, and safety where the client feels respected, valued, and heard.
He believes that relationship is at the heart of healthy human functioning and that our relationships, both past and present, have a tremendous impact on how we live our lives. In order to live healthy and satisfying lives, we need to have an integrated sense of how our life stories influence our current relationships.
"My approach has been heavily influenced by leaders in the field of psychotherapy such as John and Julie Gottman, Susan Johnson (Emotionally Focused Therapy), and Daniel Seigel. From these and many other theorists, researchers, mentors and supervisors, I have developed my approach.
Asking for help isn’t easy. I always admire the courage it takes for a person or couple to decide to enter into the counselling process. People often feel vulnerable and anxious when they come to counselling for the first time and my goal is to help you feel safe and cared for and to know that you’re not alone. We all long to feel understood and even more so when we’re experiencing the hurt and pain that life inevitably brings. We all experience times in life where we feel stuck or damaged both personally and relationally.
My belief about the therapy process is that in order to heal and grow, we need to “feel felt”—to feel genuine concern and understanding in a nonjudgmental environment. We long to feel that the one listening to us is resonating with our story and with our pain, fears, and hurt. Healing comes as we experience that our concerns and story matter and make sense, freeing us to gain the courage to deal with the reality of our lives. Through this experience of acceptance and validation, we are able to safely integrate our deepest hurts, find hope and move towards healing and wholeness."
Haide loves to be an encourager and to walk alongside people through life's challenges. Haide has worked in private practice for over 24 years. She has worked with a variety of clients including individuals, couples, young adults, teens, and groups. She provides marital and pre-marital counselling for couples. She also works with individuals and families on a variety of issues including personal growth and understanding, anxiety, depression, living with a disabiliy, grief and loss, partner abuse and control and dealing with difficult relationships.
Haide participates regularly in continuing education opportunities that have included workshops on parenting, couple relationships, executive functioning, autism, mindfulness, anxiety, trauma, and abuse.
Haide has been married for 29 years and has four young adult children aged 19-24. Haide's family is a wonderful blend of neurotypical and neurodiverse. Haide is the one NT in a ND family. In addition to her professional work, Haide has also participated in community speaking panels on “Living With Autism” as a parent participant, sharing about her experience as a parent of autistic children. Haide’s personal experiences of navigating health services for her family add a valuable perspective to her counselling work.
Haide loves creating, whether through cross-stitch, photography, writing, or crafting days with friends. She loves opportunities to travel and enjoys planning trips with her family to see many of the beautiful places on our continent and beyond. She also loves to host friends and family, whether for a few hours or for a few weeks. Haide works at maintaining a balance between life and the many demands on her time and self-care and care of her relationships by ensuring that she has regular time to do things that revive her and to regularly invest in the relationships in her life.
"The most important values that influence my work are authenticity, safety, and emotional health. I seeks to live authentically whether I am in the counselling office or in the community. My number one priority is that my clients feel safe, secure and valued in my presence. I seek to help clients find ways to care for themselves and grow to become the people they desire to be. I care deeply about my clients and enjoy seeing positive change in their lives as they move toward wholeness"
Online appointment booking: https://haideg.simplybook.me/v2/
Blog: https://haidecounsellor.wixsite.com/encouragement-along
(she/her)
M.A., R.C.C.
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Kelly holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling from Trinity Western University (2005) and is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (#2803) with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors. She has worked in non-profit and private practice settings for the past 12 years supporting adolescents, families and individuals experiencing a range of concerns including depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, self-harm, suicidal ideation, grief, trauma, and life transitions. Kelly approaches the counseling process with compassion, warmth, and respect; honouring the vulnerability and courage required in allowing oneself to be ‘seen’, and believing in the capacity of each individual to grow, heal, and change.
Kelly’s participates in ongoing professional development and has specialized training in Emotion Focused Family Therapy (EFFT), Satir Family Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR). Kelly is an approved service provider with the Crime Victim Assistance Program (CVAP) and ICBC.
"It is my goal to create an atmosphere of safety, warmth and respect that supports people to courageously tell their story, face and experience difficult emotions, learn new ways of coping, repair relationships, transform the impact of trauma, and move towards the change they seek to make in their lives. I believe that as we give voice to our pain within the context of a safe, caring, and validating environment, we are freed to move beyond the pain towards growth, healing and wholeness. I consider it an honour and privilege to be a part of this process and would be happy to speak with you further and answer any questions you may have."
Also available in Chilliwack at www.theralifecenter.com
Ross’s journey toward becoming a therapist included a BA in Psychology from Trinity Western University and an MA in Marriage and Family Therapy from TWU (ACTS). Ross believes change is possible for everyone and knows it takes courage for people to admit they need help. Ross is passionate about helping people reconnect with their true self and reaching their full potential. Ross works with individuals, couples and families. Additionally, he works with children in a play-based environment.
His areas of practice include anxiety, depression (including suicidal ideation and self-harm), anger issues, power and control imbalances, grief and loss, family of origin issues, personal growth, pornography addiction, premarital counselling, and couples counselling. Ross participates in regular continuing education which include; Satir Systemic Transformational Therapy (Level I) – Satir Institute, Child and Adolescent Therapy (Level I) – Neufeld Institute, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety – CBT Connections Vancouver, Understanding Abuse – MCC Canada, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy – MCFD, Bridges Through Understanding The Village - MCFD, Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (Level I) – Mental Health Foundations
Ross and his wife Jana have been married for 8 years and have 3 beautiful children.
"My approach to counselling is imbued in attachment theory and is client-centered with an interest in the network of relationships in people’s lives which impact their emotional, mental, spiritual and physical health. People who see me for counselling can expect a friendly, warm, compassionate and genuine person who works from a place of curiosity. I would be honoured to walk alongside you on your journey toward healing, growth, wellness and peace."
We all go through times in our lives when extra support is needed. In reaching for help you've already taken the first courageous step towards healing and eventual greater wholeness. Katharina invite you into a compassionate, warm and non-judgemental journey where you will be safe to work through whatever challenges you bring. In the process you will be supported as you work through beliefs, emotional barriers, relational difficulties, mental blocks that keep you stuck, trauma or loss. You will gain new skills that will help you build a more fulfilling life. Katharina works with adults, couples, families, children and youth. She has extensive experience with domestic violence, abuse recovery, sexuality issues, childhood and family of origin issues, trauma, complex grief & loss, eating disorders, and various other mental health concerns.
"My approach is eclectic and grounded in current best practise including Emotion Focused Therapy - inidividual and family (EFT, EFFT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Disenfranchised, Complex Grief & Loss, Art, Sand & Play Therapy, and Attachment Therapy."