Associates with Counselling for Children Families and Adults

Currently, NSST trained Counsellors are able to serve children, families, and adults in Vancouver, Richmond, Tsawassen, Abbotsford, Coquitlam, Langley, Maple Ridge/ Pitt Meadows, Mission and Chilliwack.

All of our therapists are registered counsellors either through BC Clinical Counsellors Association (BCCCA) or the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA). Please check your extended medical to see if it is covered by these two organizations before you apply with us. We all provide the most recent science-based approaches to counselling, which include the use of the Sand tray (for adults and children), play therapy, CBT, and DBT. We are covered under the Victims Assistance Program (CVAP), and the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA).

Jim Edmondson, M.Ed., RCC

Jim has been a counsellor for over 40 years. He specializes in working with men with anxiety, self-esteem, and shame issues. Jim has been training with Dr. De Little in NSST since 2015 and has been her assistant trainer in over 50 workshops around the world, and also is proud to call Madeleine his wife. Jim’s fee is covered under most insurance companies.

 Susan Lim, M. Ed., CCC

Susan has been a counsellor in the school system for the past 28 years, 21 years in the Secondary school system and 7 years in Elementary schools.  Susan graduated from the Masters in Counselling Psychology program at Simon Fraser University in 1997.  She was first introduced to Sand Tray training with Dr. De Little in the fall of 2014 at the BC School Counsellor’s Association Conference. Dr. De Little trained Susan as a Trainer in 2023.  Susan has a passion for working with children, youth, and adults in the Sand Tray using NSST.  Susan has been an Associate of Dr. De Little since 2017, and continues to both practice NSST as a Therapist as well as train Practitioners in NSST.

Sheila Johal, M.Ed., CCC, RCC

Developing a trusting and safe relationship is foundational to Sheila’s therapeutic practice. She creates warm and nurturing environments where clients feel understood and respected. Sheila understands that seeking therapy for oneself or a loved one can feel vulnerable. Clients are supported to feel a sense of security and are empowered to be their authentic selves while working with Sheila. Through a trauma-informed lens, various life challenges, such as trauma, anxiety, depression, anger, abuse, and grief are healed. Sheila has trained extensively with Madeleine de Little and is a certified Neuroscience in the Sand Tray Therapist. She is also a Certified Synergetic Play Therapist.

Sheila’s work is informed by Gestalt, Neuroscience, and Attachment theory. Children, adolescents, and adults work with various modalities including art, sand, play, talk, and mindfulness practices. It is through these modalities that clients develop the safety to explore challenges and embody their authentic selves.

Sheila has worked in the school system for 25 years. She was an elementary school teacher for ten years, followed by 15 years as a school counselor. Her continued employment in schools enhances her ability to connect with children and families as she has a clear understanding of the structure and routines. Sheila has extensive experience working with neuro-diversity as well as medical diagnoses.   

Vancouver Location: www.behindthemirror.ca

Lindsay Jarman

Lindsay has worked in the elementary school system for 13 years as an educator and counsellor. As a graduate of the City University of Seattle, in Canada, Lindsay has completed her M.Ed., with a focus on school counselling. She is also a certified RCC and a provider for FNHA and CVAP. She has been training with Dr De Little for several years in NSST and is committed to helping her clients identify their defences, appreciate their ways of coping and experience lasting transformation through the healing process. Lindsay specializes in working with clients and their trauma, grief, loss, anxiety and depression through an attachment lens.

Lindsay is also completing training as a synergetic play therapist. She has level 1 certification in (OEI) Observed Experiential Integration and pairs this with her work in the sand tray. Lindsay uses various, art, somatic and mindfulness modalities, all of which are grounded in attachment-family systems therapy models. She strongly believes in creating a safe, nurturing relationship with her clients, and ensures the counselling environment is one where children, youth and adults feel seen and understood. With Lindsay’s passion for enhancing her skillset and natural intuitive ability, she is able to be attuned to her clients; empowering them with the insight and tools they need to work through any of their challenges with resilience.

Connect with Lindsay at: soulresiliencecounselling@gmail.com

Duane Morelli, B.Ed, M.Ed

Duane has worked in the public school system for 22 years, both as an educator and a school counsellor in both elementary and middle school settings. As a graduate of the of the City University of Seattle, in Canada, Duane completed his Masters of Education with a focus on school counselling. His clinical focus is working with children and adolescents in a collaborative and client-centred way.

With a strong understanding of trauma-informed practice, neurosequential childhood development, family systems, mindfulness practices, and positive psychology, Duane sees work in the Sand Tray through NSST as a natural and complementary process where children and youth discover their resources and strengths. As the client is the expert in their lives, Duane seeks to establish a strong rapport with children so that they feel seen, heard, and supported. Duane was first introduced to Neuroscience and Satir in the Sand Tray in 2016 while at the BC School Counsellors’ Association Conference. Since then, he has both seen and experienced how NSST can transform anxiety, grief and loss, depression, and trauma through additional trainings and coursework with Dr. De Little.

Duane serves the Chilliwack and Sardis communities and can be found here: www.morellifamilycounselling.ca

Kim Kendall, RCC, BCRPT, MA in Counselling Psychology

Kim has been working with children and youth who have developmental delays and/or neurodiversity and their parents since 2000 in her roles as Infant Development Consultant, Child Development Consultant, Key Worker and Clinical Counsellor. She completed her Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology in 2011 at Yorkville University and has been a Registered Clinical Counsellor with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors since 2018.

Some of the trainings that have been the most influential to Kim have been, Neuroscience and Satir in the Sand Tray (NSST) with Dr Madeleine De Little, Synergetic Play Therapy with Lisa Dion, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and multiple trainings on trauma with Dr Bruce Perry. Kim loves to learn and weaves this learning into her work with clients. She uses various modalities including play, art and sand among others, to help her clients work through whatever is going on for them and to help them become their very best self.

Kim is a Registered Play Therapist who is certified in Synergetic Play Therapy as well as a certified NSST Practitioner. Kim works out of Abbotsford and can be found here: https://achievebalancecounselling.com/

Cassandra Hildebrand

Cassandra is a graduate of the Masters of Counselling psychology program at Trinity Western University. Before obtaining her Masters she worked as an educational assistant (5 years) and a child and youth care worker (3 years) for the Langley School District. Cassandra focuses on your strengths and uses those to help your area of need by building your self-esteem, self-acceptance and self-compassion. She believes in building a strong report with you so you feel heard, seen and supported. Counselling works because you have the ability to grow and change. Cassandra has trained personally with Dr. De Little in Neuroscience and Satir in the Sand Tray (NSST) as well as with Richard Schwartz in Internal family system (IFS) .

Cassandra provides in person services in Langley, as well as virtual appointments. Contact Cassandra through her website https://cassandracounselling.ca/

Katie DeReus, M.Ed., RCC

Katie has been working and volunteering with school aged children since 2003. Katie is a School Counsellor in the Coquitlam School District and has been a Teacher at various levels in the Lower Mainland since 2006, including locations specializing in alternate education and giftedness. Katie completed her Masters in Counselling at the University of British Columbia in 2016 and began seeking out workshops from Dr De Little shortly thereafter. Since then, she has both seen and experienced how NSST can transform grief and loss, depression, shame, and trauma through additional trainings and coursework with Dr De Little. Katie is a child-centred clinician, using frameworks of NSST, play therapy, attachment-based development, and trauma-informed practice in her work with children and families.

Katie is a kid at heart, trapped in a tall, grown-up body. She has been called the gentle giant by many kids in school settings; Humour, play, sand tray, art, mindfulness and conversations are her tools for connection, understanding, processing, and healing. Growing in a world that is both painful and beautiful requires tools for self-awareness, self-compassion, self-acceptance, and communication.

Connect with Katie at kdereus.rcc@gmail.com.

Sydney Gruenhage

There is something so sacred about counselling and I am aware of the privilege it is to be with you in your journey–no matter where you are at. I am eager to walk with you through the messiness of life and pursue growth, self-discovery, and curiosity. I aim to cultivate an open space of safety, acceptance, creativity, and warmth in the therapy room where connection can thrive. I believe the body tells our story and true healing often begins when working from the ground up. I hope to provide an embodied practice where you can be truly seen and heard, maybe for the first time ever. I believe counselling can be more than sitting in a chair and exchanging words. It is alive. It can be experiential and creative. It can be loud and quiet all at the same time. Your therapy journey is unique to you and won’t mimic another human being’s experience.

I believe with my whole heart that people are part of the systems in which they live. My approach when working with clients is through a systemic and attachment lens, attempting to understand their roles in family, community, and culture. In my practice, I draw upon Satir, Internal Family Systems, Emotional Focused Therapy, and Somatic-Embodiment work. I passionately work with individuals, kids, teens, families, and couples with a wide range of issues such as grief and loss, relationship issues, life transitions, emotional distress (e.g. anxiety, depression, shame, anger, stress, emotional/mental exhaustion), and traumatic experiences.

“The body is always whispering. Be here, pay attention. We are alive and this is how it feels to be human” – Hillary L. McBride

Sydney provides in person services in Abbotsford and works on a team with Kim Kendall. Contact Sydney here: https://achievebalancecounselling.com/