Services

Live Happy Counselling is a place for individuals to access counselling in an atmosphere of tranquility and respect. I presently work with adults and youth (ages 8+), providing individual and group therapy.

Therapeutic Approach

I provide therapy from an anti-violence framework, with influences originating from psychodynamic and feminist therapy. The therapeutic approaches I use include:

  • EMDR
  • Narrative Therapy
  • Mindfulness-Based Practices​​
  • Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy

Therapy for Trauma

  • ​Post-traumatic stress, complex post-traumatic stress, operational stress injury 
  • Anxiety, panic, anger, depression
  • Experiences of violence (including psychological, physical, sexual abuse)
  • Childhood experiences of abuse, abandonment, neglect​

Additional Expertise

  • Grief and loss
  • Personal Growth: self-esteem, boundaries, self-care, life transitions
  • ​Mindful parenting practices
  • Relationship Difficulties: parenting issues, communication and assertiveness, separation and divorce, neglect, abandonment​
I believe that therapy works best when you feel comfortable with your therapist and understand their approach to counselling. Feel free to e-mail or call if you have any questions prior to scheduling your session. ​

About EMDR Therapy

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a form of psychotherapy designed to assist individuals process difficult or traumatic experiences that may be causing distress in their lives. During a session, focus is on a specific memory or experience while also providing bilateral stimulation, which can be in the form of eye movements, sounds or taps. Bilateral stimulation helps the brain to reprocess the memory, reducing its emotional intensity and allowing for a more adaptive resolution. The goal of EMDR therapy is to help clients achieve healing and positive change by effectively processing past experiences, improving coping skills, and promoting psychological resilience.
EMDR Client Handout
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File Type: pdf
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About EMDR Intensive Sessions

Intensive therapeutic work can be accomplished in a longer EMDR session because it affords us more time to work deeply on the traumatic memories or negative beliefs causing an emotional disturbance. The therapy process of EMDR consists of 8 phases;  increased working-time together means we can flow more easily through the phases. Here is an overview:
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  • In the preparation phase, we work together to establish a therapeutic alliance and identify the target memory or belief to be worked on
  • In the assessment phase, you are asked to recall the details of the traumatic memory, including the sights, sounds, smells, and emotions associated with it
  • The desensitization phase involves using bilateral stimulation, (such as eye movements), to help your brain process the traumatic memory and reduce its emotional impact
  • The installation phase involves installing positive beliefs or emotions to replace the negative ones
  • A body scan is conducted to ensure you are no longer experiencing intense physical sensations or emotions associated with the traumatic memory
  • Finally, we debrief the session and discuss ways to maintain the progress made during the session

Overall, longer EMDR session length can be very productive because they allow for deep therapeutic work, which can lead to significant progress in a shorter amount of time. Please note that the length of the session is determined based on your unique needs and ability to tolerate the therapy.

Pricing

Direct Billing Options

​I am an approved provider for RCMP Health Services (BlueCross), Veteran's Affairs, BCEHS, WorkSafe BC, Homewood Health, WorkBC, FNHA, ICBC, and CVAP. Direct billing is available for these providers.

​Please note: Each Employee Assistance Program (EAP) has different protocols for initiating services. Upon requesting counselling and with your consent, your Counsellor will need to set up pre-approval with your EAP in order for you to access direct billing for sessions.

Payment

​Cancelation Policy
  • Fees for service are collected at the beginning of each session (cash, cheque, debit, Visa, e-transfer)
  • If you are funded through a third party payee that I am registered with, I will invoice the company directly. 
  • A receipt will be provided for you to submit to your Employee Assistance Program for reimbursement 
Please provide at least 24 hours notice if you can not attend your scheduled session time. Half the cost of the session will be charged for no-show and missed sessions. Funding agencies do not cover the cost of missed sessions, so please let me know in advance if you can not attend your session so that you do not accrue unnecessary costs. If you need to cancel or change your session time, please contact me by telephone, text, or e-mail.

Getting Started

Ready to get started? Give me a call or e-mail. We will start out with a brief discussion to ensure my expertise is a match for your needs in counselling, and then schedule an intake session. 

          250-938-5580
​          susan@livehappycounselling.com

Susan Guttridge BA, MC, CCC