About Susan Guttridge, BA, MC, CCC
I am a Canadian Certified Counsellor (Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association) and an EMDRIA certified therapist (EMDR International Association). I have been working in the field of counselling since 2005. My Master’s degree is in Counselling Psychology and my undergraduate degree is in Psychology. I have extensive post-graduate training in trauma therapy and the impact of abuse. My approach to counselling is guided by the unique needs of each client: I believe that each individual is the expert of his or her own experience. Accordingly, I strive to work collaboratively with individuals, assisting them in identifying and working towards their own goals for counselling. I respect the values, strengths, and resources of each individual. I believe each one of us has capacity for resiliency, self-determination, and self-growth.
Many individuals who have experienced trauma do not have a healthy balance of emotional coping skills. Therefore, the first stage of therapy often involves teaching individuals ways to recognize, observe, modulate, and cope with strong emotions such as grief, anxiety, fear, and guilt. This is called creating emotional regulation. The focus is on reducing traumatic stress: individuals learn to bring emotional pain down to a manageable level.
While working to create emotion regulation, we can also begin working through trauma experiences and mourning the losses. The best learning and the best work in therapy is achieved when individuals do not exceed their ability to handle those strong emotions.
Many individuals who have experienced trauma do not have a healthy balance of emotional coping skills. Therefore, the first stage of therapy often involves teaching individuals ways to recognize, observe, modulate, and cope with strong emotions such as grief, anxiety, fear, and guilt. This is called creating emotional regulation. The focus is on reducing traumatic stress: individuals learn to bring emotional pain down to a manageable level.
While working to create emotion regulation, we can also begin working through trauma experiences and mourning the losses. The best learning and the best work in therapy is achieved when individuals do not exceed their ability to handle those strong emotions.
Formal Education
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Professional Memberships
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Additional Training
- Overcoming PTSD Summit, Avaiya University
- Treating First Responders and Military with EMDR Therapy, Foundations for Effective Treatment (Dr. E. C. Hurley, Envision Counselling & Consulting, Inc.)
- Applying Mindfulness in Clinical Work (Daniel Siegel, Tara Brach, Jack Kornfield, Marsha Linehan, Ram Bass, Joan Halifax, Mark Epstein, Kristin Neff, NICABM)
- San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety training, (Provincial Health Services Authority in BC)
- Depression Care & Trauma Care training (Homewood Health Disability Management Services)
- EMDR with Children and Youth: Advanced EMDR Workshop (Ana Gomez)
- Attachment Focused EMDR, level 3 (Parnell Institute)
- Attachment Focused EMDR, Case Formulation & Target Development (Parnell Institute)
- Attachment Focused EMDR, Working With Addictions and Problematic Behaviour (Parnell Institute)
- Attachment Focused EMDR, level 1 & 2 (Parnell Institute)
- Mind-Body Attunement Therapy, Post-Graduate Diploma Program in progress (MBAT Training Centre)
- Breaking the Cycle of Traumatic Memory (Peter Levine, NICABM)
- Rethinking Trauma: Effective Strategies for Treating Trauma (NICABM)
- Cyber Counselling Level 1 (University of Toronto)
- Brain Science 6-part webinar training (NICABM)
- Reducing Barriers to Support Women who Experience Violence (BC Society for Transition Houses)
- Stopping the Violence Trauma Therapy Training (EVA BC)
- Self-Injury Behaviour in Youth, Understanding & Change Strategies (Crisis & Trauma Resource Institute)
- Thought Field Therapy Training, Algorithm Level Certification
- Stage 1 and 2 Trauma Therapy Training (EVA BC)
- REBT Anger Management Facilitator Training (John Howard Society of Central & South Okanagan)
- Attachment & Atypical Caregiver Behaviour Associated with Disorganized Attachment (Dr. Diane Benoit)
- FASD: Effects, Issues, and Interventions (Thompson Rivers University)
- Supporting Women who Experience Mood Disorders in the Perinatal Period (Facilitated by Mental Health Program at BC Women's Hospital & Health Centre)
- Families Working through Trauma: SATIR Model
- Anxiety Disorders Intervention Training: CBT Model
- Critical Incident Stress Debriefing
- Forgiveness Therapy Training