CBT | Neurofeedback | Couples Counselling | Individual Counselling | Therapeutic Yoga and Body Movement
Family Counselling | Parenting | OEI | DBT | Lifespan Integration | Child and Youth Counselling | Grief
Finding a therapist you trust and feel safe with is foundational to successful counselling. As a therapist, I use compassion, experience, authenticity and insight to create a safe space. This is a space where you are able to process your thoughts, feelings, strengths, and struggles as well as receive support to connect to, and honour, your deepest values and life goals. Being responsive to clients needs requires therapeutic education, direction and curiosity. I value asking questions which support you in experiencing your own “ah ha” moments. My goal is to support you in developing a language for, and deeper awareness of your life experiences and how they may inform and impact you. I am committed to doing my own personal work and continue to deepen and broaden my knowledge of up-to-date research and best practices in the areas in which I specialize. I ground my therapeutic approach in evidence based practices and theories where meaningful and lasting changes can take place. If you are needing a warm, safe, confidential and authentic person to talk with I invite you to give me a call. My job is to help you grow, heal, understand yourself, others and become increasingly connected to your own deepest value and values.
“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” - Soren KierKegaard In life, sometimes we are faced with a challenge, an unexpected devastation, or maybe an out of the blue confusion, that leaves us feeling stuck. Maybe even paralyzed by fear. Hopeless. Uncertain. Wrecked. When life throws us a curve ball, it’s sometimes unimaginable to think we can move forward from it. In my practice I lean into the questions, the feelings, the thoughts, the dreams, the pain, as well as the hopes, the possibilities and the choices through my own journey of trauma and grief, I have gained insight into certain modalities that I have found personally helpful in having the strength to step forward from the stuck. I use these techniques today in my practice to help others who are walking a similar path, as well as helping them to find their voice, their truth, and their passion for a life to be lived not feared.
I believe in honesty, humour, and accountability in our work together. Clients often tell me that counselling with me feels different—likely because I get straight to the point, blending tough love with compassion. I’m your biggest cheerleader, but I’ll also hold you accountable as we address what’s holding you back: anxiety, perfectionism, procrastination, communication challenges, and much more. With 16 years of experience as a first responder and a mother of three, I’ve learned how to cut through the noise and get to the core of the issue quickly and effectively. Whether you're seeking clarity in your personal life, improving relationships, or overcoming mental health hurdles, I use evidence-based therapies like CBT and DBT to help you create real, lasting change. Together, we’ll build clear, actionable strategies to help you move forward with confidence and intention. If you're ready to rediscover your sense of self, set healthy boundaries, and live a life that feels more aligned with your values, I’d love to connect. Book a free 15-minute consultation today, and let’s start working together to navigate life’s challenges.
Let me be your guide. It’s hard to sum up so many years of work that I have been privileged to offer to children, youth, families, organizations, community groups and educational institutions both here in BC and overseas. As I have evolved my work has evolved and inside this site I hope to be able to speak to you and the healing and growth you long for. Many therapists step into this profession from the paths of growth and healing they have been on – I am not an exception. Growth and healing are big work and yet such a place of beauty and connection to self and others. In the offerings you will find on the following pages there are several options that have come to each hold their own significance in healing work and at the same time there is a common foundation that weaves our biology, emotionality, psychology, and connection to others and Spirit whatever that means for you. My own healing and growth journey has needed to address all of those elements and my work has now come to a definitive place of also weaving all those pieces in for those that I have the opportunity to walk alongside on their journeys of discovery, healing and growth towards their most authentic and fulfilled selves
I have always been fascinated with the inherent intelligence of the human body, this sacred vessel through which we get to experience ourselves as we live our precious lives. I believe that forming a trusting connection with the body supports us in flowing through all of life’s peaks and valleys with greater resilience. In teaching me to anchor healing not just in my mind, but also into my physicality, my personal yoga practice has helped me to experience profound benefits in my physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. I am a kinesiologist and a yoga therapist. I hold memberships with the British Columbia Association of Kinesiologists, the International Association of Yoga Therapists, and the Yoga Alliance. I offer an individually tailored approach that mobilizes many styles of yoga (some non-movement based), breathwork/meditation techniques, sound healing and other embodied practices to support the specific therapeutic needs of my clients. I am trained to treat many conditions from musculoskeletal issues to illnesses/diseases to chronic pain, but I specialize in mental health concerns, trauma, stress, and burnout. I aim to walk alongside my clients as together, we co-create sustained, tangible healing through deep reconnection to self through body. I feel truly honoured to facilitate the healing journeys of others by sharing the gift of yoga therapy. To book a session, or for more information, please contact me at 778 982 0586 and/or jdyogatherapy@gmail.com
Welcome! I am Amanda Sutherland and I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors. I have a Masters in Counselling Psychology from Adler University. I believe in the strength and resilience that individuals hold. Counselling can help to provide clarity, understanding, meaning, and self-compassion. The counselling space is one of healing that provides people with the opportunity to explore difficult or painful experiences that they are facing. I do not believe that there is a single approach to counselling. I like to collaborate with clients to create a personalized treatment plan and "toolkit" of coping mechanisms. My goal as a therapist is to lead with compassion and genuineness; I believe in teamwork where clients guide me through their life experiences and I offer gentle and honest feedback, explaining the rationale behind suggested interventions. I feel that this balance of warmth, direction, and authenticity contributes to a strong working relationship. My counselling approach is trauma and culturally informed. As an integrative therapist, I draw from solution-focused, emotion-focused, cognitive-behavioral, mindfulness, somatic, and observed experiential integrative (OEI), and non-directive play therapy approaches. My interests are in working with children, youth, teens, and adults who are struggling with depression, anxiety, emotional regulation, life transitions, trauma, grief and loss, relationships, addiction, and identity formation. If you are interested in booking an appointment with me please don’t hesitate to contact me at: 604-499-4782, at riversidecounsellingservices@gmail.com or at the link provided below.
