About Annette

Credentials:

• Counsellor/Psychotherapist
• B.Sc. - Psychology
• Master Practitioner in Counselling
• Registered Professional Counsellor
• Member of the Canadian Professional Counsellors Association (CPCA)

Education:

• Bachelor of Science in Psychology,(B,Sc) – Canyon College
• Registered Professional Counsellor (RPC) - Kelowna College of Professional Counsellors,
• Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, New York and Seattle trained in “The Art of Empowerment”
• Grant MacEwan College, Edmonton, AB, “Life Management Skills Leader Training”

Studied and trained in:

• Life Skills Coaching
• Crisis Intervention
• Suicide Prevention
• Issues relating to Sexual Abuse
• Empowerment of the Individual

Trained in facilitating and building workshops and seminars

I offer counselling and psychotherapy which:

• is caring and non-judgemental
• is supportive of your individuality
• helps you achieve real and lasting change

I serve:

• individuals, couples, families and groups.
• lesbians and gays looking for an accepting and supportive environment

I provide this by means of:

• in office counselling – Kelowna
• on-line and telephone counselling

A personal word about me:
I grew up swallowing my words. I was a little person who became an adult before her time. So it comes as no surprise that I should find myself today helping others find their voice, connect to their inner child and discover and own the uniqueness of who they are.

I manoeuvred my way through life living it as best I could but always felt an underlying sense of not being fully engaged somehow. There was restlessness in me I couldn't quite explain or put my finger on. Then one day I was brought to my knees by the death of my 14 year old son and that tragedy was for me a wake-up call. I knew I had to find a way to be present, to feel, to hear, and to connect and so began a slow healing process in which I was to find myself and my voice.

I bought a journal and I started to write and I couldn't stop. The blank page was a place for me to voice what I never could through the spoken word. I sought counselling from many different modalities; I read every self-help book I could lay my hands on. I took self-development courses and attended workshops. I walked out of a well-paying, secure but meaningless job and I applied for a position in an agency that served the community and helped people and I got the job I was to be in for the next ten years.

I went on to accumulate an array of courses under my belt and studied to be a Life Skills Coach. I trained for various (things) such as Crisis Line, Suicide Prevention and Sexual Abuse. I went to New York and Seattle and trained in the Art of Empowerment and learned how to facilitate the empowerment of people. I also took some creative and journal writing courses and workshops.

More recently I decided it was important for me to further my education and I went back and studied to become a Registered Professional Counsellor. After that I chose to take my education a step further and I have now completed a Bachelor's of Science in Psychology degree through Canyon College.