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Thompson Rivers University
Thompson Rivers University

Meet the Counsellors

Andrea Brassard
Andrea Brassard

I am deeply grateful to the clients and colleagues I work with, who have taught me tremendously about healing and courage and creativity. I appreciate the strength that I witness in others and am humbled and inspired by the work that we get to do together. Together we are stronger, and I am here for you if you need a compassionate, kind and curious perspective.

I received my Master of Arts in Creative Arts Therapies from Concordia University in Montreal. Since graduating in 2009 I have worked with Diverse populations, specialising in Neuro-biological Intersubjectivity, Yoga for Addictions, Youth and Family Support, and working with Complex Mental Health and Intergenerational Trauma.

I believe in every individuals' innate capacity for healing and my approaches to wellness are as varied as are the individuals and groups I work with. I am Metis and my world view is Wholistic and Ecological. I believe there is always an entry point into healing our brain-body-world systems, and I love to engage earnestly in this exploration with others.


Susan Butland
Susan Butland

I have been with Thompson Rivers University since 2011, and have a Master of Education in Counselling Psychology from the University of British Columbia. I bring a sense of curiosity and respect to my counselling practice, and offer a safe space for students to share and work through their concerns. I come from a humanistic perspective, meaning I believe that everyone has the capacity within, to heal and transform themselves and I welcome the opportunity to be part of this process with you.

Some of the approaches that I incorporate into my sessions include Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Emotion Focused Therapy and Satir Transformational Systemic Therapy.

I currently see students for one to one appointments, and I facilitate a group for students experiencing low mood called Managing Mood, and a group for anxiety called the Y-Minds program.


Angela Davis
Angela Davis

 I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor with a Master’s degree in Psychotherapy & Spirituality from St. Stephen’s College in Edmonton. I have also been a Hakomi Trainer since 2015 helping people discover how they are organized. I have a keen interest in teaching embodied ethics and the use of power­­from personal to systemic.

From both Tsal'alhmec and English settler heritage, I work to bridge different perspectives and honour both traditional and hybrid ways of healing. My therapeutic lens is relational and includes viewing environmental, social and cultural factors as impacting people’s lived experience. I believe healing happens through awareness, and inviting curiosity rather than force is the key to change.

When I’m not at TRU I might be playing with fabric and textiles, gardening, or listening to music with my partner and our two orange cats.


Kathy Lauriente
Kathy Lauriente
(Williams Lake Campus)

I have been a Registered Clinical Counsellor since 2001 and have been part of TRU’s counselling team since 2006. I am also the Program Coordinator for TRU’s Counselling Program and am in clinical practice on the Williams Lake campus.

My holistic clinical orientation is largely informed by Narrative and Systemic theory seated in a broader context of Feminist and Trauma-Informed practice.  Before joining TRU, I worked in Vancouver and the Kootenays doing predominantly trauma-related work with children and families. I am also a University Instructor for the Faculty of Education and Social Work and a Deputy Registrar with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors.

I reside on a small ranch in the Chilcotin with my husband, a few horses and too many dogs. When not working, I am an artist who works in acrylics and multi-media. My husband and I ride the highways on our motorcycles in the summer.


Cliff Robinson
Cliff Robinson

I have been at TRU since 2005. Prior to this current gig, I worked for 10 years in community-based agencies delivering career counselling and vocational rehabilitation with people with disabilities. I have a BA (English) and MEd in counselling psychology from UBC.

Along with general personal, career and academic support duties, I also act as a liaison with residences. My style is heavily influenced by the solution-focused and narrative-therapy movements.

When I am not here, I am hanging out with my spouse and three kids, coaching community sports, and starting-yet-never-really-finishing home renovation projects.


Kristin Robinson
Kristin Robinson

Hi! I'm Kristin (she/her), a registered social worker in Ontario and BC. I earned my Master's in Social Work from Carleton University and a BA in Psychology and English from Bishop's University. I've come to you from Victoria via Quebec and Ontario, and I have finally settled here in Kamloops with my weird little orange cat.

I am a longstanding student affairs professional, supporting students since 2016. I've worked in Residence Life and sexual violence response, as well as community mental health; I joined the counselling team at TRU in August 2023.

Playfulness and compassion are at the foundation of my counselling practice. I come from a structural understanding of well-being and implement an intersectional feminist lens to my view of human experience and healing. I am flexible in my approach to support and draw upon a variety of modalities, such as narrative therapy, dialectical behavioural therapy, solution-focused brief therapy, and polyvagal theory. I like working collaboratively with students to ensure the process feels relevant to their identity and personal goals.

When I am not counselling, I'm nerding out on podcasts, cooking up hit-or-miss experimental meals, trying not to get lost in the woods on my hikes, reading, running, and doing yoga. I love travel, trivia, and just generally being a silly goofball.


Shyann Vosper
Shyann Vosper

I hold a Master of Education in Counselling Psychology from the University of British Columbia and I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor through the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors. During the course of my career, I have worked with diverse client groups of all ages who live in Kamloops, BC and the surrounding communities. Over the years, I have gained a broad scope of experience supporting individuals as they navigate through personal, relationship, and work challenges. My passion is meeting people where they are at; genuinely connecting with individuals and developing collaborative working relationships to explore together areas such as: stress, anxiety, depression, interpersonal relationships, grief & loss, and sport performance, as well as other areas of focus related to life transitions and mental health.


Mark Zhang
Mark Zhang

I am a Canadian Certified Counsellor with a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology from Adler University. Having worked in multiple postsecondary settings, I am invested in the holistic well-being of students, and hope to support them as they travel down their academic, personal, social, and spiritual paths.

My counselling style is influenced by approaches such as Internal Family Systems and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, while seeking to provide a safe space for individuals to reflect, evaluate, process, and examine. When not working, I enjoy playing volleyball and going on hikes with my 80 pound Bernedoodle, Clifford.


Counselling, Thompson Rivers University

Old Main 1631
805 TRU Way
Kamloops, BC Canada
V2C 0C8

250-828-5023
fsd@tru.ca

 

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