Sarah Canning

(She/Her)

Sarah meets clients with a warm and genuine presence and believes in the importance of a strong therapeutic relationship. She strives to provide a safe space for clients to be seen and heard and supports individuals to explore, express and learn tools to move forward in their journey.

Sarah is passionate about working with people who are struggling with anxiety, identity, attachment challenges, stressful life events, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, trauma, finding meaning and transitions.

Sarah is a Registered Clinical Counsellor and Art Therapist. She has many years of experience working closely with children, youth, young adults and families. Sarah has had the opportunity of working with community counselling agencies, multicultural centres, crisis teams, Adult Mental Health, and Child and Youth Mental Health services. Sarah has taught counselling art therapy students at Adler University and has provided numerous workshops and programs to a variety of audiences.

Sarah believes in the uniqueness of each person and therefore tailors her sessions to meet the needs of the individual. She uses a strengths based, person centred approach, and pulls on techniques from attachment theory, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness techniques, expressive therapies, Emotion Focused Family Therapy and Narrative Therapy. She has been trained in the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder treatment program through BC Children’s Hospital and can provide OCD specific treatment to clients as well. Her sessions are framed by a trauma informed, anti-oppressive and social justice lens.

At times in the therapeutic process, individuals can find themselves challenged to express their inner worlds through words alone. This is when expressive therapies, such as Art and Play Therapy, can be used to go beyond words and allow for connections with deeper parts of ourselves. This is always dependent on the individuals’ comfort levels.

Sarah strongly believes in each person’s innate wisdom and ability to heal themselves. Through meeting individuals where they are at, Sarah supports people to build on their strengths, explore challenges and connect with themselves and the world around them.

Sarah offers counselling in the following office:

Do you have any questions for Sarah?