Indigenous
Clients

Marliss graduated with her Ph.D. in 1988 from the University of Alberta. She has her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and has been counselling for over 25 years. Marliss works with individuals, couples, families, primarily adults, but also works with children and adolescents (when working with children it is essential to work with the parents as well.)

From the time that she was involved in planning her university career, she was interested in Psychology. Her mother was a special education teacher, and her father was an Administrator in Social Work. She was always interested in their work and in their attitudes of caring for and helping others. When she took her first psychology course, she was totally inspired and knew that it was the direction that her career would take. She continued to believe that it was the most wonderful choice of career for herself. Marliss has always been fortunate to love her work. Marliss’s strongest interests in counselling are stress management, marriage counselling, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, understanding cognitive disabilities and special education needs, managing behavior problems, depression, and anxiety.

How do you believe counselling can help?
“Providing support in a nonjudgmental fashion, allowing people to have their feelings, recognizing the vulnerabilities, but also the strengths that individuals bring to the situation, offering observations and suggestions from a helpful perspective, and by helping clients to resolve their concerns within an accepting environment.”

Your approach to counselling:
“I use a supportive, client focused approach. I strongly believe in Cognitive Behavior Therapy as well. I listen, ask questions, and provide observations, but also try to provide theoretical perspectives that will assist the individual to explore, understand, and resolve their concerns.”

Landor initially practiced as a Pastoral Counsellor for 9 years until he chartered as a Registered Psychologist in 1984 and has been a practicing Counselling Psychologist for over 35 years. Landor’s graduate education includes the following: M.Div., 1975; M.Sc. (Human Ecology), 1984; Ph.D. (Education), 2005. He works with adult individuals, First Nations individuals, and couples. His interest in counselling is “helping people in their becoming” – Bruno Bettelheim.

Landor was an ordained minister for a number of years – through his work at Cornerstone he has been afforded the opportunity to work with persons seeking counselling from a range of faith and Christian denominational perspectives.

Inspirational Quote:
“…every individual is unique – is a new set of experiences, a new universe: has been granted the ability to bring something new into being is capable of participating in the act of creation itself. It is the expression of this capacity for creative action that makes the tragic conditions of life tolerable, bearable – remarkable, miraculous” (Peterson, Jordan B., 1999, Maps of meaning, Routledge, London & New York).

How do you believe counselling can help?
“Through the art of being present to another person”, Mahoney suggests, “the client/therapist relationship provides a context for vital experiments in living…a transformational crucible” (2003).”

Your approach to counselling:
“Existential; integrative”

Shelby completed her Master of Counselling degree at City University of Seattle in Edmonton and is a registered psychologist through the College of Alberta Psychologists. Her previous education includes a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Applied Psychology and a minor in Education from Concordia University of Edmonton.

Shelby works with adults, adolescents, children, couples, and families from all walks of life. She believes that we are all responsible for creating our own meaning in life. Our past plays an important role in shaping who we are as individuals, but it does not determine who we become. Shelby will work with you to overcome the things that may be holding you back in life and to strengthen your genuine self.

Inspirational Quotes:

“Meanings are not determined by situations, but we determine ourselves by the meanings we give to situations.” – Alfred Adler

How do you believe counselling can help?

Each person has a unique perspective that shapes the way they view the world and make sense of things. These perspectives dictate how and why a person behaves the way that they do, but sometimes we get stuck in negative patterns that are hard to get out of. Awareness of our unique patterns and ourselves is the first step to creating a meaningful life. Counselling provides a safe environment in which we can explore and work towards a healthier version of ourselves.

Your approach to counselling:

As a counsellor my role is to teach, guide, and encourage people in creating a better understanding and changing the parts of their life story that is holding them back. My goal is to create a cooperative, optimistic, respectful, and growth-focused therapeutic environment in which people can feel safe. Although much of my practice is influenced by Adlerian psychotherapy, I draw on other counselling models to fit the unique needs of each individual.