It takes a whole village to raise a child.

I help people find it within themselves to move toward change.

I believe that at our core, we are all striving for balance. My mission is to support and empower children and teens to effectively achieve personal growth, to acknowledge and bear witness to the experiences of their life. Treatment is grounded in neurobiology, attachment and play therapies that help uncover the root of dysregulated behaviours, and move back to balance.

Sarah MacDonell ~ RPC, AC-EPT, MBSR-P
Clinical Director

Sarah is currently not accepting new clients at this time. 
To join her waitlist, please submit a Contact form with your details.

Whether anxiety, self-harm or anger outbursts - all behaviour serves a purpose. By uncovering why your child relies on certain behaviours, we, as a team, can work to reduce their distress and move toward growth. I help child and teen clients learn to cope with life’s difficulties in a way that fosters confidence and builds trust in their own capabilities. I support caregivers with the necessary tools for effective communication, co-regulation and education to better connect with your child.

Specialized and trained by internationally renowned Marie-José Dhaese and Lisa Dion, I use a variety of modalities and techniques to suit the presenting concern and goals that have brought you to seek therapy for your child. Play-, Expressive-, or Synergetic Therapies, Emotions-Focused therapy, Gestalt, CBT, Solutions-Focused, and DBT-informed therapy can allow your child to move through life’s challenges by promoting self-awareness and distress tolerance. I work from a trauma-informed lens, and creating connection and safety underlies the foundation of my practice. 

Professional Credentials
* RPC (Registered Professional Counsellor)
* Member of the CPCA (Canadian Professional Counsellors Association)
* Member of CCPA (Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association)
* Member of BCPTA (BC Play Therapy Association)
* AC - EPT, Associate Certificate: Expressive Play Therapy, Marie-José Dhaese/Justice Institute of BC (JIBC)
* MBSR-P, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Practitioner

Specialized Training in Child-Teen therapy, brain development and neurosciences including:
* Associate Certificate: Expressive Play Therapy, Marie-José Dhaese/JIBC
* Therapeutic Play cert., Institute of Child Psychology
* 2024 Suicide Prevent Summit: Suicide in Schools, Prevention, Assessments, Neuroscience-based Treatment, Mental Health Academy
* 5th Annual Innovative Child Therapy Symposium with T. Kottman, L. Dion, L. Lowenstein, attendee
* Synergetic Play Therapy: Revolutionize Play & Therapeutic Practice with Children, Lisa Dion/JIBC
* Synergetic Play Therapy: Healing Medical Trauma in Play Therapy, Lisa Dion/BC Play Therapy Assoc.
* Parenting - Compassionate Discipline cert., Institute of Child Psychology
* Brain Story/Oxford Story: Child Brain Development & Neuroscience, University of Oxford & Alberta Family Wellness Initiative
* Attachment-Based Play Therapy cert., BC Play Therapy Assoc.
* SafeTALK Crisis cert., Canadian Mental Health Assoc.
* Safe Zone Project ally & trained
* Trauma Informed Care, Somatics cert.
* Non-Violent Communication (NVC) cert.
* Stenberg College, Counselling Therapy Dipl. with Distinctions
* Justice Institute of B.C
* University of Waterloo
* Queen’s University