Professional Bio

Gillian Sutherland, MSW, RCSW, RCC

It is with gratitude that Gillian offers a safe place for those seeking counselling to be heard. It is her aspiration to help those who are suffering to reignite hope and increase the joy and meaning in their lives. Gillian is known for connecting with her clients in a creative way and understands the importance of a genuine relationship. She offers counselling in a setting that best supports you to achieve your goals, and promotes your safety and comfort. This may include meeting in an office, over secure video, or in the community.

Gillian earned her Master’s Degree in Social Work with a specialization in Clinical Counselling from Florida Atlantic University in 2004. Gillian is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) as well as a Registered Clinical Social Worker (RCSW). She has been passionately working in the counselling field for the past 19 years in various diverse settings including residential mental health and substance use treatment for youth and adults, school-based counselling, outreach counselling, outpatient counselling and counselling in the acute care setting. She has worked for two of the top rated substance use treatment centres in North America. She has also worked provincially for Child, Youth Mental Health (CYMH) as a Clinician and for Island Health providing outpatient youth and family substance use counselling and social work services in the acute care settings.

Gillian uses a client-centered, culturally competent and holistic perspective to understand every individual clients’ relationship with their identified goals for counselling. Together, Gillian and her clients, develop a plan of care using only evidence-based, best practice approaches including: EMDR (EMDR Canada & EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist- awaiting final approval), Narrative Therapy, Emotion Focused Family Therapy (EFFT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Family Systems Therapy, Solution- Focused Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and Harm Reduction strategies.

Gillian is an EMDR Canada & EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist (awaiting final approval) with advanced training and expertise in the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) using EMDR which stands for Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. She has been using EMDR since 2011 to treat members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Veterans, Residential School Survivors, First Responders, as well as adults and children with developmental and complex trauma. Gillian engages in ongoing education and monthly clinical consultation to further develop and maintain her skills to treat those suffering with trauma.

Professional Registrations

Gillian is a Registered Clinical Social Worker (RCSW). The governing body that oversees RCSW’s is the British Columbia College of Social Workers. Click here to learn more about Registered Clinical Social Workers (RCSW) and their expertise in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders based on the DSM 5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).

Gillian is also a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC). The governing body that oversees RCC’s is the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors. Click here to learn more about Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCC).