Mental Health Counselling Services
Jump to: Sara Magner | Naomi Sturtridge
Counselling is the process of talking with a trained professional to resolve challenging personal circumstances. Counseling provides the opportunity to discuss struggles within a supportive and safe environment. Attending counseling provides insights and solutions to move through life’s challenges which can then bring about beneficial changes in mental, emotional, and physical health.
Our Counsellors

Sara Magner
M.Ed, RCC
Registered Clinical Counsellor, EMDR Certified Therapist
Sara works with children, teens, individuals and families. She approaches counselling from a client-centered and individualized approach. This individualized approach is based on what works best for the individual and may include components of: Reality Therapy (RT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Solution-focused therapy (SFT), or trauma therapy (EMDR). EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy. This form of therapy is a research-based approach that focuses on the neurological basis of trauma and restructures how the brain stores this trauma. This approach is unique in which it can create quick results for appropriate clients and requires less “talk therapy” and focuses on a mindful/visual approach. These approaches have helped individuals struggling with anxiety and depression, family conflict, personality disorders, interpersonal relationship issues, mood and behavioral disorders, substance abuse, trauma, grief and loss, and self-esteem issues.
Sara targets rapport with clients to get to know WHO they are versus what their diagnosis is. She emphasizes goals, to empower clients to reach them, and guide them to make intrinsic lasting change, versus temporary “fixes”. All of this is done with a nurturing, non-judgmental, individualized approach that also fosters increased responsibility and accountability towards change.
Testimonials:
“Sara has a depth of understanding and exceptional ability to help people get to their foundation issues to create a positive healing process; and a special gift for working with people in their teen years. Sara does this work with grace, patience, humour and compassion.” ~Gretchen G.
“We are so incredibly grateful for the guidance, patience and professionalism that Sara provided to our daughter and our family in the darkest hour of need. Our daughter had deep emotional struggles that tore our family apart for more than three years. We went through several therapists, behavioural hospitals, psychiatrists without any success. Sara was able to reach our daughter and help her identify her issues and give her the tools to overcome them. She was always attentive and responsive to not just our daughter’s needs, but to ours as well. Always there to give us strength and also comfort. Thanks to Sara, we got our daughter back!” ~Sandra H.
“Sara is very good with teens and their families who have challenges that may be more serious than situational anxiety and depression. She effectively addresses substance abuse as a poor coping mechanism to trauma as well as family system dysfunction. Although very impactful through direct dialogue, Sara is also extremely likeable and respectful to all participants which makes them more likely to show up to address extremely difficult situations.” ~Anonymous
For specific questions, email Sara Magner at sara.tidalelements@gmail.com or call 250-306-9283 to book a session.
Counseling Rates:
Fee rate as of June 1st, 2023:
- 15 minute phone consultation – Free
- 60 minute Individual Counseling Session – $130
- 60 minute Child/Family Counseling Session – $130
- 60 min Couples Counseling Session – $150
EMDR:
Fee rate as of June 1st, 2023:
- 15 minute phone consultation – Free
- 60 minute child/family session – $130
- 90 minute EMDR session (for more intense processing) – $195
*Prices do not include 5% GST. Payment accepted by cash, cheque, credit card, or e-transfer.

Naomi Sturtridge
RTCc, BHSc, RYT-200
Counsellor, Somatic Therapy
Naomi provides individual adult counselling sessions for a variety of issues. The foundation of the work she does is grounded in somatic therapy techniques. Somatic therapy is a form of counselling that involves working with the body in the counselling process. Somatic therapy is strongly rooted in neuroscience and working with the body and nervous system to restore a sense of wholeness and well-being following stress or trauma. One of the goals of therapy is to release trapped survival energy from the fight-flight- freeze response. The counsellor guides the client through tracking the sensations in their body, and it is through this process that the energy of stress, trauma and negative experiences is able to be released. Somatic therapy focuses on helping clients to build resources within themselves to increase their capacity to self regulate their emotions. Through developing awareness of the mind-body connection somatic therapy helps to release the tension, anger, frustration, and other emotions that remain in a patient’s body from past negative experiences.
Somatic therapy can be beneficial for:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Grief
- Chronic Pain
- Trust and intimacy issues
- Self Esteem challenges
- Digestive Issues
Naomi works with mind-body attunement practices to enhance conscious connection to the body. Throughout time, the belief in many indigenous and earth based cultures has been that the mind, body, emotions and spirit are all connected. The pioneering work of trauma therapists such as Peter Levine, and Bessel Vanderfolk have shown that including working with the felt sense of the body can improve therapeutic outcomes. In addition to talk therapy, Naomi may use techniques such as breathing exercises, guided imagery and meditation, sensory awareness and self regulation practices. Through connection to the body, bodily sensations are tracked. It is through the tracking of these body sensations that the energy of trauma and stress is able to be released.
Naomi provides individual counselling sessions in person and virtually over Zoom. She is a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor through the Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada.
20 Minute Consultation – Free
60 Minute Session – $125
For those experiencing financial hardship, fees may be offered on a sliding scale basis. Please schedule a free 20 minute consultation to discuss the available fee options.
*Payment is accepted by cash, cheque, credit card, or e-transfer.
Counselling / Somatic Therapy
Somatic therapy is a form of counseling that involves working with the body in the counseling process. One of the goals of therapy is to release trapped survival energy from the fight-flight- freeze response from the body and nervous system. In addition to talk therapy, mind-body attunement practices such as mindfulness, breath awareness, guided imagery and sensory awareness exercises are used to help build awareness of the felt sense within the body. The counselor guides the client through tracking the sensations in their body, and it is through this process that the energy of stress, trauma and negative experiences is able to be released. Somatic therapy focuses on helping clients to build resources within themselves to increase their capacity to self regulate their emotions. Through developing awareness of the mind-body connection somatic therapy helps to release the tension, anger, frustration, and other emotions that remain in a patient’s body from past negative experiences. Somatic therapy can be beneficial for:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Grief
- Chronic Pain
- Trust and intimacy issues
- Self Esteem challenges
Find out more about these approaches:
Reality Therapy (RT): https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/reality-therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): https://cogbtherapy.com/introduction-to-cbt
Dialectical-Behavioral Therapy (DBT): https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-illness-and-addiction-index/dialectical-behaviour-therapy
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): https://www.emdria.org/about-emdr-therapy/
Somatic Therapy: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/therapy-types/somatic-therapy
Trauma Healing: https://traumahealing.org/se-101/