Meet Cheryl Woolstone, Local Counsellor

Practicing in Kitsilano, Vancouver

I have been a registered psychotherapist for over 30 years, both in private practice and at a family practice psychiatric setting. In both clinical settings, I have worked with a wide variety of clients. Areas of practice include:

Relationship and family therapy
Treatment of mood disorders
General life transition issues

I am a certified Imago Relationship Therapist and a member of Imago Relationships International. I receive monthly clinical supervision to challenge my skill level and continue to master the art of couples therapy.

I have further training and certification in Cognitive Behavioral, Family Systems and Solution Focused Therapy.

I am the founder of the award winning Family Clinic, at Lions Gate Hospital Outpatient Psychiatry. I established this unique program to provide family and relationship counselling within a medical setting.

The work of  the LGH Family Clinic is the focus of the documentary, Family Matters: Surviving the Bipolar Journey, which aired on the Knowledge Network in 2011.

My academic and professional credentials include:

• Masters Degree in Social Work – Family Systems Therapy, M.S.W.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, B.A. Honours
• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, B.S.W.
• Certified Imago Relationship Therapist
• Gottman Method Couples Therapy – Completed  Level and 1 and 2 Training
• Bader-Pearson Developmental Model of Couples Therapy – Completed Level 1
• Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy Externship – Completed Externship
• Relational Life Therapy – Completed Level 1

Our Work Together

Psychotherapy is the active pursuit of change and is a results-oriented process, designed to assist you to make fundamental changes in the way that you live your life and relate to those around you.

My job as your therapist is to help you attain your goals. I will work with you in a dedicated, skillful and compassionate manner. We will build on your strengths, deepen your self-knowledge and identify the areas where growth is needed.

You can count on me to listen fully, to clarify your concerns and assist you in making shifts in your thoughts and action. You can expect to be challenged in the service of developing confidence and creating fulfilling relationships.

I try to observe closely, and freely share what I notice so you may consider whether my experience of you rings true, and provides you with some greater understanding of what is blocking you to live a more satisfying life.

Measuring Progress and Further Development

Clients often begin to experience insights about their thought and relationship patterns during our first few sessions together and changes frequently begin in the early stages of therapy.

Although my clients often enter therapy in some sort of crisis, it is often longer term, underlying issues that concern them.

As therapy progresses, the goals may enlarge so that we are not just working to relieve pain, but to create richer, deeper relationships, more satisfying and creative work, and more engagement in life.

You deserve a rewarding and fulfilling life…and you have that choice!

Book a counselling appointment today or connect and share on Cheryl’s Thoughts on Counselling and Relationships Blog.