About Rosalyn Harry, Registered Clinical Counsellor

Rosalyn Harry was born and raised in Vancouver, BC. From a very young age she had a passion for helping people. Her counselling training began when she completed two years of peer counselling training and started a peer counselling program at her high school.

She completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Women’s Studies at the University of Victoria where she continued her counselling education through psychology courses and volunteer work with the university’s Peer Helping Program. After she completed her Bachelor’s degree Rosalyn returned to Vancouver where she worked at a prominent alternative health care facility for people who are living with cancer. She worked in this position for two years, until deciding to go back to school to complete a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology.

Rosalyn was one of only 12 students (out of 160+ applicants) accepted into the Master’s of Education, Counselling Psychology program at the University of Western Ontario. Here, she was involved with counselling students at the Student Development Centre and working with an alternative education program for women called Bridges. Rosalyn’s research involved using a technique called Photonovella; a creative technique which uses photography as a starting point for Narrative Therapy in a counselling setting. Rosalyn brings this creativity and appreciation for individual expression into her counselling practice.

Rosalyn has additional education and experience in trauma work, attachment theory and grief and bereavement. Since completing her graduate degree Rosalyn is happy to be back on the West Coast and has since worked in research with the BC Cancer Agency and has a private practice in the Fairmont Medical Building.

About Serenity Counselling

Rosalyn’s counselling practice, Serenity Counselling, covers a wide range of concerns and most often includes:

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Stress
    Relaxation Techniques and Anger Management
  • Relationship Issues
  • Grief and Loss
  • Self Knowledge / Awareness
  • Self Esteem
  • Highly Sensitive People
  • Nonviolent Communication
  • Family of Origin Issues
  • Caregiver Fatigue – support for family and friends of those living with illness
  • Body Image Issues and Relationship with Food
  • Personal Empowerment
  • Counselling for Therapists and other Helping/Healing Professionals

Counselling Approaches

Rosalyn uses a multitude of approaches and techniques tailored to the individual needs and interests of each client. Rosalyn’s counselling practice borrows from the following schools of thought:

  • Client or Person Centered Therapy
  • Narrative Therapy
  • Feminist Therapy
  • Nonviolent Communication Model
  • Psychodynamic Theory
  • Guided Visualization and Imagery
  • Mindfulness
  • Relaxation and Grounding Techniques
  • Gestalt Therapy
  • Photonovella and creative approaches
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

What is Counselling Therapy?

The Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, defines counselling therapy as the “skilled and principled use of relationship to facilitate self- knowledge, emotional acceptance and growth and the optimal development of personal resources”.

What counselling therapy does is it provides an opportunity for people to work towards living with more personal satisfaction while using their inner and outer resources. The relationship that a counselling therapist and a client build with one another will vary according to the needs of the client. Often this relationship will be concerned with addressing specific issues, making decisions, coping with crisis and stress, family of origin or developmental issues, developing personal insights and knowledge, reflecting on inner conflict and improving relationships with others.

“The practice of Counselling Therapy assists people experiencing difficulties in relationships, or within themselves, and enhances their growth and well-being, by making use of relational, conversational, somatic, expressive, or educational methods and techniques informed by established counselling and psychotherapeutic theories, research, ethical standards, human diversity, and the range of human traditions” – Task Group for Counsellor Regulation

Email or call today to book an appointment to begin your personal counselling journey with Rosalyn as your guide.