Dr. Shelly Dean (Bonnah), Ph.D., RCC, AAMFT

Shelly’s experience and area of concentration includes working for victims of all ages who have experienced violence or other traumatic events, as well as for those who have chosen to use violence to harm others. Shelly also works on behalf of children and their families to complete a wide variety of reports required in Family Law disputes. She is available to work for other organizations and professionals to provide training in Response-Based Practice, or for Practice Support (clinical supervision), as well as consulting in the areas of supervision, organizational or program evaluation.  Shelly orients her family therapy practice around a relatively small group of children and families. They will never be, or made to feel like “just a number”, and will receive her undivided attention.

Shelly was raised in Northern BC and then Kamloops.  Her experience includes 20+ years of direct counselling experience with children, youth, couples and families, consulting with a wide range of organizations, teaching in universities, clinical supervision and organizational development in the social service sector. Shelly has also worked with the Centre for Response-Based Practice and her colleagues Allan Wade, Linda Coates & Cathy Richardson for many years in the development of these ideas. Specifically, Shelly has been actively involved in the ongoing development of working with children and youth from a Response-Based perspective, and understanding how young people respond to and resist experiences of violence. Shelly is a licensed Family Therapist, an author, and a graduate of the Doctoral Program at the TAOS Institute.  She is also a proud wife, parent and grandparent.

Robb Dolson, M.Ed., RCC, CCC

Robb’s area of concentration includes working with youth (and their caregivers) who are misusing substances in a way that always considers the context of their lives, and he works with young people from whatever place they are most comfortable starting from—without judgement or pressure. His work includes individual and/or family sessions. Alternative location sessions can be prearranged. Robb is also a couples and family counsellor.

Robb was born and raised in Kamloops, BC, and together with his wife is raising two young daughters and a son. Robb has worked in this community as a teacher and a counsellor, and is highly respected for his energy and his ability to connect with young people. He has extensive experience working with children and youth, and a clear and direct approach to working with families and couples. Robb has been a teacher in the Kamloops/Thompson School District for 12 years and has taught both in Europe and locally. His experience includes working with youth and adults who have experienced multiple barriers and face situations of extreme oppression and risk.

Dignity is the cornerstone of Robb’s counseling practice, and the understanding that we all do everything we can to preserve dignity when faced with oppression, violence or adversity. Robb views the challenges that people face in the context of their lives, rather than looking at an explanation that only includes the individual. Robb is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC), studying for his Masters Degree both at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops and internationally at Heidelberg University in Germany. He is a student in the Response-Based Practice Certificate program. Robb has a flexible schedule and is available for sessions afternoons, evenings, early mornings, weekends and holidays.

Kalie McIntosh, M.C., RCC

Kalie is currently on maternity leave and will be returning to see new and returning clients in 2024.

Kalie’s experience and area of concentration has been working for youth and young adults. Kalie’s background has enhanced her ability to connect with young people in their unique ways, and to work with their timing. Her experiences include working with youth and adults who have experienced a wide range of adversity, substance misuse along with other addictions, and traumatic events. At the core of Kalie’s work is the understanding that a person’s dignity must always be upheld, and she focuses on finding the different ways in which people work hard to maintain their dignity every day.

Kalie is originally from Thunder Bay, Ontario and moved to British Columbia in 2008. She and her partner moved to Kamloops in 2015 to be closer to family. Kalie has a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University and an undergraduate degree from Simon Fraser University. Kalie is also a registered clinical counsellor with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors. Kalie practices from a Response-Based Approach, and also incorporates other complimentary theories of practice.

Cathy Richardson, M.C., Ph.D., CCC, RCC

Catherine Richardson/Kinewesquao, Ph.D. is a Métis therapist and a co-founder of the Centre for Response-Based Practice (www.responsebasedpractice.com). She has Cree, Dene and Gwichin ancestry and is the current Director of First Peoples Studies at Concordia University in Montreal/Tiotá: ke. She provides clinical supervision to counsellors including practitioners working with women and family members connected to the issue of MMIWG. Catherine is a Quebec researcher on the Domestic Homicide Prevention Initiative with Vulnerable Populations and with the FRIDAA project (Femmes, Recherche, Intervention, Development, Approaches, Autochtone). She does response-based practice and systemic family therapy community trainings for violence prevention/recovery intervention workers. Catherine has been working in Indigenous communities for over 25 years. She is the mother of three children and has published five books, the most recent entitled “Speaking the Wisdom of Our Time” and “Structural Violence Against Youth in Canada: Speaking Out and Pushing Back.” Catherine is interested in promoting healing, recovery and well-being in a spirit of dignity and social justice.

Catherine is joining our Interior team to provide online counselling for individuals, supervision for professionals, and training for organizations. To book an appointment, please email her directly below.

Darren Jones, M.A., RCC

Darren’s focus of specialization is individual, couples, family and youth counselling, and he offers flexibility in scheduling. He comes from an integrative approach when assisting clients and believes in honouring the dignity of all people and the inherent value of an individual’s story as it unfolds. Darren specializes in faith-based violence and religious oppression that can happen to individuals through organizations and family systems.

He has more than 25 years of experience within Christian faith tradition as a Pastor with a focus on mentoring at-risk-youth and developing programs for personal empowerment. Additionally, he specializes in the area of supporting spiritual leaders, the interactions with their family, and he is available for consultation and leadership development in church settings.

Darren was born and raised in England and moved to Canada to pursue a career in Pastoral ministry, where he Pastored in Saskatchewan before moving to Kamloops. He is married and has two adult children and a labradoodle, and has lived in Kamloops for 23 years.

Darren works through a Response-Based lens, which is supported through an integrative approach to therapy, utilizing family system, Feminist Theory and Narrative models. Darren has completed his Master’s degree at Providence University College and Seminary and has completed the certificate in Family Therapy through the Centre for Response-Based Practice.

Pete Grinberg, M.A.C.P., RCC

Pete’s area of concentration includes relationship counselling for issues of conflict, violence, betrayal and negative addictive behaviors. Pete has a strong commitment to help individuals who are experiencing emotional pain or feeling overwhelmed. He recognizes the pre-existing abilities of individuals, the unique ways that they have navigated their circumstances and their potential, often in ways that they have not yet recognized themselves. This often restores a sense of equilibrium and helps create a stronger supportive social network. Pete is working primarily online and able to take new virtual clients.

At the heart of Pete’s work is the belief in the resiliency of the human spirit and the possibility of a better life regardless of the present circumstances. First and foremost, Pete understands the importance of upholding every person’s dignity and personal choice. Pete has worked in a corrections facility for more than 15 years and provided education programming in supportive/transitional housing and treatment center settings for more than five years. These experiences have given him insight into working with adults and children who have been impacted adversely by the incarceration of a family member or the use of substances. Pete also works with family members who use all forms of violence. Pete and his wife foster children and still manage to connect regularly with their six grown children.  Pete was born and raised in Toronto, and moved to Kamloops in 1994. He has a Master of Arts degree in Counselling Psychology from Gonzaga University and an honors undergraduate degree from the University of Waterloo.  Pete is also a Registered Clinical Counsellor with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors. In his practice, Pete uses the principles of the Response-Based Approach along with an emphasis on the power of the therapeutic relationship between the counsellor and the individual.

Christa Van Zyl, M.A.C.P., RCC

Christa’s area of concentration includes focusing on relationships, and the challenges that can be experienced emotionally and interactionally. Christa pays attention to intuition, and all of the things that people do within their unique environments to preserve their dignity and keep themselves, and others, safe. She works to uncover the frequent misunderstanding of ‘poor communication’ to be the communication of saving face, preserving dignity, and maintaining dignity. This knowledge is very often what informs our behaviour–past, current and future.

She is available to work with individuals, couples, families and children, and she works flexible hours. Christa was born and raised in South Africa, which gives her a unique perspective on the inequalities of life, and that some people are more ‘equal’ than others in how they are treated. Christa and her family moved to Canada in 2001. In 2010 Christa and her family made Kamloops their home. Christa has two daughters and three furry friends who all love the outdoors. Christa works from a Response-Based perspective, and is trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).

Robbyn Bennett, M.A., RCC

Robbyn’s (she/her) area of concentration is working with people through a process of exploration that assists clients in achieving greater awareness of how their thoughts, beliefs, and behaviours are responses to pressures, adverse events, barriers, oppression, and obstacles in their environment. The years of young adulthood through to mid-life can be particularly challenging and include many major life transitions and unique challenges. The way one responds to these challenges impacts our ability to perform everyday tasks. Understanding the impacts that these events have on our behaviours and responses leads to healing through self-awareness, self-compassion, and self-acceptance.

Robbyn believes that people are resilient and works with them to understand their responses within the context of their experiences, which creates space for empowerment, compassion, relief, improved health, peace and joy. Robbyn believes that all people face challenges and need extra support during difficult times in their lives. These challenges can result in significant impact on one’s life, including trauma, anxiety, and depression, to name a few. She believes that people are master strategists who find incredibly creative ways to survive and navigate adverse situations. Symptoms and disorders are some ways of responding to, and surviving, some of the most difficult, traumatic, and challenging incidents that happen to us.

When challenging events occur, we not only experience the trauma, but the social responses and consequences that accompany the event. This leads to more personal responses and use of strategies to preserve one’s dignity. Robbyn works with clients to understand these interactions in order to facilitate recovery and healing.

Robbyn is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with a Masters Degree in Counselling from City University of Seattle, a Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Thompson Rivers University, certification in Response-Based Practice, is currently pursuing her Doctoral Degree, and has over 15 years experience working in mental health. Robbyn is a staunch advocate for inclusion and social justice, prioritizing intersectional, diverse, and culturally informed approaches. She works to always be improving as an ally and ensuring her practice is a safe place for all people. Robbyn practices from several therapeutic modalities, primarily with Response-Based Approach but dependent on the unique needs and goals of the client(s), will incorporate a blend of mindfulness, Solution Focused Therapy (SFT), family systems, and/or Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).

Kym Daley B.A., M.A.C.P., RCC

Kym has 13 years experience working for youth, individuals, couples and families. Her area of concentration includes working for victims of violence and other forms of adversity, supporting transitional life events, and assistance through the wide variety of stressful and worrisome situations that people face. Kym works from a Response-Based framework, and has also incorporated body work, family systems therapy, nature therapy, and a mindfulness approach within her work. Most importantly, Kym honours the inherent knowing and dignity in each and every person. In the last 6 years Kym has become certified as a nature-based mindfulness teacher and has been leading training sessions in mindfulness, as well as mindfulness in nature retreats for individuals and teams.

Kym grew up in Kamloops, BC and has returned to live here recently, after living for 13 years in California. Her passion for mental wellness through a connection with nature has followed her throughout her life and into her current work.

Kym offers clinical supervision with other professionals. She recognizes value in ‘caring for the carer’, creating a safe place for professionals to receive help, and overcome challenges. Ultimately, this is in everybody’s best interest.

Angela Booy, B.A., B.Ed., M.Ed., M.A.C.P., RCC

Angela’s (she/her) experience and area of concentration includes working with people of all ages who are seeking help for issues of discrimination, violence, and harassment, as well as any form of support. She is a 2SLGBTQIA+ Response-Based and Internal Family Systems counsellor and works mainly (but not exclusively) within the LGBTQIA2S+ community and with those impacted by an intersectional identity. Angela works with clients of all ages, genders, sexual identities, and expressions, including allies.

Angela’s experience includes over 17 years in the education system as a high school social studies teacher, prior to changing careers. Through teaching, Angela developed a deep love for working with young people and their families.

Angela recently moved to Kamloops from the Lower Mainland and is enjoying all that the Interior has to offer, particularly Shuswap Lake and the Thompson rivers, with her 6 year old Maltipoo named Tiggy, who loves to swim! Angela’s passions include supporting women’s professional sports, reading, and documentary films.

Angela is a Registered Clinical Counsellor and holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Education. She is available to meet with individuals in the office or online with flexible hours.

Chloe Benson, Office Manager

Chloe (she/her) started working at the Centre for Response-Based practice as the Executive Assistant in November 2021.  She has now taken on the role of our Office Manager. Chloe attends Thompson Rivers University full-time as a psychology student and will move on to complete a Masters degree after.

Chloe came to us with an extensive work history which includes many years in the public sector for various Government Ministries. She also holds a certificate as a Legal Administrative Assistant.

When Chloe is not at school or working in our office, she can be found with her two dogs enjoying everything that Mother Nature has to offer. She is an avid reader and is always open to new book suggestions!

Julie Laliberte, M.A.C.Y.C., RCC

Julie (she/her) has been working with children, youth, and families for over 15 years in both outdoor and indoor settings. She worked for many years as an outdoor guide and land-based educator, supporting youth in both therapeutic and recreational capacities.

Julie’s playful and creative nature enhances her connection with young people. She also draws from her many years of experience working in sexualized violence prevention and as an advocate for Indigenous families interacting with the child welfare system.

Julie practices from a dignity-centered response based lens, and wholeheartedly believes in getting curious about what people do to resist and maintain their humanity and dignity when faced with harm. Actively working towards a just and safe community through solidarity work and justice-doing is central to her practice.

She is a White settler of Dutch, English, and French Canadian heritage and was born and raised on the unceded and stolen territories of the W̱SÁNEĆ and lək̓ʷəŋən peoples, currently known as Victoria BC. She is now living on the unceded territories of the K’ómoks and Xwémalhkwu, currently known as Black Creek, BC on Vancouver Island. Julie is a registered clinical counsellor with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and recently completed her Masters of Child and Youth Care at the University of Victoria. Julie currently offers online counselling appointments and will soon have in-person appointments offered in the Comox Valley.

Laura Cocksedge BCYC, MC, RCC

Laura’s area of concentration includes working in the areas of child development and adult addiction. She is available to work for people of all ages. Laura believes in honouring and upholding the dignity of people with the understanding that many life events are dignity-stripping, and that both the freedom to speak and the responses from others are key. Adversity affects us all; healing begins with understanding, acceptance, and compassion. Laura’s practice is informed by Response-Based Practice, solution-focused theory, meaning-centred theory, feminist theory, and systemic family theory.

Laura has been living and working in the Qathet Regional District for over fifteen years. She moved to Qathet inspired by the land, the sea, and the people to raise her two children. She and her family have taken full advantage of all the outdoor activities the area offers. Laura has a Bachelor of Child and Youth Care and a Masters of Counselling. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors. She has over ten years of experience working with children, youth, and their caregivers.

Currently, she works with addition and trauma in a residential facility where she has experience facilitating both men’s and women’s groups as well as one-to-one support. Laura is available online for individual, couples and family sessions through the Centre for Response-Based Practice.