Our Team
Welcome to the Burnaby Counselling Group Team!
We have a unique team of therapists committed to providing the highest quality of care for our clients. Our team has training and experience in diverse areas of counselling and we offer a range of payment options for our clients. We invite you to read about our therapists' backgrounds and hope that you will find a therapist to assist you with your specific therapy concerns. Please call us with any questions that you may have in selecting a therapist 604.430.1303.
We look forward to working with you!
Administrative Team
Leadership Team
ACTS Counsellors
Denise Caldwell
Susan Hobkirk
Joshua Kruse
Michael Mandrusiak
Linda Medaris
Karla Saruk
Carlene Van Tongeren
Ian Verseveldt
Jon Wieser
Administrative Team
Jo, Maffy and Stephanie have 20 years of combined experience providing client care at the front desk and on the phone. They work closely with the therapists to facilitate you finding the therapist most suited to your needs. In this process, clients are treated with respect and confidentiality. They will be here to greet you with tea, coffee, and a warm welcome to our group!
Chris Fong is the Director of Business Operations. As a trained pastor and an experienced administrator, Chris integrates his pastoral training and his management experience to oversee the multi-faceted operations of the Burnaby Counselling Group.
The ACTS Counselling Centre is a training facility for Graduate Students in the Counselling program at ACTS of Trinity Western University. Under the direct supervision of an approved supervisor with the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, the Graduate Students provide therapy to individuals, couples, and families who are experiencing life challenges and transitions. They also offer play therapy for children experiencing a variety of difficulties including anxiety, low self-esteem, loss, and behaviour issues. We currently have two Graduate Students working with us; Juliana Fruhling and Tiffany Jay.
Juliana Fruhling is currently completing her Master's of Marriage and Family Therapy at Trinity Western University. Her empathy-centered approach with couples, individuals, and families, is driven by a recognition of the importance of attending to the needs of the whole person. Juliana aims to provide a safe space where healing can take place, combining elements of the Satir model with those of Emotion-focussed Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.She is currently completing the Neufeld Intensive level one course and the Satir Transformational Systemic Therapy training course, level one.
Tiffany Jay is currently a student in the Marriage and Family Therapy master's program at Trinity Western University. She has a Bachelor of Arts at the University of British Columbia in Family Studies. Tiffany is committed to creating a safe, non-judgmental empathetic environment to help individuals, couples, and families work through problem situations and enhance healthier relationships to oneself and to each other. She aims to gain an understanding of clients and to work collabartively with them in their life struggles and challenges. She works from a family systems framework within an integrative approach of emotion-focused therapy, the transgenerational model, and the Satir model.
Fees range from $20-$30 per 50 minute session.
Denise Caldwell has been counseling at the Burnaby Counselling Group since 1984. She works with individuals of diverse backgrounds, facilitating greater insight and understanding about the place to which their lives have led them. Denise is also gifted in working with clients to develop greater perspective as they encounter challenges and barriers in their faith.
Some of the key areas that Denise works with are:
- Women’s issues
- Depression, Anxiety
- Mid-life issues and Aging
- Grief and Loss
- Spiritual development & Formation
- Compassion Fatigue & Burn-out
Denise is also a well known speaker and group facilitator, who is able to provide insight in a way that both challenges and entertains. Her witty, compelling speaking style about human relationships and spirituality is sought after by churches, women’s groups and national organizations.
Denise’s breadth of experience in teaching and public speaking includes:
- Facilitating Women in the Middle Years Group for 16 years across the Lower Mainland
- Guest Speaker for Women’s Retreats at such locations as Malibu, BC; Rosemary Heights, BC; Cedar Springs and The Firs, Washington.
- Keynote Speaker for International China Concern Annual Retreat, Philippines; National Conference for Canadian Association for Pregnancy Support Services, Mt. Tremblent, Quebec, and School of Children’s Ministries, Great Barrier Island, New Zealand.
"Before you tell your life what you intend to do with it, listen for what it intends to do with you.” Parker Palmer, 2000
Susan is a Registered Social Worker with more than 25 years of experience counselling individuals, couples, and families.
Susan’s passion is to work collaboratively with people in facilitating their personal growth and change. She works with individuals, couples, and families to help them articulate their feelings and longings and to renew and renegotiate their relationships. She provides clients the opportunity to become less burdened by the impact of challenging or painful life experiences, and helps them move toward a clearer understanding of themselves and others.
She is attentive to the goals that clients have and the needs that they express. “I know that it is possible for any one of us to become overwhelmed or stuck in our primary relationships and with life’s challenges, and that we can benefit from the skills that a compassionate counselor provides,” Susan states. Working with Susan could help you:
- Increase the awareness of your unique gifts and strengths
- Process and grieve disappointments and losses
- Identify issues and situations that “trigger” unhelpful responses for you
- Develop healthy relationship patterns and self-care strategies
- Identify and honour your resilience and survival skills
Susan has both training and experience working with individuals, couples, and families in the following areas:
- Relationship issues
- Grief and loss
- Self-esteem
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Sexual abuse
- Faith issues
- Parenting
Susan brings a wealth of experience and diverse training to her therapy work. Following her degree in Social Work from the University of British Columbia, Susan spent several years working for the provincial government with individuals, families in crisis, couples, and children/youth. She pursued a diploma in Family Systems Therapy from Pacific Coast Family Therapy Training Association and has additional training in Narrative Therapy and Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy. Susan has been with the Counselling Group for more than 15 years.
Joshua Kruse has a Ph.D in Clinical Psychology from Biola University and a Masters with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University. He enjoys working with individuals and families at all stages of life with mild to severe difficulties. “I strive to come alongside clients in order to meet them where they are and help prepare them to move to where they need to and want to be," Joshua states. He specializes in depth-oriented psychotherapy helping clients not only work on their current difficulties, but also exploring the development of one’s struggles in order to bring about long term healing and growth.
Some of the areas that Joshua works with include:
- Anxiety and panic
- Depression and dissatisfaction with current circumstances
- Emotional instability
- Difficulty emotionally connecting with others
- Teenagers and young adults who appear distant and may feel misunderstood
- Spiritual dryness and feeling distant from God
- Men’s issues
- Children with adjustment difficulties and traumatic experiences
Working with Joshua could help develop the following:
- Tools and resources for coping with stress and anxiety
- Greater awareness of how your issue developed, how you typically react, and how to respond more effectively
- Stronger relationship with yourself and others
- Clearer understanding of God’s presence and purpose in your circumstances
Joshua is on full-time faculty at Trinity Western University teaching courses such as Theories of Counselling, Psychology of Religion, Research Methods, and Introduction to Psychology. Joshua’s research has focused on working with spiritually-oriented clients. He says, “There is no greater honour then for someone to trust me with their story and be willing to work to make changes in their life.”
Michael Mandrusiak, Psy.D., R.Psych. # 01803
Michael is a Registered Psychologist in British Columbia who works with adults and adolescents in individual and group settings. Some of the treatment goals that Michael could help you with include:
- Improvement of mood and lifestyle in response to feelings of stress, depression and emotional distress.
- Alleviation of anxiety (social anxiety, panic, phobias, obsessions and compulsions)
- Increased clarity of life and career direction
- College/university issues and student stress
Michael believes in the power of a warm and understanding counselling relationship to unlock your strengths and resources, allowing you to move toward your goals and to create life satisfaction. He is also knowledgeable of the latest advances in therapy and adopts an integrative cognitive perspective.
In conjunction with his work at the Burnaby Counselling Group, Michael is a full-time faculty member at the Adler School of Professional Psychology in downtown Vancouver where he teaches courses in lifestyle and career development, counsellor professional development and counselling skills.
Linda Medaris, M.C., RCC, RMFT
Linda is a Registered Clinical Counsellor, Registered Marriage & Family Therapist, Approved Clinical Supervisor and Certified EMDR trauma therapist. She received her Masters degree in counselling from Trinity Western University and completed specialized training in marriage and family therapy as well as Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR). Linda is committed to helping individuals, couples and families understand and work through the painful and distressing symptoms that are often associated with the difficulties and challenges of life. Some of the key areas that Linda works with are:
- Individual & Couple Distress
- Family Conflict
- Sexual, Physical, and Emotional Abuse & Trauma
- Life transitions & Personal Growth
- Grief & Loss
- Depression
- Aging Issues
Linda views her clients holistically and her theoretical approach to counseling is grounded in Emotionally Focused Therapy and Systemic Therapy. She believes that her clients are all experts on their own lives, though; at times they may lose sight of this. Linda describes life as:
“… a precious gift, which is meant to be lived to the fullest, although, it is often fraught with difficulties and challenges that can, at times, paralyze us and keep us stuck in negative patterns. These behaviours can prevent personal growth and cause conflicts and strain on our relationships. We know that it’s in relationship that we can find our greatest joy and greatest pleasures; however, we also know that it’s in these relationships that we are most often wounded. A therapist can help at times like these.”
Linda’s professional affiliations include:
- Clinical member, the American Association for Marriage & Family Therapy
- Clinical member, the BC Association for Marriage & Family Therapy
- Registered Clinical Counsellor, the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors
- Clinical Supervisor, the American Association for Marriage & Family Therapy
Karla Saruk, PsyD, R. Psych #1894
Karla Saruk is a Registered Psychologist providing individual counseling and assessment services. She has worked extensively with children, adolescents, adults and families from a wide variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. She works with her clients to address a wide range of issues and concerns, including:
- Depression and Grief
- Fear and Anxiety
- Stress Management
- Child/Parent Relationships
- Managing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Adjusting to Major Life Changes
- Disordered and Emotional Eating
- Perinatal Anxiety and Depression (eg: "baby blues", postpartum depression)
Assessment Services:
Karla specializes in cognitive-behavioural and interpersonal therapeutic interventions; focusing on the way thoughts, behaviour and relationships impact our mental health and everyday living. Karla completed her Master’s degree in clinical psychology at Boston University before going on to do her doctorate in psychology at Wheaton College in Chicago, Illinois.
Karla also provides consultation to teachers, physicians, and social workers, for the purpose of assisting them in addressing mental health concerns with their students, clients and patients.
Karla provides therapy services to both English and Spanish speaking clientele.
Carlene Van Tongeren, M.A., R.C.C.
Carlene is a Registered Clinical Counsellor with a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology from the University of British Columbia. Through your work with Carlene, she will help you understand yourself more deeply and help create the change you need in your life to achieve your personal and relationship goals. Carlene integrates creativity from her background in the performing arts and goal-directedness from her experience as a competitive athlete to create a motivating counselling experience. Her interest in empowering individuals to achieve their personal goals could help you:
- Improve your self-esteem and learn strategies to live a more meaningful life
- Develop more satisfying intimate and interpersonal relationships
- Acquire more effective approaches to manage your anxiety and stress
- Understand how to improve your sexual intimacy
- Enhance your athletic performance
- Develop a healthy body image
- Overcome difficult challenges you may have experienced in your life
Carlene’s passion for inspiring couples to improve their intimacy and communication led her to an extensive internship in Emotion Focused Couples Therapy at the Vancouver Couple and Family Institute. She has worked with couples across a variety of contexts including relationship counselling, marital workshops, and clinical research interviews. Carlene has also participated in multidisciplinary training regarding issues of sexual dissatisfaction and dysfunction.
Carlene has been recognized as a highly trained scholar and skilled therapist throughout her career. She has been selected for honors including the BC Premier’s Award of Excellence, Simon Fraser University’s Best All Around Graduate, and a finalist for Vancouver’s YWCA Women of Distinction Award. Her approach to creating individual and interpersonal change is based on a standard of excellence in training and an excitement for helping you reach your potential.
Ian Verseveldt, Ph.D., R. Psych. #01292, R.M.F.T., Clinical Member of A.A.M.F.T., Clinical Director Burnaby Counselling Group
Ian has over 7,000 hours of working with couples, families and individuals. Coming from evidenced based theories such as Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT) Gottman, Narrative, and Structural, he provides support and encourages growth in individual, couple and family relationships. Ian is a professor at ACTS of Trinity Western University where he is the Director of the Masters of Marriage and Family Therapy program, and teaches in the area of couple relationships, family function, and the emotional, ethical and skill development of the therapist. He is involved in the development and implementation of ethical and professional counselling programs. He has been teaching since 1995 and has been a Marriage and Family therapist for over 20 years.
Jon Wieser, M.A-M.F.T., R.C.C.
Jon works with individuals, couples, and families to explore and overcome issues underlying distress and discomfort in their lives and interpersonal relationships. He received his Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Trinity Western University and pursued specialized training in Neurofeedack, Emotion Focused Couple Therapy, and Gottman Method Couples Therapy (Level 1). Jon’s diverse training and background contribute to his evidence-based approach to therapy. He integrates his neurological awareness and systemic perspective to create a holistic counselling experience.
Some of the key areas Jon works with are:
- Intimacy and relationships
- Stress and anxiety management
- Depression
- Trauma
- Family Distress
- Personal Growth and Peak Performance
- Cultural Adjustment
Jon adopts a caring, client-centered, collaborative approach to counselling which he believes allows people the safety to discover new, adaptive and resilient ways of being. Through your work with Jon, he will help you develop your self-awareness, (re)discover your personal resources, and improve your sense of effectiveness and well being in your life.
