CarruthersCounselling & Consulting

Sometimes, the only thing that limits us are the thoughts inside our head.

Background & Philosophy

Introduction

Megan Carruthers is recognized as an effective Child, Youth and Young Adult counsellor in the Tri-cities area, and Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. She began her career as a youth worker and then teacher. This later expanded to student services, where Megan has worked with kids with a variety of challenges ranging from learning disabilities, trauma, grief & loss, at-risk youth and developmental disorders such as Autism & Asperger's, etc. A portion of her teaching career has been spent working in alternate education settings for our most vulnerable youth, including a youth detention setting.

Megan obtained her Masters of Arts in Counselling at the University of Queensland in 2011, and has been a school counsellor and registered counsellor since. Her counselling work has ranged from clinical mental health work and addictions counselling, in addition to Elementary, Middle and Secondary school counselling.

She has backpacked and taught in multiple countries in Asia and S.E. Asia, including non-profit work; and is registered with both BC College of Teachers and Education Qld, in Australia. Her clinical counselling work has registered her with the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA), while also being registered here with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC). These experiences have added to her knowledge of cultures around the world, and given understanding to the difficulties of being new somewhere.

Megan has facilitated multiple group sessions with kids and has held seminars, presentations and public speaking events to help the public. She utilizes a range of modalities in therapy from CBT, Mindfulness, Attachment theory, Narrative, Solution-Focused, Existential, Bowen Family Systems, Play, Sand & Art therapy etc. Megan has a love of art therapy that began for her with the loss of her mother as a child, and now is incorporated into her practice with children and young adults.

Megan has knowledge of child and youth development and recognizes the difference between early puberty vs. early signs of mental health; she knows what strategies to implement early on to prevent further development of a disorder in future periods of life.

She has been a strong advocate and support for LGBTQ youth and their families. This has ranged between exploring one's gender and identity to periods of identity changes or transitions.

In all aspects of counselling children and youth, family counselling is integrated in the approach. Clients will receive 5-10 sessions of time committed to the goals in session and following both parties can review if further sessions are required.

Treatment Focus

The focus is to help kids deal with the emotional struggles of life. This includes exploring feelings related to a specific area, working through any turmoil and providing skills for managing these emotions. It also includes recognizing negative coping behaviours and teaching ways to introduce positive ones. Skill development ranges from depression, anxiety, socialization, esteem building, anger, grief and dealing with loss of a loved one or family unit. An understanding of child and youth development is taken into consideration for all of the counselling sessions, including if there was a disorder that caused a developmental delay. If they are dealing with pain in their heart either from personal struggles or a family unit being altered or broken down, this will be the focus. The specific therapeutic and counselling approach used will depend on the unique needs of each individual or family.

Patient Promise

With a dedication to yourself and 5-10 sessions, I promise change will happen.

Areas of Service

Children 6-10yrs

Divorce & family separation
Grief & loss
Stress & Anxiety
Esteem building
Abandonment & attachment
Trauma
Affects of bullying
Abuse or neglect
Socialization
Early signs of a disorder
LGBTQ & early gender identity
Developmental Disorders or delays
Behaviour, social or learning challenges

Children 11-13yrs

Stress, Anxiety & Depression
Self-harm
Divorce & family separation
Abandonment & attachment
Bullying related concerns
Self-esteem
Grief & loss
Abuse or neglect
Early Addictions ( video games, food, social media, substances, etc)
Support for LGBTQ Youth and/or gender identity differences
Relationships with self and others
Developmental disorders
Behaviour, social or learning challenges
Trauma, abuse & neglect
Risk taking behaviours and/or conduct issues
Early signs of a mental health disorder
Navigating early puberty and pre-teen behaviours

Youth & Young Adult

Stress, Anxiety & Depression
Grief & loss
Abandonment & attachment
Divorce & family separation
Relationships struggles/ unhealthy relationships
Support for LGBTQ individuals and/or gender identity differences
Addictions (video games, food, social media, substances, etc)
Trauma, abuse or neglect
Domestic Violence or partnership violence ( including same-sex partnership violence)
Risk taking behaviours and/or conduct issues
Developmental disorders
Techniques for managing early mental health
Life & career coaching

CarruthersCounselling & Consulting

Background & Philosophy

Introduction

Treatment Focus

Patient Promise

Areas of Service

Children 6-10yrs

Children 11-13yrs

Youth & Young Adult

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Carruthers Counselling

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CarruthersCounselling & Consulting

Background & Philosophy

Introduction

Treatment Focus

Patient Promise

Areas of Service

Children 6-10yrs

Children 11-13yrs

Youth & Young Adult

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Testimonials

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Contact Us

Carruthers Counselling

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