Catherine Tansley is a Certified Canadian Counsellor based in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador. In private practice since February of 2020, she has been engaged in counselling services for more than five years through such organizations as the Family Life Bureau and the Newfoundland and Labrador Sexual Assault Crisis Centre, among others. Her Master’s degree in counselling psychology, supplemented by ongoing specialized training, is augmented by years of work as an educator, and more recently a guidance counsellor, in the public school system.
Catherine believes that the client is the expert of their own story. Through an eclectic narrative approach that is feminist and strength-based, she facilitates the client’s journey towards discovery, learning, healing, and growth.
Education and Training
Catherine holds a Master of Education in Counselling Psychology from Memorial University of Newfoundland and is certified by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) and the Academy of Naturopaths and Naturotherapists (ACNN). Other related trainings include Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Behavioural Interventions, Anxiety Coaching, Narrative therapy, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. With the Mental Health Academy, she has completed courses on anxiety, depression, and techniques for counselling children. She has also attended workshops on addictions, abortion recovery, and coping strategies for anxiety and depression. She is trained in First Aid and CPR.
In addition to her counselling background, Catherine holds a Bachelor of Music and Music Education from Memorial University of Newfoundland and is principal tubist with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra.
Life and Work Experience
Prior to opening her private practice, Catherine volunteered for five years with the Newfoundland and Labrador Sexual Assault Crisis Centre, providing crisis counselling services to both male and female clients. In a counseling psychology internship at the Family Life Bureau, she co-facilitated group sessions on anger management and on separation and divorce, while also conducting testing and classroom lessons at St. Bonaventure’s College.
Having worked as a teacher in Newfoundland and Labrador for more than 15 years, she has gained significant experience working with individuals from a range of cultural backgrounds, of varying ages, behaviours, and cognitive profiles. Currently, she serves as a guidance counsellor at Mount Pearl Intermediate.
Social Engagement
In addition to her volunteer work as a counsellor, Catherine is committed to community engagement and social justice. She has attended the national conference of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association and completed training in restorative justice. She continues to serve as a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association’s Music Special Interest Council and co leads the Gay Straight Alliance at Mount Pearl Intermediate.
As a professional and volunteer musician, Catherine is a current member of the Lady Cove Women’s Choir and principal Tuba player with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra. She has conducted a number of choirs and musical ensembles, such as the Newfoundland Symphony Youth Choir, the Newfoundland Symphony Youth Orchestra, as well as church-based choirs and musical groups. She believes that her musicianship has enabled her to build relationships with individuals, communities, and across cultural and geographic distances.