Mary Gillis, M.A., R.C.C., C.C.C.
Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. – Marie Curie

Mary Gillis is a registered clinical counsellor, a member in good standing with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and is a professional member of Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, possessing a C.C.C designation.  She obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, and a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology from the Adler School of Professional Psychology in Vancouver. She is a member of the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society (CFAS), American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and a former member of the board of directors with Pacific Post Partum Support Society (PPPSS).

Mary’s counselling practice is enriched by her personal life experience as a world traveler, as a woman who was challenged by nine years of infertility, as a mother of an amazing son, as a professional who changed careers in midlife and as a mature student who achieved academic excellence in graduate school.

Mary creates a safe and trusting environment for her clients to feel nurtured and supported in order to move forward through their life challenges. She recognizes the significance of the decision to enter a counselling relationship. She is respectful of the fact that many people seeking counselling feel lost, stuck, overwhelmed, discouraged and lacking trust in their own inherent strengths. She believes that tuning in and encouraging her clients is key to empowering them.

Her clients find Mary to be a sensitive listener, highly observant and empathic with a rare combination of intuition and professional skills. She is passionate about her work as a clinical counsellor and is constantly in awe of her clients’ wisdom and resilience; she considers it a privilege to be a part of their healing journey.

Mary recently retired from her role as a counsellor at BC Women’s Hospital, where she worked with people dealing with issues pertaining to sexual health, pregnancy loss, stillbirth, premature birth/traumatic birth and termination.

Mary recognizes that healthy relationships are a key factor to a person’s sense of wellbeing, and has added training in Mindful Communication and Gottman Marital Therapy.

Mary integrates the following modalities based on individual needs:

• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
• Brief Therapy/Solution-Focused
• Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
• EMDR-Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

Mary has additional training in the following areas:

• Gottman Method Couples Therapy
• Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy
• Mindful Communication
• Grief and Bereavement
• Mindfulness Therapy
• CBT for Perinatal Depression
• CBT for Depression and Low Self-esteem