Debra (Debbie) Airth

RTCc, SSW

Registered Therapeutic Counsellor

English

Debbie's

Warm video welcome

Welcome, I’m so glad you’re here. Reaching out for support can feel like a big step, and it takes courage to even begin. In this space, you don’t have to have it all figured out or know the “right” words, just come as you are. My role is to walk alongside you with care, curiosity, and respect, so you can explore at your own pace. Whatever brings you here, identity, grief, trauma, chronic illness, or simply the weight of being human, you don’t have to face it alone.

Background

I’m a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor Candidate (RTCc), and my path into this work is rooted in both professional training and lived experience. My journey through chronic illness, identity, and grief deeply informs how I support others navigating trauma, anxiety, life transitions, and relationship challenges. As an Indigenous and 2SLGBTQ+ therapist, I offer identity-affirming, trauma-informed, and grief-literate counselling that centres safety, connection, and authenticity. If you’ve ever felt unseen or misunderstood in therapy, this is a space built to meet you exactly where you are.

Your therapeutic experience with me

Therapy with me is about meeting you exactly where you are, without judgment, pressure, or the need to have it all figured out. I bring gentle guidance, collaborative exploration, and a trauma-informed lens to help you feel safe enough to be real. Whether you’re unravelling old patterns, grieving a loss, navigating anxiety or depression, or learning to live in a body that carries pain, I’ll walk alongside you with curiosity and deep respect for your pace. You set the tone; I help you stay connected to yourself along the way. My goal is not to “fix” you, but to support you in reclaiming your voice, reconnecting with your strength, and finding new ways of being that feel more true to you.

Areas of expertise

These are the areas I commonly work with, and they form a big part of the support I offer in my practice:

2SLGBTQIA+?

Grief, Loss, And Bereavement?

Life Transitions?

Grief (non Death)?

Chronic Pain?

Identity Exploration?

I also support you in these additional areas and welcome you to reach out if any of them speak to what you are going through:

Chronic Illness?

Anxiety & Worry?

Depression?

Burnout

Life Transitions And Identity Shifts?

Mindfulness

Work/life Balance

Self-harm

Recovery

Substance Use/misuse

Grief Over Health Losses?

Self-esteem & Self-worth?

Coping Skills

Stress

Therapeutic approaches

These are the approaches at the heart of my work, and I use them often because they help create meaningful change:

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

I use ACT to help clients make space for difficult thoughts and emotions without being overwhelmed. Together, we explore your values, identity, and hopes, building psychological flexibility to take meaningful steps and live more fully, authentically, and in alignment with what matters.

Person-centered Therapy

Person-centred therapy is at the heart of my work. I offer a space of empathy, honesty, and unconditional support, helping you reconnect with your inner voice, values, and capacity for growth at your own pace, so you can show up fully as yourself.

Narrative Therapy

Narrative therapy helps you see your story from new perspectives. Together, we explore and gently reframe limiting or painful narratives, honouring your strengths and resilience. This approach supports reclaiming authorship, hope, meaning, and an authentic identity.

Motivational Interviewing

Motivational Interviewing helps you explore your own reasons for change in a supportive, non-judgmental way. Together, we clarify your values and goals, address doubts, and empower you to take meaningful steps forward at your own pace.

I also draw on other evidence based approaches that can gently support you when they align with what you need:

Somatic Therapy

Mindfulness

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

Emotion-focused Therapy (EFT)

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Attachment Focused Therapy

Trauma-informed Therapy

Existential Therapy

Integrative

Collaborative Therapy

Focused populations and cultural backgrounds

These are the communities and cultural backgrounds I focus on, and I bring a sincere commitment to supporting you in a way that feels respectful and genuine:

Populations

Youth And Young Adults

Adults

People Facing Chronic Illness Or Pain

Neurodivergent Clients

2SLGBTQIA Community

Cultural communities

Indigenous Community

BIPOC

2SLGBTQ+

Professional credentials

British Columbia regulatory jurisdiction flag

Registered Therapeutic Counsellor
- No.3664

Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada

Educational background

Counselling Therapist Private Practice with Academic Distinction

Focus: Counselling Therapist

Stenberg College, Canada

Social Service Worker Professional With Honours

Focus: Addiction and Youth

CDI College, Canada

Specialized training

Trauma-Focused ACT

Psychwire

ACT for Beginners

Psychwire

Motivational Interviewing Foundations

Psychwire

Motivational Interviewing for Addiction

Psychwire

Practice locations & services

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FAQ

What can I expect in our first session?

Our first session is all about getting to know each other. We’ll explore what’s bringing you to therapy, what you’re hoping for, and what support might look like moving forward. There’s no pressure to dive in deep right away, we go at your pace.

How often will we meet?

That depends on your needs. Some clients prefer weekly sessions, others biweekly. We’ll decide together what feels supportive and sustainable for you.

Do you work with specific communities?

Yes. My practice is especially welcoming to those navigating identity, grief, chronic illness, trauma, and mental health challenges, particularly within Indigenous, 2SLGBTQ+, neurodivergent, and other underrepresented communities.

What’s your therapy style?

Relational, inclusive, and non-judgmental. I draw from multiple approaches—like ACT, Narrative Therapy, Person-Centred, and Somatic work—but always tailor the process to who you are.

Do you offer sliding scale rates?

Yes, I offer a limited number of sliding-scale spots based on financial need. Please reach out if affordability is a barrier; I’ll do my best to work with you.

Did you know?

I believe you are not broken, you’re becoming. Healing means reconnecting with your strength and truth, not fixing who you are.

I’m a lifelong learner, always growing my skills in trauma, grief, and identity-affirming care to better support those I work with.

Nature is my reset. You’ll often find me by the water or in the forest, reconnecting with the land, my breath, and what matters.

Therapy with me is human, not clinical. You don’t have to be perfect, just real. I’ll meet you there.

I started this work because I couldn’t find the kind of support I needed. My own experiences with chronic illness, grief, and identity shaped my path.

Immediate crisis support available

If you're experiencing a mental health crisis, help is available right now:

🚨 Call 911 for immediate emergency assistance
💬 Call or text 988 for mental health crisis support and suicide prevention