Private Practice

Hello and welcome!

My name is Sharon Selby and I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor who works at the ABLE Developmental Clinic in West Vancouver where I provide private counselling to children and families.   The ABLE Developmental Clinic Inc. is a private multidisciplinary clinic providing assessment, treatment and consultation for children and youth experiencing difficulties with Attention,    Behaviour, Learning, and Emotion.

My Education, Experience and Theoretical Perspective:

I obtained my Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology from UBC in 1999.  I also have post-masters training in Art Therapy from the Adlerian School of Psychology and a Bachelor of Education from McGill University.  Having spent many years in the school setting, I have a thorough understanding of school systems. For the past twelve years, I have specialized in supporting children and families experiencing difficulties such as anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, trauma, separation/divorce, parent-child conflict, sibling conflict, anger management, impaired social skills, attention deficit disorder, high-functioning autism spectrum disorder, behavioural problems, new immigrant issues, bullying and low self-esteem.

I draw on a broad range of psychological theories such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Adlerian Theory, Jungian Theory, Attachment Theory, Solution Focused Therapy, and Positive Behaviour Support (PBS).  I also use Art and Play Therapy to assist children in expressing their feelings.

When working with families, I support the role of parents by coaching them in effective parenting skills and guiding them in understanding the unique temperament traits of their child(ren).

Group Counselling:

I run groups to teach children and youth about Anxiety and Anxiety Management Strategies.  To the children and youth, I refer to these groups as Brain Science Groups as each session we learn something about the brain.  When I asked the kids in one of my groups what would be a good title for our group they came up with “Camp Brainia” or “Brain Games Camp”.  In this seven week course, we meet once/week for 50 minutes in a small group with similar aged children.  (The last ten minutes of the session is the parent time where I go summarize the children’s session and answer any questions.)  We cover topics such as the names and functions of the three areas of the brain most impacted by anxiety:  the Pre-frontal Cortex,  the Amygdala, and the Hippocampus.  I use CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) to teach them about irrational thoughts vs. rational thoughts, and perspective taking.  We also talk about facing our fears, and the steps to do this.  I teach calming and relaxation strategies and the principles of mindfulness.  For the fall schedule, please refer to the group page. To register please call the ABLE Clinic at 604-922-3450.

I also run Self-Empowerment Groups known as “M-Power Groups”covering the four M’s of:

Me-power (assertiveness skills, not giving away one’s power to bullying/teasing, problem solving, resisting peer-pressure)

Mindsight (A term created by Dr. Daniel Siegel meaning understanding one’s brain and way of thinking and other people’s way of thinking)

Mindfulness (Being in the present without judgment, being able to access a calm, internal state)

Media Safety (Internet safety, texting guidelines, social media sites, on-line video games, webcams etc.)

For the fall schedule please refer to the group page.  To register please call the ABLE Clinic at 604-922-3450.

For parents, I run Parenting Courses.  Please refer to the group page and scroll down to the bottom to read about the Adlerian Parenting Course, the Parenting Course for Parents with a child who is on the Autism Spectrum, and the Siblings without Rivalry Course.

Presentations to Groups:

I am also available to present to parent groups on topics such as anxiety, understanding a child’s temperament, building resilience etc.  I have experience presenting to parents of pre-schools and elementary schools, workshops for colleagues and at conferences.  If you would like to book me to present on a specific topic, which can be catered to your needs, please send me an e-mail.  Please refer to the testimonials at the end of this page for responses to my presentations.

 To Schedule an Appointment:

To schedule an appointment for private counselling for yourself or other family members, or for parent coaching with me, please contact the receptionist at the West Vancouver ABLE Clinic at:

There is free parking, but it is busy, so please give yourself enough time to find a parking spot.

For further information, please contact me.

Coverage:

• I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor, and a few extended health plans will cover clinical counselling services
• I am a registered counsellor with the Crime Victim Assistance Program, if you are eligible for counselling services through this program, you will receive $80 towards each session with me
• I am a registered counsellor/provider with Green Shield
• As a Registered Clinical Counsellor, I am covered under Autism funding, for psychological services
• If you have an extended health plan which you would like to cover my services, please contact me and I will happily apply to become one of their eligible counsellors

Parenting Groups:

Got a group of parents who would like to get together for 1 ½ hours/month to discuss relevant parenting concerns?  It may be a group of couples, a group of Moms, or a group of Dads, who would like to get together for some parent coaching in the privacy of their own home.  These groups are very supportive, provide information on effective parenting from an Adlerian perspective, and offer a monthly sounding board for your thoughts and current parenting challenges.  For more information, e-mail Sharon.

Testimonials:

 Hi Sharon,

Just wanted to tell you that this morning’s workshop was great!  You explained everything really well and I liked how you used different ways to illustrate your points (real life situations, your son’s Halloween story).  I was most impressed with how you obviously know your material and stayed on focus because there are so many ways one could go off on a tangent!

So thanks for the very informative workshop!  I plan to attend the next one.

~ Brenda R

My daughter was struggling with anxiety and it was getting to the point where it was beginning to affect her and our life on a daily basis. If she was knew she was going to be outside of her comfort zone she would start to panic and focus on something in an obsessive and negative way in anticipation of the upcoming situation. She was the most anxious she had ever been when she started the six week anxiety management course with Sharon. She loved Sharon immediately and felt very comfortable with her. She has learned through Sharon why she may feel this way and how to use skills to help her cope better. I wondered how much she might absorb as a six year old but she seems to be able to remember and use what Sharon has taught her. As she was taking the course her anxiety decreased dramatically. When she begins to get anxious again we use the skills she has learned and talk about how she can manage and cope with the things that are bothering her. I have also learned how to help her. Our experience with Sharon has been invaluable. My daughter says she is the best teacher she has ever had! Thanks Sharon. Carrie

I have relied on Sharon for exceptional parenting advice, particularly related to anxiety, for several years.  She has guided me through the system, directed me to various practitioners, resources, books, etc., and offered me great comfort and perspective when I really needed it.  I recently attended one of Sharon’s Connected Parenting series workshops on anxiety and I was so impressed by both the content and Sharon’s communication style.  Without even a glance at any notes, Sharon walked us through the latest brain research about anxiety.  She has such a clear and thorough understanding of the material that she is able to break it down and share it in a simple and practical way.  Sharon also shared some of the ‘tools’ that she has used with her own children and students that she has worked with over the years. I have found these tools particularly useful.  We are lucky to have Sharon as a valuable resource in our community.

~ Heather W