Board and Staff
CEO & Registrar for ACTA/CCTA
Laura Hahn is a Counselling Therapist registered with the Canadian Professional Counsellors Association (CPCA) and an Addiction Counsellor. Laura has worked as an Addiction Counsellor in Lethbridge, Alberta, for the past 20-plus years, supporting recovery from complex addiction and mental health.
Laura recently completed her Master of Arts in Leadership, specializing in health, at Royal Roads University. Her thesis combined two meaningful endeavours, truth and reconciliation and statutory regulation. Laura researched how to embed truth and reconciliation into CCTA’s practices, policies, and leadership to address systemic racism as a regulatory college. The research was supervised by Indigenous scholar Dr. Michael Lickers and guided by Elder Casey Eagle Speaker to ensure research outcomes and recommendations establish cultural safeguards within CCTA’s processes, policies, and governance to protect First Nations peoples, Indigenous peoples, and all Albertans.
Laura works and lives in alignment with her integrity, altruism, and relational values. As ACTA’s Interim CEO and Registrar, Laura is honoured to continue in humble relationships, learning and collaborating with ACTA’s Board of Directors, First Nations, Indigenous peoples, elected officials, and Albertans. It is personally and professionally meaningful for her to continue developing ACTA to receive Government’s proclamation and operationalize the CCTA in the public interest.
Nicole Imgrund has been a Counselling Therapist and Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) for over 20 years and is the Owner and Director of a private counselling centre in St. Albert. She is also a counselling therapy educator, a Clinical Supervisor and Director for a graduate-level counselling training program, and an Associate Faculty member in the graduate counselling program at St. Stephen’s College. Nicole is an ordained minister in the United Church of Canada, and previous to her counselling therapy work, she was a hospital spiritual care provider and congregational minister.
For the past 19 years, Nicole has been providing leadership in regulating the counselling professions and building the College of Counselling Therapy of Alberta (CCTA). She is passionate about increasing safety and access in mental health in Alberta and believes the proclamation of the CCTA is a critical step towards these goals. In 2019, she was awarded an honorary doctorate for her work in professional regulation.
Meera Duncan is a Counselling Therapist, Registered Clinical Counselling Hypnotherapist, Addictions Counsellor, and Author. She owns and runs her private counselling practice, 3rd Eye Hypnotherapy Clinic, in Calgary, Alberta. Meera specializes in working with patients with Bipolar Disorder and is the founder of Environment Stress-Targeted Therapy, EVSTT, the very first psychotherapeutic treatment protocol for Bipolar Disorder patients to include clinical hypnosis and target the stress-response connected to Manic, Hypomanic, or Depressive episodes in Bipolar l or Bipolar ll patients.
Meera conducted a small Clinical Research Study in 2019 utilizing EVSTT with Bipolar l and ll patients and her clients experienced dramatic life-changing results. The incredible reduction of episode frequency, severity, and a significant increase in the timeframe between episodes led Meera to then publish this cutting-edge research in 2020 in her book, A Therapist’s Guide to Treating Bipolar Disorder with Hypnosis: An Introduction to Environment Stress-Targeted Therapy (EVSTT). Meera was awarded an Honorary Doctorate (Honoris Causa) of Advanced Studies in Psychology in 2022 for her research and work with Bipolar Disorder.
Meera is also an International Lecturer and Speaker for the Australian Hypnosis Conference and The Mind Research Foundation to psychology students at Universities around the World. She is passionate about the healing benefits therapy offers and utilizes psychotherapy, CBT, DBT, Clinical Hypnosis, and EFT with her clients to achieve their therapeutic treatment goals. She also works with a multitude of various diagnoses or issues ranging from anxiety disorders, depression, PTSD, chronic pain, grief and loss, insomnia, etc.
Judy Frentz received her B Ed from the University of Counselling in 1974, working for the Calgary Public School Board. She then received an MA in Counselling from Providence Seminary in 2010 and has had a home-based practice in Calgary for the past 14 years. Judy is a Counselling Therapist representing PACCP and counts it a privilege to be part of the ACTA Board for the past four years.
Judy values her experience teaching Life Skills at Sonshine Community Services, a second-stage women’s shelter, and her current role as an adjunct professor (Counselling Theories) at Alberta Bible College. One of her sons and his young family have worked in Japan, so she and her husband have spent 2-3 months each year for the past 12 years (minus Covid years) living in the community at the Torchbearers Bible School they direct, in a breathtaking location at the base of Mt Fuji. That experience has broadened her counselling practice to include care for third-culture kids, college-age students and international/ex-pat workers and their families.
Cayley McConaghy is a Counselling Therapist and a Registered Drama Therapist. She has worked with children, youth, and adults in various settings, including schools, hospitals, community organizations, and, currently, through a not-for-profit in the Edmonton area. Cayley is also a sessional lecturer at St. Stephen’s College at the University of Alberta and a clinical supervisor at the Centre for Arts in Human Development at Concordia University Montreal. Cayley is currently in training to become a Certified Play Therapist. Through all of her work, she believes in the importance of cultural humility and reconciliation, especially as a person of settler heritage living and working in Treaty 6 territory. This is core to her practice as a Mental Health Therapist, along with a holistic and trauma-informed lens.
Cayley has been working towards building the College of Counselling Therapy of Alberta (CCTA) for the past five years and remains committed to this work. The importance of safety and accessibility of mental health services for all Albertans is something that she remains steadfastly passionate about.
Andrea Halwas Larsen is a Counselling Therapist, a Registered Expressive Arts Therapy Consultant and Educator and is currently completing her internship as a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist. Andrea has been using creative arts in therapeutic and rehabilitative work with youth and their families since 2007. She has worked for various social service agencies and health services, specializing in adolescent mental health and education. Andrea holds a BA (Honours) from the University of Winnipeg, a MFA and a Doctorate from the University of Calgary. She has completed the Level 2 Expressive Arts Therapy Certification, Level 1 EMDR Certification, and Level 1 ART Certification.
Andrea’s doctoral work focused on the therapeutic and experiential effect of drama in grief and loss. Andrea is an associate and education outreach coordinator at Juno House, running her private practice working with young women with anxiety-based disorders and their families. She is also an instructor at the Prairie Institute of Expressive Arts Therapy.
Andrea has been a board member of ACTA since 2016 as the primary representative for the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association. She strongly believes in the need for regulation and supervision of Counsellors in Alberta and advocates for consistent supervision for better practices and client support.
Isabel Lavender is a Counselling Therapist with ACTA and has worked as a music therapist since 2014. She graduated with a Bachelor of Music Therapy from Capilano University. Through her work, Isabel strives to connect with marginalized communities and provide a unique medium for expression and healing. Her practice began in Vancouver, BC, where she worked in schools, complex mental health facilities, and addiction centres. Her company in Calgary, Lavender Music, currently serves children in the community with cognitive disabilities and seniors in care homes with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Isabel is also pursuing a Master of Counselling to broaden her skills and become an advocate for mental health in Alberta. Isabel has been a member of the ACTA Board since March 2022. Isabel is excited to be a part of regulation in Alberta and the many ways members of the public would benefit from increased access to mental health services.
Oluyinka Marcus is a Counselling Therapist and a psychotherapist in Calgary who began her counselling practice in 2006. Her passion for seeing relationships thrive led her to become a voice of hope. Her effort to create/enhance awareness of emotional/psychological well-being/emotional intelligence and spiritual growth and to bridge generational gaps within family relationships is relentless. Oluyinka gives back to her African community with a variety of outreach events. She co-authored ‘Walk With Me’ with her daughter, Oluyomi, a 30-day devotional book about addressing and overcoming negative emotions. They work together to help parents better relate with their children.
Bob Kerr is a Counselling Therapist and a Spiritual Health Practitioner at the Sturgeon Community Hospital for the past four years. Bob completed his Master of Theological Studies degree at St. Stephen’s College and is working to complete his certification with the Canadian Association of Spiritual Care. Before working in health care, Bob worked for the Canadian Mental Health Association, Alberta Division.
Garry Weis is a Counselling Therapist with ACTA who has been in private practice since 2010 and has truly taken a competence-based approach to become a counsellor. After a serious workplace back injury, Garry spent three years in rehab to regain mobility. During that time, he gained an amazing amount of knowledge about the human psyche and how to overcome significant challenges. At 50, Garry returned to school, which utilized an experiential learning style and continues taking at least one major course every year. Garry taps into a vast amount of life experience to provide a holistic approach to creating life balance and resiliency to help counter traumatic experiences.
Although Garry sees individuals, most of his work is with couples, and he and his wife have been facilitating marriage courses since 2002. Garry also has ten years of experience working with Children’s Services, in family development, family counselling and high-risk group homes, with children, youths, and parents. Garry enjoys helping others build healthy relationships and strong family units. Garry has been actively working toward regulation since 2012.
Anna Swanepoel is a Counselling Therapist, RPC, and MPCC and National Director of Alberta for CPCA, and ACTA Director representing CPCA. Anna was born in South Africa, raised on a farm and immigrated to Canada in 2008. She studied Mental Health Counselling at Trauma Informed Expressive Arts Therapy Institute in Vancouver BC. She has worked at Mokala Medical Clinic as Resident Trauma Clinical Counsellor for three years. Anna established Art@Aswan Healing Expressive Arts Studio and Clinical Counselling Services in 2013. Anna’s area of concentration is stress reduction & trauma processing through expressive arts in difficult transitions, grief and relationship improvement.
Erinn Bailey-Sawatzky is Counselling Therapist, an experienced healthcare executive, clinical counsellor, and rural private practice owner in Central Alberta. She has a degree in Human Resources and Labour Relations, a Certificate in Information Access and Protection of Privacy, a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, and is currently a Doctor of Psychology Candidate with a research focus on medical psychology and specialty in testing/evaluation services.
Country Counselling Services is her private practice which focuses on increasing access to counselling services for rural communities where her and colleagues provide individual and couples therapy, biofeedback, assessment, and supervision services. Her practice is uniquely operated out of her private equestrian facility providing clients with a relaxed atmosphere and increased privacy. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (BC), Counselling Therapist (AB), and Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (CAN).
After nearly 2 decades of executive leadership and board experience working alongside AH, AHS, PCN’s, the AMA, private medical clinics, and First Nations organizations in Treaty 6, Erinn is excited to contribute her experience to the ACTA board. Erinn is well versed in regulated health professionals in Alberta and has experience working with and for Boards, Stakeholders, and community to identify healthcare needs to fill gaps in care. She is passionate in her belief that CCTA will be able to contribute to filling some of those gaps. Erinn is appointed to the ACTA board from ACCT, while also sitting on the ACCT Regulation Committee as an Alberta representative. Several decades of experience in healthcare leadership, board, and primary care experiences allows her to bring a wide skillset to the ACTA table.
Colleen Kehler is a Counselling Therapist and a music therapist who has been a member of the Music Therapy Association of Alberta for five years. She works at Alberta Children’s Hospital and is a Master of Counselling Student at Athabasca University. Throughout her early career, Colleen has worked in various medical and community settings with experience in early childhood development, adolescent and adult mental health, neurologic disorders, and long-term care. Furthermore, Colleen is passionate about promoting accessibility, equity, and public safety in counselling professions in Alberta. She recently joined the ACTA board in April 2022 alongside music therapist Isabel Lavender and is grateful to all current and past members of ACTA for their work towards regulation.
Fred Folliott has called the Bow Valley home for the past 29 years. After operating his mountain guiding business for a few seasons, Fred transitioned to employment with Public Health and Health Promotion and then onto Addiction and Mental Health Services (AHS) as a counsellor. For the past 25 years, Fred has had the privilege of bearing witness to individual, family, school & community group’ healthy living quests’. Fred, of course, has been part of the quest to bring the new college to life for the past few years, lending support to the development of competency profiles for addiction counsellors while building bridges with community partners and stakeholders as part of this journey.
Nicholas Renaud has been working as a Counselling Therapist for over 15 years. Completing post-graduate programs at McGill University and the University of Ottawa, he has since worked in a wide range of environments from community health centres, residential treatment facilities, and is now part of a group private practice in St. Albert where he has worked for the past 5 years.
During his career, Nicholas has a consistent history of volunteer engagement on boards of various counselling associations. In addition to his serving on the ACTA board since 2017, he is the current president of the Alberta and Northwest Territories Chapter of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. Nicholas is passionate about the need for regulation of counselling therapy in Alberta and is committed to continue the work towards ensuring that those who seek help can access it readily and safely.
Jim Mason holds a master’s degree in psychology and is a Counselling Therapist and Addictions Counsellor with ACTA. He is also a member of the Canadian Addiction Counsellors Federation and holds certifications as a Canadian Certified Addiction Counsellor, an International Certified Alcohol Drug Counsellor, and a Canadian Certified Telemedicine Addiction Counselling Professional. He is also a Substance Abuse Professional.
During his career, Jim has created, owned, and managed several outpatient addiction clinics providing intensive outpatient and outpatient services to individuals struggling with substance dependency and problem gambling. He has also managed residential addiction treatment programs and is currently in private practice in Edmonton.
Over his career, he has authored:
162 hours of outpatient addiction curriculum and programming material.
A 4-week CBT aftercare program.An 8-hour early intervention program for teens.
A 4-hour alcohol / drug awareness program for parents and concerned family members.
A 12-month program for male domestic violence offenders combining residential and outpatient services.
An 8-week CBT anger management program.
A 4-hour Reasonable Cause / Suspicion Training for Supervisors.
A 2-hour Cannabis in the Workplace training, andA 4-hour training program on Developing and Implementing an Impairment Free Workplace policy.
Jim believes that regardless of the challenge we are struggling to overcome; recovery encompasses an individual’s whole life. After all, we are all unique with distinct needs, strengths, preferences, goals, culture, and backgrounds— including trauma experience — that affect and determine pathway(s) to recovery. Recovery encompasses an individual’s whole life, including mind, body, spirit, and community.
Deborah Watson, Alternative Representative for the Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists (ACCT)
Lee Andrus is a Counseling Therapist and a Spiritual Health Practitioner. In Feb 2024, Lee will be launching her private counseling practice, White Stone Counselling Services and continuing to work casual shifts at the Grey Nuns Community Hospital. Lee’s employment history over the past 30 years includes working as a Spiritual Care Counselor at the Cross Cancer Institute, Psychiatric Chaplain at the Grey Nun’s Community Hospital, Pastoral ministry, Addictions Counselor in both inpatient and outpatient treatment centers, crisis counselor at a women’s shelter (A Safe Place in Sherwood Park), SAFE home assessment writer for Catholic Social Services, and the Family Law Manager for Edmonton Community Legal Center, where she developed and launched the Family Law program for individuals representing themselves in court. Lee has been a conference speaker and has a passion for groups, facilitating and developing therapeutic and psychoeducational groups. She is a registered End of Life Doula with the End of Life Association of Canada and is a graduate of the Sacred Art of Living and Dying Center for Spiritual Formation, Healing the Healer program. She specializes in palliative end-of-life counseling and care for individuals and families. She has worked with people of all age groups and cultures in a wide range of challenges. She specializes in grief and loss, palliative care and mental health issues. She has a Master in Theological Studies and holds two Bachelor's Degrees, one in Psychology and the other in Biblical Studies. She also has a Diploma in Addictions Counseling. Lee’s cumulative paper for her MTS focused on attachment theory and the role of “accompaniment and presence” of a substitutionary attachment figure in end-of-life care. Lee defines presence as a way of being with and for others during times of
crisis, challenge and change. Lee uses a client-centred, strength-based, and collaborative approach to accompany clients on their healing journeys.
Cathy Danilec is a Counselling Therapist who has been a professional member of the Canadian Art Therapy Association for seven years. Early in her career, Cathy worked at a nonprofit agency supporting adults and families with acquired brain injuries with a wide range of mental health challenges. Through these experiences she gained an understanding of the complexities surrounding accessibility with mental health services and she strongly believes that everybody should have access to safe, dependable, and compassionate mental health support. In the past two years, Cathy has transitioned to a group private practice in St. Albert where she continues to shape her counselling practice in a way that aligns with her strengths and passions, including art therapy. Cathy has recently joined the ACTA board and is excited to contribute to the process of regulating counselling therapy.
Tony Falasca is a counseling therapist and a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist-Supervisor. He is also currently a Registered Social Worker in Alberta. He worked in two other provinces before coming to Alberta, primarily with Indigenous people. He has worked with Alberta Health Services for the past 19 years. He is a clinical supervisor with AHS and maintains a small private practice.
Tony is also a Ph.D. candidate at National University. He is completing a Ph.D. in marriage and family therapy. His dissertation focuses on the impact of stress that COVID-19 has had on therapists.
Tony is also CAMFT-Branch president.
Randi Martin is a Professional Art Therapist with the Canadian Art Therapy Association (CATA) working in Cold Lake, Alberta. She received her training through the Kutenai Art Therapy Institute (KATI) where she completed her thesis The Benefits of Expressive Art Making for Children with FASD. Randi has experience working with individuals with neurodevelopmental disability, their families, women with addictions, and individuals facing a variety of mental health challenges. Utilizing both group and individual therapy, she prioritizes relational strengths-based and trauma-informed practice. Randi believes that creativity is an essential component in growth, healing, and mental wellness. Passionate about generating safety and accessibility in the field of mental health, Randi is eager to promote regulation to better support Albertans seeking help.
Jonathan is a Counselling Therapist, Psychotherapist/Certified Canadian Counsellor (CCC), and Registered Marriage and Family Therapist (RMFT) representing the Canadian Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (CAMFT) on the ACTA board. He has worked in the mental health field for 27 years with individuals, couples, families, and groups in a variety of settings. Jonathan is currently working towards his designation as a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) through the Association of Applied Sports Psychology (AASP) and currently works with recreational and elite level sports teams and individual athletes. While having many interests in the field of therapy Jonathan's passions lie with couples and families regarding the dynamics and patterns that story their lived experiences. Outside of work Jonathan spends time with his wonderful family along with his passionate attention to sports, most notably his beloved New York Islanders.
Deborah Watson, Alternative Representative for the Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists (ACCT)