Our Team at Sunshine Coast Health Centre

Since joining us in 2007, Geoff has demonstrated an exemplary ability to connect with clients. An extensive background in both residential and outpatient addiction treatment has helped Geoff keep things in perspective when clients feel overwhelmed.

Geoff earned his Ph.D. in Psychology from Saybrook University and is a certified member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. He spent several years as a Clinical Addictions Counsellor at Maple Ridge Treatment Centre in British Columbia and also managed two provincial government treatment programs. Geoff is also the Executive Director for the International Network on Personal Meaning, managing editor of the International Journal of Existential Psychology and Psychotherapy, and Program Director of its biennial Meaning Conference. 

Among his publications are:

• A Long Night’s Journey into Day: A Psychobiography of Eugene O’Neill’s Recovery from Alcoholism (2006)
• Thompson, G. R. (2012). A Meaning-centered therapy for addictions. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 10(3), 428-440.
• The Positive Psychology of Meaning and Addiction Recovery (2013).
• Thompson, G. R. (2015). Meaning therapy for addictions: A case study. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 56(5), 457-482.

You can also find Geoff’s articles in the following: 

• Treating addiction as a problem of meaning (2018). in D. Grosse (Ed.), About face: Essays on recovery, therapies, and controversies of addiction in Canada (pp. 364-372). St John’s, NL: Breakwater Books.
• Sunshine Coast Health Centre (2018). in D. Grosse (Ed.), About face: Essays on recovery, therapies, and controversies of addiction in Canada (pp. 364-372). St John’s, NL: Breakwater Books.
• Addiction treatment through the lens of meaning: Observations on a program developed in a residential facility (2017). [published online in 2018] International Journal of Existential Positive Psychology [formerly International Journal of Existential Psychology and Psychotherapy], 7(2).
• The Positive Living in Difficult Times Newsletter (INPM Monthly Newsletter)

Dr. Carissa Muth is a registered psychologist in Alberta and British Columbia and the Clinical Director at the Sunshine Coast Health Centre and Georgia Strait Women’s Clinic.  She holds a Doctorate of Psychology, Master of Arts in Counselling, and Bachelor of Social Work degrees and has run a private practice in Alberta for the last ten years.

With over fifteen years of experience in the mental health field, Dr. Muth has provided psychological assessments, therapeutic treatments and conducted research in the field of substance addictions and co-morbid psychological disorders. With both a passion for learning and teaching, Dr. Muth has presented her research and expertise across the country at a variety of mental health conferences.

For 10 years, Cameron’s career has focused on helping humans nurture and challenge themselves to build meaningful lives that align with their core values. He has had the privilege to meet people walking through a variety of journeys, working as a clinician, coach, mindfulness teacher, and personal trainer.

Cameron approaches each person whom he has the opportunity to work with from a functional contextual lens. This means that rather than judging certain behaviours and choices as good or bad, Cameron’s work focuses on exploring how certain behaviours and beliefs have come to develop and what function they serve now. With increased self-awareness, clients can begin implementing new behaviours and cultivating new core beliefs that may better serve their own unique circumstances.

Laura is a psychotherapist with experience in supporting individuals, families, and groups navigate the language of behaviour from developmental disabilities to trauma to daring to do differently. When we can make sense of our responses to our social world we gain an understanding of how we find dignity, meaning and purpose. Our behaviour is understandable when we can put it into a relational, or social, context. Laura will often incorporate approaches such as narrative, existential, response-based, and brief therapies. Essentially, Laura’s is a practice built on feminist ideology that reveals strengths and resilience. Counselling is a personal, individual process, or journey, built on what is important to the client.

 Laura holds a Bachelors of Child and Youth Care and a Masters in Counselling. She has experience working with children living with complex developmental disabilities, including teaching in the field of early childhood education, as well as working with marginalized families.  Laura’s work experience in Air Traffic Control introduced her to the complex understandings of systems thinking and the inter-connectedness of the human experience.

Catherine holds a Bachelor of Human Ecology degree and a Bachelor of Social Work degree and is a registered Social Worker with the BC College of Social Workers. With over 20 years of experience supporting people in various social service organizations, Catherine is passionate about continued learning and supporting people to reach their potential. She works from a strengths-based, person-centred, trauma-informed and inclusive approach. Catherine moved to qathet in 2020 (won over by its natural beauty and people) and her most recent employment has been as a mental health worker, family services social worker (MCFD) and a pregnancy harm reduction outreach worker.

Theo provided mental health support in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside for over 10 years before earning a degree in cognitive neuroscience and then becoming a Registered Psychiatric Nurse. In his role as Case Manager, Theo provides small-group therapy and delivers workshops for clients in both the GSWC and SCHC programs.

Kye has been an employee at Sunshine Coast Health Center since 2008. Kye enjoys the challenge of working with a diverse spectrum of clients and has enjoyed working in a program that values physical fitness as part of an overall focus on wellness. Kye is a graduate of Seattle Pacific University in the field of Exercise Science and has worked in both Washington State and British Columbia in a variety of outpatient clinical settings.

Bianca has a professional background in the medical field and is a certified BCRPA Group Fitness, Aqua, Weight and Personal Trainer. Her focus is to coach and motivate people to achieve their individual fitness goals. Her fitness motto is: “Not the beginning will be rewarded, but the will to follow-through”.

Sarah has been working as a nutritionist since 2012. She first earned her certification as a Sports nutrition consultant and later went on to become a registered nutritionist. She has worked in a variety of health care settings, from fitness studios to family health care programs. As a hands-on person, Sarah loves an opportunity to host cooking classes. Sarah is also the author of two health and wellness cookbooks and in the past owned and operated a cafe for two years. Passionate about health and nutrition, Sarah believes good food is one of the very best ways to support our wellbeing, add some fun to our daily routines, and most importantly helps bring people together.

Megan has lived in Powell River most of her life and has always had a passion for helping individuals.  She’s been an active volunteer with the Air Cadet progam since 2004, prior to which she was a cadet herself. Megan obtained her LPN license in 2010 and joined our team in 2014 as part of the nursing department. In 2021, she transitioned into the role of Client Services Supervisor. Watching clients transform from the first day they arrive to when they’re getting ready to leave fuels her drive and passion for her work. 

Craig has been with Sunshine Coast Health Centre for over 15 years. He has taken on a variety of different roles around SCHC, including working in the kitchen, frontline, and now as a client services team member. Craig has a love for plants and animals, having graduated as a Veterinary Assistant from Sheridan college. As a trained SMART facilitator, he has a passion for helping people through their recovery journey and is committed to helping people find their true selves.