Cheryl Ainsworth

Although Dr. Ainsworth began her career as a classroom teacher, she soon discovered that she was more interested in how people learn than what they learn. This notion applies not only to academic learning, but also to life-long learning. In other words, change and growth continue throughout the life span. It’s never too late to learn new ways of thinking about ourselves, our relationships, and our behavior. As a Registered Psychologist, her primary areas of interest and expertise are psychological assessment and counselling. With over twenty-five years’ experience as a school psychologist, she is trained in the assessment of learning, behaviour, and intellectual disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit disorder, learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, and giftedness. She is well-acquainted with learning theory and special education policies and procedures in BC at the elementary, secondary and post-secondary levels, and is skilled in conducting psycho-educational assessments with children, adolescents and adults. In the area of counselling psychology, her interests include mood and anxiety disorders as well as vocational, family, and couples counselling. Her primary counselling approach is cognitive behavior therapy, however; she do not subscribe to the view that “one size fits all.” Dr. Ainsworth’s practice is strongly influenced by attachment theory, mindfulness, and neuro-science, and she adapts her approach to suit individual clients. she is also trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), an evidence-based approach effective for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).