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About S. Lorraine McAteer

S. Lorraine McAteer is the founding Counsellor of Best Life, with locations serving New Westminster, Burnaby and Greater Vancouver.

Lorraine was awarded a first class Honors degree, BA, Psychology Major, in 1994, and a Masters Degree in Counselling Psychology from Simon Fraser University in 2002. In 1995, she was awarded the prestigious CD Nelson Graduate Entrance Scholarship for Outstanding Academic achievement. Her research focuses on how one's sense of control and social supports affect one's resilience to stress and the ability to avoid the development of depressive symptoms.

Her 14 years as a medical professional and 12 years of education in health care and psychology, has primed her holistic vision of physical and mental health. That is, she firmly believes in the mind-body connection and the importance of being optimally healthy in body, mind and spirit. As such she has created and given lectures and seminars helping teachers, parents, child care providers and students learn, and foster the learning of, emotional and social intelligence and to reduce stress, to so live more joyful and fulfilling lives.

Lorraine is delighted to announce that she has added EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) to her knowlegebase and repertoire of Counselling Skills. You can have a look in the articles and info page for more details about EMDR, what it is and what it is useful for.

Areas of Education

She currently holds dual professional designations as both a Registered Clinical Counsellor and Certified Canadian Counsellor.

Lorraine’s education includes training in: human health (mental and physical), neuropsychology (brain function and neurotransmitters, ex. serotonin), communication skills, addictions and substance use, Attention Deficit Disorder, meditation and yoga, art-therapy, career-counselling; grief, loss and hospice support; pre and post-natal stress and depression, doula and birthing support, first aid and CPR; psychobiology of stress, depression and other brain disorders; individual, couple and group therapy, Alzheimers, emotional and social intelligence and how to foster it, family therapy, parenting and child psychology.

Lorraine has a mandate to stay current and is studying substance misuse at the JIBC and the Gottman Method of Couples Counselling through distance education from the Gottman Institute in Washington.

Furthermore, she has completed a training program in EMDR through the BC School of Professional Psychology in Vancouver.

Counselling Platforms:

BioPsychoSocial-Spiritual - A holistic approach which considers the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of the individual and how they affect health and wellness,

Evidence-based, i.e. the use of up-to-date research findings, to facilitate Counselling goals and positive change (example: relationship counselling), 

Cognitive-Behavioural - examining thoughts, perceptions, beliefs and their validity and usefulness in current life situations) (as is supported by research),

Brief, Solution-Focused - highlighting the present and using methods such as positive reframing.

Jungian - Exploring the use of dream analysis, symbolism and art therapy.

Humanistic - Utilizing existential principles, that is, our existence is meaningful, that we have choice, and that living our lives authentically underpins our ability to reach our individual potentials and to find life satisfaction and happiness.

EMDR/Learning Theory - We are triggered in the present by not only things occurring now, but by memories encoded with similar feelings and cognitions from past events. By gaining insight and by rethinking/reprocessing these events, we can reduce or eliminate current day triggers and better remain objective and emotionally neutral in similar circumstances.

Offices by RCH in Sapperton, New Westminster and at Kensington Medical Clinic in Burnaby, B.C.

What Lorraine's Clients are saying about how Counselling effects positive life changes:

"Seeing a counsellor provides a grounding of the individual, call it a starting point, from which incredible life changes can spring forth from. Instead of feelings of being out of control, the individual can find solace and peace from which to do real thought changes. This change in thinking provides true long lasting benefit to the individual."

- D. M.

To Lorraine McAteer May '07 . . .

"Thank-you. You have really helped my patients."

- MD at Kensington

This site is continuously revised and updated, so please check back soon for more information . . .      

You are invited to call Lorraine at 604-992-4998

She may also be reached at lorraine.mcateer@bestlifecounselling.com

 with life questions, comments, ideas, or Counselling requests.