Fresh Hope Counselling Staff

Beth Murray is the Founder of Fresh Hope Counselling. Beth is a Registered Psychologist in the Province of Alberta and offers over twenty three years of counselling experience. She is also a trained and experienced Level II EMDR therapist, Eating Disorders Specialist and trained facilitator for “Health At Every Size” (HAES). She received training as a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional with the International Association of Trauma Professionals. She has successfully completed her post-graduate certificate in Chronic Pain Management from the University of Alberta Rehabilitation Medicine Faculty (PgCPain) in 2018. Beth is constantly learning and stays current with advances in the field of counselling and psychology. As a Registered Psychologist and former accredited member of the clergy, Beth has a wealth of clinical, pastoral and personal experience in mediating grace and hope to her clients.

Beth has several years experience working as a Primary Therapist at an Inpatient Eating Disorders’ Treatment Facility, as well as many years in outpatient settings. She specializes in eating disorders, mood disorders including depression & anxiety, trauma recovery, grief, EMDR, spiritual issues, self-esteem/worth, dealing with chronic pain, communication skills, breaking down perfectionism, managing life’s transitions, and training in new skills (CBT Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and DBT Dialectical Behavioural Therapy). She also works with highly sensitive people in learning how to manage their sensitivity rather than trying to detach from it.

Beth is a highly skilled and relational therapist. She connects easily with her clients and they feel supported as they work through their struggles. She is solution-focused and likes to see her clients experience freedom and healing as quickly and effectively as possible. One thing Beth brings to each session is hope; she believes that hope is necessary to life. She has a good sense of humour and teaches clients to reframe using humour. In her spare time, she teaches at conferences, workshops and in group settings.

Beth Murray is a member of the Alberta College of Psychologists, the Canadian Psychological Association, and the Psychologists’ Association of Alberta. She has also been approved to provide counselling for Veteran’s Affairs, the RCMP and Canadian Armed Forces. Trust her years of experience to help you!

Beth is a happy wife, mother and grandmother. She and her husband enjoy travelling together, especially to warm places where there are beautiful beaches, shells and dolphins!

We are thrilled to have Cathy Murray with us at Fresh Hope Counselling! Cathy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Master’s Level Mental Health Therapist. She holds a Masters Degree in Clinical/Medical Social Work and has worked in several counselling environments since 1989. She has completed training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy and Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFT). She has over 25 years providing counselling, care and support to clients. She helps individuals, couples and families work through difficult seasons — not just to survive those times but to find hope and thrive.

Cathy has worked extensively with families in the Edmonton Public School System/Alberta Health Services. Her experience with adolescents and families has given her a wealth of counselling experience. She has a strong ability to help clients with a breadth of problems including mood disorders (especially depression and anxiety), attachment issues, anger management, conflict resolution, and grief & loss. She has a wealth of experience in helping teens recover from trauma and develop healthy habits and coping skills.

Cathy has a passion to help survivors of abuse recover and walk into freedom. She did individual and group therapy for those impacted by family violence for many years and has been involved in program development for Family Violence Prevention and Treatment. She is very skilled and well-versed in abuse healing and recovery from trauma. Cathy’s EMDR training, alongside her background in family systems and narrative therapy help to facilitate healing.

As a Therapist, Cathy is gifted in hearing and validating her client’s concerns. She is adept at equipping and educating people in ways that help them to truly make positive change to areas where needed.

Cathy’s experience makes her a caring therapist who works to further the health and well-being of all her clients. She is skilled in CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), DBT (Dialectical Behavioural Therapy), and attachment treatment. Cathy has helped children, adolescents and adults to feel safe and supported in exploring their feelings and concerns. She helps them set personal and family goals, by including practice strategies to increase a sense of security, health and wellness and to improve day-to-day functioning at home, school and places of employment. Cathy provides clients with safe space to gain insight, make decisions and access their inner creativity, joy, hope and resourcefulness.

Cathy is the mom of three young adults, a busy wife and tries to keep her parrot from destroying their home!

We are very pleased to have Cheryl Dirks on our team at Fresh Hope Counselling. Cheryl is a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) who has completed her Master of Arts in Counselling with Honours through Providence Theological Seminary in 2019. Cheryl comes with a wealth of transferable skills, education and life experience. Cheryl was formerly a school teacher and offered group and private music instruction from her home studio. As a life-long learner, Cheryl decided to pursue her growing passion to help people through the field of counselling and psychology. In 2013, she decided to tackle her counsellor training part-time, building on her rich experience in education, pastoral work with children and families, volunteer experience and speaking.

Cheryl had the privilege of completing her internship at The Family Centre of Edmonton. She provided individual, couples, family, and group therapy to a diverse client population at the Family Centre and individual counselling at the Pride Centre of Edmonton. Counselling services provided ranged from single session drop-ins to long term therapy. Cheryl offers person-centred, strength-based-approach counselling with the utilization of multiple theories to best suit her client’s needs. These theories include CBT, attachment informed, ACT, EFT, Gottman Couples Method and mindful self-compassion. Cheryl is also trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).

Cheryl has a gift of being able to connect with people and convey care. As a therapist, Cheryl brings some of the skills and character traits that can’t be taught. Combined with her experience and education, we are certain you will find Cheryl to be a caring therapist and effective counsellor. Her clinical supervisors have voiced significant praise regarding her competencies and skills as a dedicated therapist. Cheryl is experienced in working with clients ages 16 and up and enjoys the dynamic of working with couples and families. Cheryl has a personal faith background and former pastoral experience that she integrates into her therapy for those wanting Christian counselling. Her training and experiences have equipped her to work with mood disorders such as depression and anxiety, as well as with life transitions, self-esteem/confidence, grief and loss, relationship issues, stress management, personal growth/development, trauma recovery, couples, families, and LGBTQ+.

Cheryl is a kind hearted person who believes in the resiliency of people. She loves to learn and is committed to helping her clients work through the issues they are facing. She is definitely a “Fresh Hoper” and fits in well with our team — another true believer in the power and essential nature of hope. Cheryl stays involved in her community through choir and musical theatre. She is the mother of three lovely young adult women and enjoys nurturing her relationships with family and friends.

We are pleased to have Annika Schaefer as a team player with Fresh Hope. She has a wealth of experience working with clients in many different environments, including private practice, counselling centres, residential settings, and churches. Annika holds a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology with Distinction through Yorkville University. She also received her certification as a Canadian Certified Counsellor and is a Master’s Level Counselling Therapist. Annika is an experienced counsellor who has worked with individuals of all ages, couples and families. In her quest for advanced education, she has become more specialized in working with all aspects of trauma. To enrich her expertise in trauma work, Annika completed advanced trainings in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and ART (Accelerated Resolution Therapy).

Working from a person-centred and trauma-informed perspective, she believes in creating a warm, empathic atmosphere–providing a safe and nonjudgemental space where clients can learn how to take steps that promote their healing process.

Annika helps clients with a wide variety of mental health concerns including: depression, anxiety, trauma (including PTSD – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), psychosomatic disorders, emotional regulation, communication and relationship challenges, grief and loss, and life transitions. She utilizes various therapeutic modalities including Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT), Polyvagal Theory, Trauma Informed Approaches, Strength-based Techniques, Narrative Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Mindfulness-based interventions as well as relaxation techniques supplement the sessions and support the client in their process of change. With resources gleaned in her many years of working in pastoral settings, Annika is a skilled Christian Counsellor and will bring this into sessions for those who desire faith-based counselling. Annika is bilingual and can also conduct assessments and therapy in German.

To Annika, being a counsellor means significantly supporting people to improve their life, and she can’t think of a more rewarding and fulfilling way to spend hers. Knowing that she has the privilege to be a meaningful part in affecting another person’s life gives her a deep sense of fulfillment and joy. We are confident that you will find Annika easy to connect with.

Annika was born and raised in Germany and came to Edmonton for her Post-Secondary studies, where she also met her husband. They were married in 1995 and have two adult sons. In her spare time she loves to garden, and is an avid chef — cooking is her therapy! She loves the outdoors, long hikes in the mountains and after many years abroad, is feeling deeply blessed to be able to spend as much time as possible with her husband’s family.

We are very pleased to have Caroline on our team at Fresh Hope Counselling. Caroline is a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC), in the process of becoming a Provisional Psychologist. Caroline has worked in the Addiction and Mental Health field since 2009 with population groups that include youth, young adults and adults. Working from a non-judgmental strengths-based perspective, she is committed to helping clients build resilience, develop strategies and be supported during times of major change.

Caroline is equipped in therapeutic models such as Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Attachment Theory paradigms. She has a varied background working with mood disorders (including depression and anxiety), addictions, stress management, life transitions, self-esteem, personality disorders, grief, substance abuse, and emotional regulation.

We are thrilled that Caroline has worked with clients with co-occurring problems that encompass body image, self-esteem and eating disorders. She has additional training in this area and will continue to build her skills toward being an Eating Disorder Specialist. She is passionate about working with her clients to find balance and establish a healthy relationship with food. Together with Beth Murray and Allison Easton, Caroline will be part of our eating disorder treatment team at Fresh Hope.

Caroline understands that clients may seek a spiritual integration into their therapeutic work and upon client request is able to use her Christian faith to guide clients through difficult challenges in life. She recognizes and respects the range of needs that clients might present with and is able to establish an effective treatment plan with individuals who do not wish to incorporate aspects of faith but to work together using other psychological principles alone.

In her spare time, Caroline enjoys time with her family and friends. She has two amazing daughters and a husband who keep her busy. She enjoys travelling and considers herself a bit of a foodie who loves to check out new restaurants and recipes.

Allison is a non-diet, weight inclusive Registered Dietitian, Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, and co-founder of The Nourish Collective. Allison is also currently working toward her Certified Eating Disorder Specialist designation. We are so pleased to have Allison join us at Fresh Hope Counselling to work with our clients!

With over two decades of experience, Allison has had the opportunity to work in various settings and brings that knowledge to her private practice.

Allison works with all individuals struggling with disordered eating and has a strong interest in binge eating disorder as well as fat positive fertility and pregnancy.

At the center of her work is respect and compassion supported by a warm, down-to-earth approach. She cares deeply for the health and well-being of her clients. Contact Fresh Hope to book an appointment to get started with Allison.

Outside of work, Allison’s passion is family, friends, animals, the outdoors, and gardening.

Glenn Scheideman is the Office Administrator for Fresh Hope Counselling. Glenn brings a wealth of customer service, business knowledge and genuine care to this position. He has worked in public and private sectors of business and served in various positions with client care, bookkeeping, sales and general office administration and management. After transitioning out of owning and operating his own company, Glenn joined Fresh Hope Counselling in August, 2010.

Glenn also has the distinct pleasure of being married to Beth Murray! Together they invest their time, energy and passion into making Fresh Hope Counselling the best Counselling Agency and Psychological Service it can be. Their vision is to make Fresh Hope Counselling a solid team of Psychologists and Therapists who can meet the needs of our clients as effectively as possible.

Glenn is the one in the background making sure that all the pieces come together so everyone else can do their jobs! We are glad to have Glenn at the hub of our operation.

We are so glad that we were able to convince Marla Dyck to come on board and join our team at Fresh Hope Counselling. Marla is the Administrative Assistant/Receptionist/Problem Solver/Barista/Client Calmer Downer and Scheduler Extraordinaire. Marla brings an assorted background (not sordid!) of administrative and support services, including management experience. Over the years Marla has been an assistant manager, worked in church settings, primarily in the Children’s Department, and other office settings. Marla is often the first person you will speak to or exchange e-mails with when you contact Fresh Hope Counselling. Her welcoming and professional manner will put you at ease while she busies herself trying to set you up with the help that is best suited to you. Marla is a busy mother of three teens — pray for her — and a very tall husband. They are involved in their local church and value time together with family and friends. In her spare time Marla likes to read, shop and watch Downton Abby.

We are so pleased to have Sherri Farbin as part of our team at Fresh Hope Counselling. Sherri is a Registered Psychologist who graduated from Loma Linda University in 2009. She is a dedicated therapist who effectively works with clients to guide them through a variety of situations. Her counsel equips them to use their strengths and accomplish goals they set. Her former life as a teacher gives her a wealth of insight and experience with families and the education system.

Sherri is experienced in working with clients age 16 and up & connects well with teens, couples & families. She brings with her a rich education base in family and couples systems to provide effective guidance to those struggling with relationship issues. She is also gifted in helping people work through issues from their past. Sherri has a personal faith background that enables her to provide support and faith based counselling to those who are wanting their faith/spirituality included in the sessions.

Sherri approaches counselling with a variety of therapeutic approaches including solution focused, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), emotion-focused therapy, the Gottman method, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and family systems therapies. Her vast experiences, personally and professionally, have equipped her to work with mood disorders — including depression and anxiety, self-esteem/confidence, grief and loss, relationship issues and marital conflict. Sherri is a life-long learner and has taken additional training to keep her current and aware of new and helpful skills, including EMDR!

As a therapist, Sherri is proficient in helping clients deal with work related stress/workplace challenges, as well as teaching about boundaries and how to implement them. She has also worked with various addictions and helps clients with anger management.

Sherri is an authentic woman and therapist who believes in her clients. She fits in well with our team at Fresh Hope as she is also a true believer in the power and essential nature of hope. She has a good sense of humour and brings a strong ability to connect with her clients — one of the biggest predictors of success in therapy. She brings a genuine love for helping people become whole, healed and free. Sherri is a happy wife and mother who enjoys spending time with her family. In her spare time she likes to do chalk paint projects and travel to hot sunny locations for a break from long, long, long Edmonton winters!

We are so excited to have Heidi Marchand bring her set of skills, experience and talent to Fresh Hope Counselling. Heidi finished her training in 2001 and started to work as a therapist shortly thereafter. Her learning was incredible and she knew that she had found her passion: To help people! We are confident that you will find Heidi easy to relate to, passionate about her counselling and committed to giving you her best.

Heidi has worked as a Registered Psychologist since 2004 with a rich and varied history of providing psychological services in Mental Health Clinics, a private Christian Counselling Agency, hospital settings, including the University of Alberta Stollery Hospital and the Grey Nuns Learning and Development Clinic, and a private practice. Heidi has also had the privilege of teaching Psychology courses at Concordia University College as a sessional instructor.

In her years of experience, Heidi has become highly skilled in working with young children, ‘tweens, adolescents and adults. She enjoys working with individuals, couples and families, and strives to help relationships move towards improved health and well-being. Heidi’s experience spans work with attachment disorder, bi-polar, mood disorders, personality disorders, Asperger’s, grief, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), self-harm, and impulse control. Heidi also works with teenagers that have eating disorders and body image issues.

Heidi comes from a family systems perspective and employs sand tray/play therapy, CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) and SFBT (solution focused brief therapy). She is a life-long learner and most recently completed additional training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT). She is also an excellent Christian therapist for those looking for a faith perspective in their counselling. Heidi believes that the therapeutic relationship is the most important part of therapy and is able to connect well with her clients.

Family is very important to Heidi and she loves spending time with her husband, kids and extended family. She can often be found cheering on her kids at the hockey arena. Heidi values relationships and tries to make time to connect with those who are dear to her on a regular basis, especially when coffee drinking is involved!

We are so happy to have Bea Clair on our team at Fresh Hope! She completed her Masters in Social Work specializing in Trauma Informed Practice. Bea has a passion to empower others and share a wealth of skills and tools she has learned throughout her own life and education. She wants to help each client create a positive, hopeful and fulfilling life. As a registered Social Worker, she has over 10 years of professional experience working with all age groups. Her work includes experience at Primary Care Centers/Network where she provided different therapies including CBT, DBT, Solution-focused and Client-centered therapy.

Bea comes from a multidisciplinary team setting and has experience providing holistic care for individuals, ranging from 4 years of age, up through adulthood. She works with children, teenagers and individuals with depression, anxiety, personal development, various addictions, stress management, motivational issues and other mental health concerns. Bea has also helped clients work through grief and loss, and is a provider of hope and comfort.

As a therapist, Bea is empathetic and compassionate. She embraces a strength-based and non-judgemental approach. Bea incorporates her faith into the therapy for those wanting a faith-based approach. She skilfully works to create a purposeful and freeing atmosphere for clients in this regard.

Bea was born in the Philippines and came to Edmonton at a young age where she experienced a huge cultural shock. This enhanced her ability to navigate transitions including the many changes of life and different seasons (although she’s still not used to winters in Edmonton!). Bea also speaks Tagalog and can identify with persons who come from other cultures. She is authentic and easy to connect with — quickly putting clients at ease as she welcomes them into her office.

Bea married her high school sweetheart and their life is full with two young children. Bea loves to travel and has several locations on her wish list. In her spare time, she likes to cook, bake and has recently taken up gardening.