Meet Our Team

Get to know the dedicated counselors at Cedar Ridge Online Family Counselling. We are here to provide a safe and supportive environment for your family's journey to healing and growth. Learn about our backgrounds and approach to family therapy.

John Donald, BA, BEd, MACP

 

John’s journey into the field of counselling began after more than a decade of teaching, where he witnessed firsthand how deeply family dynamics, stress, and emotional challenges can affect children and their learning. Seeing families struggle—often without the support or resources they needed—sparked a growing desire to help in a different way - beyond teaching. That realization marked the beginning of a meaningful shift from educator to counsellor, driven by John’s commitment to understanding the roots of human behaviour, healing, and connection.

Over time, this path led him to pursue graduate studies and ultimately shape a career focused on creating spaces where people can feel seen, supported, and empowered.

Professional Background

John has spent most of his life in the Kootenays and on Vancouver Island, communities that have shaped his grounded, compassionate, and relational approach to counselling. He has also travelled and lived in many other places, giving him a broad perspective on the diverse ways people learn, grow, and make meaning in their lives.

He holds a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MACP) and is a Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC). John brings both academic training and real-world experience to his work, integrating evidence-based

Beyond the ordinary

Counselling Men with ADHD

Part of where John finds passion and purpose for counselling is in his own lived experience with ADHD, trying to navigate life as a graduate student, father of three, and balancing a job. He understands neurodiversity from both a theoretical and a personal lens, and he helps neurodiverse clients understand their experience through an identification and celebration of their strengths as well as an acknowledgment of the unique challenges they face.

John has learned to respect the wisdom and inner strength of each client. He is deeply inspired by the idea that we all have the potential to become our most authentic selves—but that we can’t do it alone. We need relationships that are nurturing and secure. When our social environments fail us repeatedly or egregiously, we’re often left with trauma that sticks around and gets in the way of living freely and authentically. John is skilled and experienced at helping clients feel safe enough to address the effects of trauma from neglect, abuse, and marginalization; he will help you think creatively about the future you want for yourself and the steps you can take to achieve your goals.