Our Registered Clinical Counsellors
Registered Clinical Counsellor
Dr. Jano Klimas
Dr. Jano Klimas is a Registered Clinical Counsellor in British Columbia and an applicant for registration with the College of Psychologists of British Columbia. He graduated with a Psychology M.Sc. degree from Trnava University in Slovakia where he studied individuals undergoing substance use treatment in therapeutic communities. He then pursued a Ph.D. in Social Psychology, at the same university, which investigated the quality of social interaction and personality characteristics of people who use drugs. He then moved on to synthesize the evidence base on psychosocial interventions for people who use alcohol and other drugs at the University College Dublin and at the University of Limerick, Ireland. He completed his postdoctoral training at the University of British Columbia where he examined training of healthcare providers in the care of people with substance use disorders and related harms. As an educator, Dr. Klimas’ mission is to help improve the care of people with mental health and substance use disorders, by integrating principles of mindfulness-based inquiry into his teaching. As a researcher, he is interested in improving health care services through practical implementation research. Dr. Klimas’ passion for learning and personal growth led him to mindfulness meditation training. He became qualified as an MBSR Teacher (Level 1) trained at the Centre for Mindfulness Canada, recognized by Mindfulness Center at Brown University; and completed an Intensive Workshop in Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PET) for PTSD by the Center for The Treatment and Study of Anxiety (CTSA) at University of Pennsylvania. He brings to therapy his experience from community substance use services, research on addictions, and life in many countries around the world. His counselling style draws upon principles of motivational interviewing and mindfulness-based inquiry. As a clinical counsellor, he appreciates the incredible complexities and challenges people struggle with in life, and leverages his academic and meditation background in helping clients work on post-traumatic stress disorders, anxiety, and related problems.
REgistered Clinical counsellor
Dr. Lucy McCullough
Dr. Lucy McCullough is a Registered Clinical Counsellor in British Columbia and an applicant for registration with the College of Psychologists of British Columbia. Dr. Lucy McCullough is a skilled and experienced clinical counsellor with a passion for helping individuals improve their mental health and overall well-being. With a PhD in Counselling Psychology from the University of British Columbia (UBC), Dr. Lucy McCullough has been actively counselling since 2006. Dr. McCullough has worked in various settings, including higher education, specialized college programs for individuals with addiction and psychiatric diagnoses, and providing guidance to physicians and medical trainees. In addition to her counselling work, Dr. McCullough is also passionate about education and the development of counselling professionals. She enjoys teaching counselling skills and supervising students at UBC. Dr. McCullough’s expertise extends to evidence-based approaches such as prolonged exposure for trauma and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for mood and anxiety disorders. Continuously staying up-to-date with the latest research and therapeutic techniques, she strives to provide the most effective interventions and support for her clients. With a genuinely compassionate approach, Dr. McCullough is dedicated to creating a supportive and non-judgmental environment where clients feel safe to explore their concerns and work towards personal insight and positive change.
Our Social Workers
REgistered Social worker
Dr. Neringa Dainaraviciute
Dr. Neringa Dainaraviciute is a registered Social Worker with the British Columbia College of Social Workers. She holds a Master’s in Social Work degree from Lithuania and completed her Ph.D. in the Interdisciplinary Program at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Her doctoral dissertation focused on resilience in the context of racial discrimination. Through her research and clinical experience, Dr. Dainaraviciute has witnessed firsthand the profound effects of trauma on both individuals and communities, sparking her deep interest and dedication to the field of trauma therapy. She is committed to providing personalized trauma treatment, integrating evidence-based modalities such as Eye Movement and Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Prolonged Exposure Therapies, Narrative Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing.
While working at the West Coast Resiliency Centre, Dr. Dainaraviciute is also a part of the multidisciplinary team at Vancouver General Hospital. Previously, she worked with children and youth in the BC Ministry of Child and Family Development who have mental health, developmental, and/or behavioural challenges, providing positive behavioural interventions to support their successful integration into the community. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Dainaraviciute has been actively involved in research and teaching, sharing her expertise in trauma-informed care with students and colleagues worldwide. Her research on resilience has been published in prestigious journals, and she regularly presents her findings at national and international conferences. She is a researcher affiliated with the University of British Columbia Child and Teens Study Psychology Lab and has been involved in several research projects on resilience and thriving. She is currently an instructor at the counselling program of Vancouver Community College. She teaches trauma-informed social work to Master of Social Work students at Vytautas Magnus University in Lithuania. Outside of her professional endeavors, Dr. Dainaraviciute enjoys reading, dancing tango, traveling, and spending quality time with her family and her mischievous dachshund Dobi.