Valley Counselling and Therapy

07/25/2026

We are so pleased to announce that Lesley Slade, Registered Psychologist, is joining the Valley Counselling and Therapy team! To inquire about Lesley's services, please email or call Heidi at (709) 290-8100 or [email protected].

Holding a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology, Lesley specializes in supporting young people through both therapeutic counselling and comprehensive psychological assessments. Her practice is built on a client-centered and neuro-affirming foundation.

This means Lesley does not believe in "fixing" who you are; instead, the focus is on understanding your unique brain, honoring your lived experiences, and collaborating with you to help you thrive. Lesley believes that therapy is a team effort. Her style is collaborative, blending your expertise on your own life (or your child's life) with her training in evidence-based practices. Together, you will build practical strategies to manage life's hurdles in a safe, warm, and non-judgmental space.

Lesley regularly partners with individuals to navigate: Anxiety and mood challenges; Relational issues; Navigating friendships, family dynamics, and social connections; Grief and Loss; Adjustment problems; and Every-day stressors.

06/30/2026

We are so excited to announce that Natalie Finlay, M.Sc. (A), M.Ed., is joining the Valley Counselling and Therapy team!!

Natalie is a registered Therapist Member with the Academy of Naturopaths and Naturotherapists of Canada ( #23-6878). She has a background in Psychology and is a Speech-Language Pathologist with 27 years of experience.

As a Certified Life Coach and Meditation Instructor, Natalie has worked in the areas of mental wellness, emotional well-being, and personal growth for the past 14 years.

After studying with Dr. Martha Beck, Ph.D., in 2011–2012, Natalie continued her professional development through training in Somatic EMDR, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mind-Body Coaching, and Polyvagal Theory, as well as emotional and nervous system regulation.

Natalie’s approach is trauma-informed and recognizes the role the nervous system plays in overall well-being. She specializes in supporting individuals experiencing anxiety, chronic stress, emotional overwhelm, and burnout. Natalie believes healing is
unique to each individual and helps clients identify strategies that best support them.

Through this process, clients develop deeper self-understanding and greater capacity to navigate challenges with clarity, resilience, and self-compassion.

05/13/2026

02/15/2026

We still have a few spaces in our upcoming Connect and Communicate Counselling Group for ages 12-15!

Please contact Heidi at 290-8100 or by email at [email protected] for more information :)

09/13/2025

Hello everyone, we are very excited to share that Donna Mitchell-Parsons will be working with us two days a week at our clinic in Grand Falls-Windsor!

Donna Mitchell-Parsons is a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC #10008196) registered with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. Even though her permanent address is in Green Bay South, Donna likes to spend time in Grand Falls-Windsor where she will be offering in-person sessions through Valley Counselling and Therapy.

Donna has training and experience in a wide range of areas; she often uses cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) with other approaches that are trauma informed and compassion based. Donna prides herself on being culturally sensitive and LGBTQIA2S+ aligned.

Donna has particular experience and training in neurodiversity issues (examples are autism, OCD, and ADHD), attachment/relationship difficulties from childhood to adulthood, women’s issues such as menopause, and burnout and health.

Donna will gently guide you to find clarity, insight and actionable tools to use in your life.

Welcome to the team, Donna!!

03/30/2025

Reminder to our clients..... starting tomorrow (March 31st) all
in-person sessions will be held at The Wellness Centre, 8 Pinsent Drive, Grand Falls-Windsor.
Please come to the main waiting area at the front of the building. (We are waiting for installation of our entrance door at the back of the building).
So excited to continue our work together in our new spot!! We thank you for your patience during this time of transition 🤩

02/23/2025

We are so excited to share that we will be moving to The Wellness Centre on Pinsent Drive in the coming weeks! Ashleigh, Karen, Kayla, Catherine and I will continue to provide counselling, psychotherapy and assessment services in our new warm, welcoming location. Thank-you to all of our clients and colleagues for your continued support!

Good Afternoon!

We have some exciting news to share with you all! We will be opening in the next couple of weeks at 8 Pinsent Drive - The Wellness Centre!
Date to follow.

I just wanted to take a moment to re-introduce myself on this new Page, and introduce myself to those who don’t know me.

My name is Brandon Durnford. I am a Nurse Practitioner here in Grand Falls-Windsor. I started out with my private practice in 2023, with Sigma Lab Services on a part-time basis. I’m happy to say they will be joining me in the new location as well; along with other great business’! (Listed below). I will take the time to introduce them in the coming days!

I want to thank my patients for the continuous support, and I look forward for new ones to come!

-Sherry & Sharon-SIGMA Lab Services
-Jamie Baker-Registered Massage Therapist
-Janine Cutting-Counselling Therapist with Valley Counselling & Therapy.
-Karis Drover-Blush Medical Aesthetics
-Dr. Wendy House-General Internal Medicine.
-Wade Lanning-Central Respiratory Care

01/10/2025

Welcome to the Valley Counselling and Therapy team, Catherine!

Catherine Bourden is originally from Twillingate but moved to Grand Falls-Windsor in 2019. She has been a member of the Mental Health and Addiction Services team since 1999. Catherine completed her Master of Social Work degree in 2018 and is currently the clinical Doorways Lead for Central Health, Central West. Her work involves various tasks including clinical counselling for individuals, families and groups, as well as clinical supervision.

During Catherine's years in the mental health field she has completed various trainings such as Motivational Interviewing, Emotion Focused Family Training, Skills System – Emotion Regulation (DBT skills), Mental Health First Aid, Respectful Relationships, Addiction Care and Treatment, and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR).

Catherine assists individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, or stressful life events. She believes in every person’s ability to learn coping skills to live a more positive and rewarding life. Being in her 50’s, she has learned from experience how to cope with the various stages and aspects of life, including raising youth. She is particularly interested in helping individuals, couples or families who are struggling with relationship concerns. She offers an empathetic environment and aims to support people in their journey to wellness and happiness.

To book an appointment with Catherine or any member of our team you can email me at [email protected], fill out the contact form on our website or visit our booking page https://aws-portal.owlpractice.ca/valleycounsellingandtherapy

05/05/2024

Tomorrow marks the start of Mental Health Awareness Week! Practicing compassion for ourselves and others improves our mental health and well-being.