Our Team
Mental Health & Wellness Providers and Educators
Courtney Anderson
Founder, Mental Health Consultant/Educator, Registered Clinical Counsellor
Courtney is formerly a Special Education Teacher and Family Case Manager, as well as the founder of an NGO in Nigeria, West Africa. She has spent the last 8 years developing cutting-edge programs in the fields of neurodevelopment, childhood trauma, complex developmental trauma, identity-based conflict, generational trauma, neglect and poverty, and emotion therapy through extensive research and pilot studies. Her global work for child rights and human security through culturally sensitive lenses while serving for 15yrs overseas with orphans, vulnerable children, severely impoverished, internally displaced persons, and foreign armed forces, has affirmed her belief and passion that healing must recognize the ‘whole’ person.
Courtney uses a holistic approach across all domains that are created through collaboration and unique for each person, family, group, and community in need. She assists others by walking with them on their path of learning and healing. Courtney’s goal is to help people learn and understand how various traumas have impacted their lives; their heart, brain, body, mind, and soul, and how it has been vicariously carried forward impacting every moment of life. She aspires to help people gain self-leadership and choice over their path forward into healing and rehabilitation. Courtney sees the pain in people, but also recognises their possibilities. Courtney seeks to ignite the resiliency that is already living inside one each of us.
Courtney is a BC certified teacher focused on Special Education and Learning Assistance for children with behavioural challenges and trauma-related subjects such as the Fear/Stress-Response System, Attachment Theory and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
Courtney is a trauma-informed Therapeutic Intervention-Web Developer and a Mental Health and Wellness Curriculum and Program Developer. She is also a certified Practioner-Mentor in the Emotion Works Curriculum.
Courtney is a certified CISM Leader (Critical Incident Stress Management) and certified in Assisting Individuals in Crisis as well as Assisting Groups in Crisis through the ICISF. She is certified through River of Life with Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention, Intervention, Postvention Care, with a focus on risk and protective factors. Courtney is also certified in SafeTalk: Suicide Alertness and the BC PHSA’s San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training and is approved by FNHA as a service provider.
Courtney currently holds a Master of Education in School Counseling, is a Registered Clinical Counselor with BCACC, as well as a member of the CCPA. Courtney is certified in Disaster Mental Health Counselling through a Culturally Responsive Lens.
The ChildTrauma Academy acknowledges that Courtney P Anderson has completed Neurosequentional Model of Therapeutics (NMT) Training Certification through the Phase I level.
Cat Anderson
Spiritual Director, Grief and Loss Care, End-of-life Care
As a Spiritual Director, Cat holds certification in:
- Disaster Mental Health Counselling
- Critical Incidence Stress Management as a Team Leader
- Grief Education
- and End-of Life Care
Cat has received formal training in Compassionate Inquiry with Gabor Mate, Indigenous Cultural Safety Training, Advanced Illness, Palliative Care and Grief and is a Member of Death Doula Network International, and The End-of-Life Doula Association of Canada.
Cherie Martens
Registered Clinical Counsellor, Mental Health Educator
Dr. Robert Lees, Registered Psychologist
Psychologist, Clinical Supervision
Dr. Robert Lees is a Registered Psychologist, with over 40 years of experience in child, youth, family, and group therapy. Dr. Lees received a doctorate from UBC (1986), and with two publications, a radio feature, teaching experience and numerous opportunities to supervise and mentor doctoral and masters level counselling/psychology students, Dr. Lees is no stranger to building community and taking a holistic approach to supporting clients. Dr. Lees has held supervisory positions in the Province of BC Mental Health System for 32 years.
Dr. Lees scope of practice also includes mental health education and awareness on prevention and health promotion for mental health plans to support children and youth, a program of activities which he developed. Examples of his preventative work include The Human Service Career Enrichment Program (HSCEP), a multi-layered peer mentoring involving University students, high school psychology students and elementary students) as well as the Building Healthy Relationships Program, a community program for couples based on the work of John Gottman and Susan Johnson.
Given his long-standing friendship and working relationship with Steve Anderson through the creation of mental health mentor focused school district program, Dr. Rob Lees has always been involved in programs promoting mental health education and supportive services.
From the onset of REACH Trauma Response, Dr. Lees’ attention was drawn to being a part of its important mission, given the many aligned perspectives he has held throughout his career, especially building healthy individuals, groups, and communities through a trauma-informed lens.
He is currently responsible at REACH for clinical staff supervision to support clinicians with learning, efficacy, and quality in their practice. He is also responsible for the supervisory role of intern and practicum clinical at REACH. Dr. Lees periodically supports clients in assessment, treatment, consultation, and in-team referrals for necessary and wrap-around services.
Dr. Lees recognizes the importance of providing learning opportunities to Student Interns through this approach and is happy to provide Supervision for REACH Intern placements, as students gain experience and support under him for their future work as Clinical Counsellors and Psychologists.
Josh Daley
Mental Health Consultant/Educator
2020 has brought unprecedented anxiety and worry to every facet of society. In light of changes around the world from Covid-19 and social issues, we are seeing individuals, families and communities struggling to find a way to navigate the hardships and generalized anxiety that have become a part of a ‘new normal’ for all Canadians. Josh has supported communities in crisis through education and mental health services for the past 16 years. He has worked as a teacher, mentor, administrator, counsellor and behavioural consultant across a variety of communities. He is well versed in curriculum development, innovation of new programs and has worked extensively with people with disabilities. Bringing a trauma-informed lens to learning and healing is a critical part of Josh’s approach. Josh’s passion is inserting himself into communities that are struggling to help them find healing and move towards health and wellness. He is currently upgrading his graduate studies in the field of clinical counselling to add to his broad background of social and emotional development focused education, mentorship, mental health support and advocacy. Josh knows that it takes compassion, patience and persistence to help those who are marginalized and he has made it a personal objective to see that no one gets left behind, starting with a focus on his own communities here in British Columbia with a particular focus on our indigenous and marginalized people. His passion is to advocate for those who are struggling in helping them find the courage, healing, and self-worth to begin rewriting their own stories. In the words of Richard Rohr, “all great spirituality is about what we do with our pain.” Josh is a charismatic personality who brings laughter and joy to every environment and has the ability to ease tension and build peace. ‘Taking the risk of digging deeper into your story will empower you on your journey to healing and wellness. Why not reach out and start a conversation?’
Josh currently works for a school district in the Lower Mainland. His primary directive is to manage a specialized program for students struggling with anxiety, deficits in learning and deficits in mental health. He is a Level B Assessor and Psychological First Aid Assessor. Josh is a Trauma Intervention Responder, Critical Incident Responder and Scene Manager, and youth/young adult Mentor with extensive experience in counseling for relationship challenges, family, abuse, and suicidal and drug use situations. Josh is also certified in Suicide Awareness: Prevention, Intervention and Postvention for Crisis Responders.
Josh is the Chief Operating Officer for the Lensbox Foundation who has a primary goal to remove barriers to accessing health resources, empowering people to bring awareness to mental and physical health needs impacting their community and addressing eye health needs in rural parts of British Columbia.
Josh is a certified CISM Peer Counsellor (Critical Incident Stress Management) and certified in Assisting Individuals in Crisis as well as Assisting Groups in Crisis.
Josh is a Hockey Canada Certified Developmental 1 Coach who has 15 years of coaching competitive hockey. He uses the world of sport as a means to build community and resilience.
Steve Anderson
Mental Health Consultant/Educator
Steve is a Teacher (B.Ed. MA) focused in Psychology specifically the trauma-related subject of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
Steve offers Drum Circle/Rhythms, Life Mapping, Work Experience
Steve is certified in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)
- Assisting Individuals in Crisis
- Assisting Groups in Crisis
O.J. Joe Ogmundson, M.Ed
Mental Health Consultant/Educator
He has more than thirty years’ experience as a teacher, counsellor, union administration (in a variety of executive positions including President) and is a member of the Chilliwack Sports Hall of Fame as a coach. He has worked in education at all levels, from Kindergarten to Masters level, including Alternate Education and Distributed Online Learning.
Joe has worked for the Ministry of Children and Family Development (also once known as Ministry of Social Services) as an Intake Worker, Adoptions worker and carried files in Family Support and Foster Care. He has been trained in Violent Threat Assessment (University of Lethbridge), is a certified Online Counsellor (University of Toronto), having expertise in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, and Mediation.
Joe regularly presents to multi-aged groups on a variety of social and psychological themes and has been a regular presenter to the Criminal Justice Program and the Education Faculty at the University of the Fraser Valley.
Joe is a seasoned Athletics Coach, NCCP certified, has specialized training in Peer Counseling, with comprehensive knowledge and experience in the areas of Union Administration and Alternative Education. Joe was a longstanding member of the British Columbia School Counsellors’ Association (BCSCA), Joe is not a Registered Clinical Counsellor, Canadian Clinical Counsellor, or Marriage and Family Counsellor under the certification of the corresponding associations.
Joe works at REACH under the following roles: Mental Health Consultant, Mental Health Educator, Peer Mentor/Supervisor/Counselor, School Counsellor, and Mental Health Navigator (under which falls Grief Support, Family Mediation Support, and Sport Counseling). Book a free consultation with Joe today, and start your journey of healing, learning, and wellness!
Frontline Services
Mental Health and Wellness through Education
Staff Sergeant William (Bill) Emery (Rtd.)
Law Enforcement
REACH is pleased to welcome William (Bill) Emery, retired Staff Sergeant with the Abbotsford Police Department in Abbotsford, B.C., to our newly formed Peer Mentoring Program. Bill is one of a growing list of professionals who have decided to make themselves available to our clients for personalized one-on-one and group peer mentorship for learning and support opportunities.
REACH is pleased to welcome William (Bill) Emery, retired Staff Sergeant with the Abbotsford Police Department in Abbotsford, B.C., to our newly formed Peer Mentoring Program. Bill is one of a growing list of professionals who have decided to make themselves available to our clients for personalized one-on-one and group peer mentorship for learning and support opportunities.
Bill was born in Chilliwack, B.C., where he was heavily influenced in policing by his father who was the Sheriff of Chilliwack, as well as an Auxiliary RCMP officer. Bill joined the Sheriff’s office and Auxiliary RCMP at eighteen (18) years of age, right out of high school, conducting document service, court security and prisoner escorts.
Bill joined the RCMP as a regular member in 1975, where he served in seven (7) detachments in ten (10) years with the RCMP, in places such as; Prince George, Mackenzie, Pemberton, Burnaby, Agassiz, Langley and Kelowna. Most detachments policed First Nations Reserve land, which served as a positive experience overall for him in learning about First Nations Culture and the people.
In 1986, Bill left the RCMP and joined the Abbotsford Police, where he served in uniform and plainclothes duties. Bill’s main investigative focus was Major Crime, primarily Homicide investigations, where he served in roles such as; Investigator, Team Leader and eventually Team Commander for the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. Bill led two (2) teams of homicide investigators (16 members), personally managing approximately fifty (50) homicide investigations in four (4) years. Bill also served for fourteen (14) years as an Emergency Response Team (ERT) member and Team Leader for the Abbotsford Police.
During his thirty-four (34) years of police service, Bill has interviewed hundreds of victims and witnesses of crime, of all ages and genders, also having to “be there” for countless families of victims during the worst time of their lives and during the criminal trial process, which re-surfaces the pain experienced before.
After retirement from policing in 2009, Bill was employed as a Fraud Investigator for a national insurance company and now conducts Background Investigations for two (2) police departments in the Lower Mainland of BC, ensuring that the hiring process for police officers is conducted in a fair and unbiased manner for all aspiring police officers wanting this honorable career.
It is Bill’s belief that the traumatic incidents experienced by officers and emergency personnel as a whole, is extremely intense and sometimes, life changing, and that those who have experienced similar events and have worked through the emotional stress and trauma, can relate in a personal way. Bill’s focus is to assist those in need, by being there as someone who cares and has “been there”.
Captain Ben Fryer (Rtd.)
Fire Fighting
REACH is pleased to welcome Ben Fryer, retired Fire Captain, to our newly formed Peer Mentoring Program. Ben is one of a growing list of professionals who have decided to make themselves available to our clients for personalized one-on-one and group peer mentorship for learning and support opportunities.
Ben Fryer is a retired Captain of the Chilliwack Fire Department. Ben was born in Southern Ontario in 1955 and moved to the Fraser Valley in 1970, graduating from High School in 1973. His work life began as an apprentice in Auto Body Painting and Auto Body Fabrication, completed in 1989. He was married in 1980 and had two children.
Ben joined the Chilliwack’s Volunteer Fire Department in 1985, and was hired on Full Time Status in 1992, rising to the rank of Lieutenant in 1999. Upon completion of Fire Fighter Basic Skills training, and following Officer Training at the Justice Institute of BC (JIBC), Ben was promoted to Captain in 2007. Ben served as secretary / vice-president of the IAFF Local 2826 for fifteen years.
Ben’s entire career was either as a Firefighter on an Emergency Response Engine, or as an Officer responding to all types of Emergency Incidents. Emergency Incidents include fire response, auto accidents, and industrial accidents, often requiring extrication.
Ben also served the community for four years as a By-Laws enforcement officer, working at street level with some of the most needy and vulnerable members of society.
Ben is a licensed first responder under the Emergency First Responder (FR3) Program.
Ben is a recognized Public Fire Safety Educator who provided safety education to schools and public organizations and events. He also conducted Annual Fire Safety Inspections of public buildings as part of his regular duties. Ben is also an accredited Fire Instructor and FR3 Medical instructor evaluator through JIBC.
During his many years in public service, Ben has witnessed and dealt with troubling, and at times horrific, incidents that affected the lives of all involved. He recognized early the importance of quality debriefing, of the essential need of support and understanding for members and their families. Ben worked with in house and support counselling teams to help his members receive that support.
Ben knows that as someone who has “been there”, he can offer a unique perspective and a mentoring ear to First Responders and their families.
Advisors/Associates
Dr. Jerry Yager
Clinical Psychologist, USA
Dr. Jerry Yager is a Clinical Psychologist, currently in private practice, with more than 35 years of experience in the assessment and treatment of traumatized children and adolescents. He specializes in working with children and adolescents who exhibit self-destructive behavior and have severe mental illness such as clinical depression, bipolar mood disorder, post-traumatic distress disorder and psychosis. Before moving to private practice, Dr. Jerry served as Director of Training & Community Education at Denver Children’s Advocacy Center, and the Executive Director of the Denver Children’s Home, which shares a mission with Denver Children’s Advocacy Center to provide high quality mental health care for low-income children whose problems would otherwise go undiagnosed and untreated.
Jerry is a fellow with the Child Trauma Academy, under the leadership of Dr Bruce Perry, and conducts professional training in Colorado, nationally and internationally. Dr. Jerry has served as the president of the Colorado Association for Family and Children Agencies. He is a clinical consultant for Devereux Cleo Wallace Behavioral Health Services, Lutheran Family Services, and Tennyson Treatment Center for Children and Families. Dr. Jerry was a member of the Colorado Court Improvement Project and Colorado’s Systems of Care steering committee. Dr Jerry currently coordinates a clinical consultation team for the Colorado Department of Behavioral Health. He has testified in court as an expert witness on the developmental impact of abuse and neglect on children and adolescents and has testified at the Colorado State Legislature for bills related to children and adolescent’ crime victims’ rights. Dr Jerry was honored at the 2016 National Crime Victim Law conference as the Child Advocate Victims Rights Partner of the Year.
It was through connecting with Steve Anderson and Courtney Anderson in 2016, via one of Dr. Bruce Perry’s Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) symposiums in Alberta, that Dr. Jerry Yager learned of REACH Trauma Response Consulting and became an official part of the team in 2020. By regular communication and collaboration with REACH Consultants, and in personally mentoring Courtney Anderson, Dr. Jerry Yager is excited to contribute to REACH in a more extensive way as we all move forward in the field of mental health education, specifically since the impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic on the global community. He offers his expertise within REACH in an advising capacity and as well as by supporting resource development in the fields of 1) impacts of trauma on the brain, as well as 2) trauma-informed organizational systems of care and leadership. Dr. Jerry also offers services through REACH as a guest presenter and lecturer.
Dr. Temitayo Sodipo
Advising Consultant, Child and Youth Psychiatrist
Dr. Sodipo is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Canada and a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the United Kingdom. It is the belief that Dr. Sodipo has in preventative medicare systems, that has driven his desire to care for children and adolescents. Dr. Sodipo’s goal is to ensure quality mental healthcare for the younger generation, leading to a greater and healthier tomorrow.