Crystal Arber MSW RSW RCC
Welcome, I am glad you are here!
If you are suffering from symptoms of PTSD, like intrusive thoughts due to work injuries or childhood abuse flashbacks, I am here to help.
Through EMDR, I provide opportunities for people to heal from PTSD symptoms. If you prefer to make sense of what happened to you through discussion, I am here to listen.
Personal History
When I was a child, my grandfather would sit me on his knee and watch movies with me. I remember how strong and stoic he was. One day, while watching a movie with him, I watched him shed a tear. In my childhood, I had only known my grandfather as a quiet man who did not share emotions. I remember noticing tears rolling down his face was quite extraordinary.
My grandfather served in World War II and posted missions. He served in the British Royal Air-force as a warrant officer.
He had PTSD. I am very proud of my grandfather. He was a good man who suffered in silence. He pulled up his bootstraps and carried on. In his day, there was little to no help for PTSD. He had no choice but to suffer in silence.
Before I became a therapist, I obtained my fine arts degree in theatre. I acted and directed in stage plays. Further, I worked on films as an actor, co-director and script supervisor. It was the craft of acting that inspired me to want to understand human behaviour. Human behaviour motivated me to work in the social services field.
Volunteer Work
I am proud of organizing a nationwide animal welfare campaign in 2011. This campaign was founded on the heels of sled dogs’ unnecessary and irresponsible death after the Olympics. Vigils for Sled Dogs
My team, which included volunteers across Canada representing each province, helped bring awareness to our antiquated animal welfare laws and helped change our animal welfare laws in BC. As a result of this campaign, BC now penalizes an animal abuser of 10K or time in jail.
Today, I lead a trauma recovery network through the EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Program. Our team comprises 12 professional therapists and two translators running Free EMDR group treatment for displaced persons of war. This EMDR group provides relief for those suffering from PTSD symptoms and acute stress symptoms. See more here Ukraine Refugees
I love writing music and spending time with my family in my spare time.
Credentials
I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a master’s degree in social work. I am a registered social worker and registered clinical counsellor. I am a certified EMDR therapist and an approved EMDR consultant and educator with over 20 years of experience as a helping professional. I have completed Level I and II training through the BCPFFA to provide trauma-informed counselling to Fire Fighters and First Responders.
My background as a clinician in healthcare is in treating complex trauma and PTSD. I worked as a trauma counsellor in health care and created an EMDR treatment program for survivors of trauma living on the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. This program comprised a trauma group called Making Sense of Trauma (an 8-week education and skills-based group about trauma) and EMDR for complex PTSD for one to two years.
I facilitated and led workshops on Trauma-Informed Practice for healthcare professionals.
My passion for treating PTSD led me to work as an EMDR therapist at the BC-Operational Stress Injury Clinic.
At the clinic, I created an EMDR pilot program to treat PTSD among Veterans and Emergency Services Personnel.
This program demonstrated excellent outcomes, leading me to speak at the EMDR Canada Conference.
In 2019, I spoke on Using intensive EMDR for First Responders and the Military to treat acute stress disorder and PTSD.
Today, I work as a practicum facilitator at the BC School of Psychology, teaching EMDR to student EMDR therapists.
I am a cisgender white woman who uses the pronouns she/ her. I live on the land of the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations territory.
You must be logged in to post a comment.