Cara Mann, M.A., Registered Clinical Counsellor

Cara (she/her) has been helping children, teens, and young adults overcome anxiety, OCD, and related concerns for the past nine years. She has worked in private practice and held clinical roles in outpatient and residential treatment programs and youth serving agencies. She holds an M.A. from the University of Victoria and is a Registered Clinical Counsellor.

Her passion for providing families with hope through effective, research-backed therapy has led her to pursue advanced training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), EMDR, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Play Therapy, and Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT). She has also completed intensive paediatric exposure and response prevention (ERP) training with the International OCD Foundation, as well as Inference-Based CBT (I-CBT) and the SPACE program for OCD.
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Cara approaches therapy with a developmental, trauma-informed, neuron-affirming, and playful perspective. She believes that building a safe, trusting relationship is the foundation for meaningful growth and healing. By combining evidence-based approaches with a compassionate and supportive therapeutic environment, Cara helps her clients better understand their emotions, face fears, heal from trauma, navigate school or relationships, and develop healthy self-expression.

As a parent herself, Cara is dedicated to partnering with parents throughout the counselling process. She offers parent sessions to help caregivers connect with their own wisdom and strengths while learning new tools to support their child’s emotional well-being.

Background

Education
  • M.A. - University of Victoria
  • Bachelor of Social Work
Clinical Experience​
  • Vancouver Coastal Health – Child and Youth Mental Health (CYMH) 
  • MCFD - Child and Youth Mental Health Program 
  • Child and Family Counsellor - Victoria Youth Empowerment Society
Recent Continuing Education
  • Pediatric Exposure and Response Prevention through the Behavioural Therapy Training Institute 
  • I-CBT Training through the Zen Psychological Centre
  • Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE)
  • Cognitive Behaviour Therapy - Anxiety (CBT-A) with Children and Youth by Dr. Anne Marie Albano
  • EMDR Training (EMDRIA Approved), Trauma Institute & Child Trauma Institute
  • Emotion Focused Family Therapy Level One, Mental Health Foundations
  • Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Behavioural Tech
  • Synergetic Play Therapy, Play Therapy Institute of Colorado
  • Expressive Play Therapy Levels 1 and 2, Justice Institute of BC
  • Facing Your Fears: CBT with ASD, Autism Community Training
  • Essentials of CBT, Beck Institute
  • Advanced DSM-5, Applications of the DSM-5 in the CYMH Context, MCFD
Nova Mental Health