Foundations for Emotional Wellness

Ola Obaro

MA, RP (Q), CCC

Registered Psychotherapist, Qualifying

Ola Obaro is a Certified Canadian Counsellor who has been dedicated to empowering children and parents for many years. As the former director for Children and Youth in Care at WJS, in Nanaimo BC, Ola’s work is based on the early relationships between parent and child, as well as how the brain influences behaviour. She takes great joy in working with the relationships between children and their caregivers and seeing the transformation of the child’s behaviour as their caregiver gains confidence and understanding.

Ola received her Master in Counselling Psychology from the Adler University. Ola has a background working with visible minorities as well as individuals living with anxiety, depression, behavioural challenges, and family roadblocks to healthy relationships. She worked in the Treaty 8 region in Northern B.C. for many years and had the pleasure of serving First Nations children and their families living on reserve.

Ola makes a special effort to understand the challenges that young people and parents face today, to see them for who they are and to let them share through connection, their stories, and what they need to succeed. She believes that children need close connections to their parents/caregivers now more than ever and embraces the opportunity to work closely with the parents to best support their children while respecting the adolescents’ need for privacy and to feel some sense of agency in the process.

Ola is trauma informed and has been trained in cognitive behaviour therapy(CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), attachment-based therapies, Gordan Neufeld approach, Circle of Security, and parent- child connection therapy. Ola brings an attachment lens to all she does. Ola tailors her approach to each individual according to client needs, situation, and current evidence-based research. Ola prioritizes forming healthy, trusting relationships with clients to provide a comfortable environment where they feel safe sharing. In her free time Ola enjoys spending time with her family and loves crossfit and tennis. Having recently relocated from Nanaimo, she is currently qualifying to become a Registered Psychotherapist in the province of Ontario.