. . NEWS photo Paul McGrath

WEST VANCOUVER marriage counsellor Claire Sutton offers
one-on-one counselling to peanle who are thinking about getting
married or divorced, She also leads personal growth and com-
munication workshops for the University of B.C.’s Women’s
Resource Centre. and works part-time as a counsellor for the
Columbia Contre for Integrated Health Services.

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COUPLES WHO are living
together but are considering mar-
riage should first seek the advice
of a marriage counsellor, accord-
ing to West Vancouver’s Claire
Sutton.

By Surj Rattan
News Reporter

Sutton’s new practice in West
Vancouver specializes in separa-
tion, divorce, marriage and couple
counselling.

Separaticns and divorce, she
says, can be very emotional but

‘life still goes after a relationship

falls apart.

“Divorce is pain. There are so
many losses associated with such
an ending. Each loss needs to be
acknowledged dnd mourned be-
fore many divorced people can
move on in their life.

“Many women and men have
likened the separation and divorce
experience to an emotional roller
coaster,’ says Sutton.

Sutton, who decided to study
marriage counselling after she got

divorced, says counselling for
couples considering marriage
deepens the understanding be-

tween the two parties in the rela-

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Counselling helps deepen
couples’ understanding

Counsellor Ciaire Sutton opens new WV practice wy
to assist. people with emotional roller coaster rides

4&4 Divorce is pain. There are so

. many losses associated with such an

‘ending. #9

tionship.

Most women who are in abusive
relationships, she , says, are not
even aware that they are. being
abused.

‘We explain the issues to them.
Coming here is a safe place for
them (women). All the informa-
tion they give us is confidential.
tm not part of their family so 1
can be objective," says Sutton.

She adds that she normally sces
one person from a strained rela-

.Wonship on a one-on-one basis

but that she likes to see the couple
together at a later date.

Sution says that legal pro-
ceedings can ‘prolong: the’ emo-
tional pain of divorce, while
single-parenting can be physically
and emotionally exhausting.

“Counselling through such a
time can be critical for maintain-

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ing mental health, keeping focus-
ed, parenting properly, prioritizing
and being better prepared for legal
meetings and possible court
dates,”’ says Sutton...

She adds that often couples
have simply lost focus and that
counselling can be vital in helping
partners reach a new under-
standing of themselves and of
each other.

In addition to her work as a
marriage counsellor, Sutton also
leads personal growth and com-
munication workshops for the
University of B.C.’s Women’s

Resource Centre and works part-.

time as a counsellor for the Col-
umbia Centre for Integrated,
Health Services.

For more information on her
practice, call Sutton at 925-4295.

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