We’re a small team with big hearts and a passion for supporting family systems and their communities.
Our People
Hannah Jakus
Susie Carter
Nancy Arshak
My passion for working with children began early, growing up as the eldest of seven siblings. My childhood was rich in family and community life, filled with theatre, church camps, sports, and meaningful relationships with the adults who helped shape me.
While completing my undergraduate degree in psychology, I worked in an elementary school, primarily supporting children from kindergarten to Grade 5. I have since participated in research exploring emotional regulation, sibling and parental support, Indigenous and Western approaches to child-rearing, and most recently, maternal intuition in a digital world.
My clinical experience includes supporting children, youth, and young adults in both agency and private practice settings. I have facilitated parent support groups and developed and led a therapeutic group for young people navigating grief and loss.
I am passionate about supporting children and young people through these formative years, helping them develop emotional awareness, resilience, a sense of voice, and an identity rooted in their inherent worth. I also value working alongside parents and caregivers, recognizing the important role families and communities play in a child's development and well-being.
I hold a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology from Trinity Western University, graduating at eight months pregnant with my first son. I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor in good standing with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC).
Beyond my professional work, I am a daughter, sister, friend, mother of two, and wife to my wonderful husband.
I look forward to meeting you, hearing your story, and creating a space where you can feel supported in all that you are.
Hi, I’m Hannah.
My interest in counselling began early in life. As a child, I was placed in counselling at a time when I deeply needed support but was unable to express myself. When the therapeutic relationship ended because I could not yet find my voice, it left a lasting impression on me. That experience shaped my commitment to becoming a counsellor who remains patient, attuned, and empathetic, particularly with children and youth who may struggle to communicate their needs.
Prior to pursuing my master’s degree in counselling psychology, I worked at a Kids Crisis Line, where I witnessed firsthand the significant need for accessible and compassionate support for children, youth, and families. I have since worked at a Children’s Hospital on the children and youth unit, supporting young people and their families in complex and often vulnerable circumstances. My professional experience has reinforced my belief in the importance of creating a safe, trusting, and non-judgmental space for healing.
I am honoured to be working at Stronghold Counselling as a therapist working with children, youth, and young adults. I am deeply committed to providing a supportive environment where clients feel seen, heard, and valued. Whether you are finding it hard to speak or simply need a safe place to begin, I would be honoured to walk alongside you in your journey.
Hi, I’m Nancy.
My passion for working with children and young people started long before I had a master's degree. For more than six years, I've watched quiet, struggling kids/teens become confident, happy versions of themselves through the power of a good therapeutic relationship.
I hold a master's degree in Counselling Psychology from Trinity Western University (2020) and am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC). I'm a Level 2 certified Observed Experiential Integration (OEI) therapist and hold a certificate in Sandplay therapy. Both help young people work through difficult experiences, even when they don't yet have the words for them. I work with children 8–12, teens 13–18, and young adults 19–25, and also offer parent coaching, family therapy, and sports mental performance for athletes.
I believe the relationship is the therapy. A young person who feels safe and understood will do the hard work of growing, and one who doesn't, won't. So I start by earning trust. I meet kids where they are, whether that's talking, playing, building in the sand tray or sitting in silence until they're ready.
I see parents as partners. Kids don't live in a counselling room, so I work alongside families and give them practical tools that carry into home, school and the rink or field.
I focus on strengths, not just symptoms. Every young person has resilience already in them, and my job is to help them find it and build on it.
I founded Stronghold Counselling in Langley because I believe every young person deserves a safe space where they can be completely themselves: no judgment, no pressure, just support. I promise that here, you have found your Stronghold.
Hi, I’m SUSIE.
