Ladona Pinder

MA RSW RCC BCRPT

Registered Social Worker, Clinical Counsellor & Play Therapist

ladona@allius.ca

EDUCATION

• Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, Yorkville University
• Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Care, VIU
• Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care, VIU

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Play Therapy Rocky Mountain Play Therapy Institute
• Prepare/Enrich Couples Counsellor
• CoParent Coach Training, New Ways for Families
• Gottman Emotional Coaching- The Heart of Parenting
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Training
• Structured Analysis Family Evaluation Supervisor and Home Study Training Consortium for Children
• Cognitive Behavioural Interpersonal Skills, Indigenous Approach
• Parent Adoption Support Training
• Neuroscience and Satir in the Sand Training, Playful Dyads
• Internal Family Systems Training 
• The Flash Technique, Trauma Institure and Child Trauma Institute
• Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Trained

MEET LADONA

Ladona, is registered with the BCACC as Clinical Counsellor, with the BCCSW and the CASW as a Social Worker and with the BCRPT as a play therapist. She brings over 20 years of expertise supporting children, youth, adults, and families through a variety of presenting issues. Ladona specializes in working with individuals, children, parents, families and couples and she is trained in several therapeutic modalities including solution focused therapy, family systems therapy, narrative therapy, person centered therapy, acceptance & commitment therapy(ACT), play therapy, sand tray therapy, mindfulness self-compassion, co parent coaching, and prepare/enrich couples counseling.

Ladona offers a safe and supportive environment in which specific and effective interventions are guided by client identified goals. Ladona goes above and beyond to ensure that her clients feel heard and supported during their sessions. She brings a calming and understanding presence to her counselling practice.

Ladona works from a family systems, attachment, trauma, and culturally informed perspective. She respects the unique experiences and natural differences within each person and family that she encounters and her personal and employment history inform and support her practice when working with various family issues including divorced, blended and adoptive family dynamics. Ladona provides a non-judgmental, safe space where you will be encouraged to notice your thoughts, emotions and physical experiences with compassion while taking action that will move you closer to the life you are seeking.

Ladona completed all of her training on Vancouver Island and she began her journey in social work in 2006 where she supported families experiencing complex difficulties fueled by trauma, domestic violence, addictions, and family breakdown. In 2022 Ladona joined Allius Services in Nanaimo and in 2024 she moved to Edmonton where she continues to support Allius Services clients virtually. Ladona enjoys supporting clients with challenges related to difficulties in relationships, parenting, marriage, anxiety, depression, panic, emotional dysregulation, grief/loss/trauma, life transitions, work related changes, and behavioral difficulties. Ladona’s extensive experience in these many different mental health fields enables her to be a well rounded counsellor and to approach each challenges with a multitude of different methods and tools onboard. In her leisure time, Ladona enjoys spending time with her husband, children and grandchildren who have all inspired the work that she engages in today.