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Our Staff

Executive Director

Don Wright, MEd is the founder and Executive Director of the Victoria Male Survivors of Sexual Assault Society and the Vancouver Society for Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse, which were consolidated in 1997 to form the British Columbia Society for Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse. Mr. Wright is also a Registered Clinical Counsellor.

As well as fulfilling his duties as Executive Director, Don travels throughout western Canada providing training to professionals in the sexual abuse field, and consultation to government—both Provincial and Federal—on various projects related to victims of crime and criminal justice. Mr. Wright is on the Board of Directors of the National Organization on Male Sexual Victimization.

Therapists

Renée Bartkiewitz has been a therapist with BCSMSSA since 1998 after completing a practicum placement with the society. In addition to a Graduate Diploma in Art Therapy, Renée will be receiving an MA. She is actively involved in Vancouver's art community and has had her work highlighted at several venues.

Judy Ebert, MEd, RCC has a Masters Degree in Counselling from the University of Wisconsin. Her training includes work with problem teens and families in crisis. She was responsible for critical incident debriefing while working as an emergency medical technician. Most recently she has been working with survivors of sexual abuse, battered women, and Victim Services. She has been with BCSMSSA since February 2000.

Douglas Matear, MA has also received a Diploma in Guidance Studies and is a member of the Canadian Counselling Association. Doug has provided counselling for individuals, groups, couples, children, youth, and families. Doug is an educator with the Vancouver School Board.

George Passmore, MA has most recently worked at Stave Lake Correctional Institute with sexual offenders, and as a co-facilitator of assaultive men's groups at Share Family and Community Services Society.

Albert Seinen, M.Ed., CCC has a Master's degree in Counselling Psychology from the University of Victoria. He has been with BCSMSSA since the beginning of 2000. Albert has a variety of experiences, which include working in residential facilities with youth that have a history of abuse, street outreach, prison outreach and counselling university students. He is now serving our clients in the Nanaimo / Duncan area.

Paul Whitehead, PhD, CCC finished his Doctorate in Counselling Psychology at the University of British Columbia in 2005. He has taken advanced training in group therapy and therapeutic enactment techniques, as well as Levels 1 and 2 training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Paul has been a therapist with the BCSMSSA for 10 years since completing his Masters' practicum training with this agency in 1997.

Steven Lake, PhD began counselling 15 years ago.  He has been in private practice since then and has worked on a contract basis for Corrections Canada as a psychologist and program facilitator, for PAR Consultants as a consultant and psychotherapist, and with the BC Society for Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse as a therapist since January of 2006. Steven is a clinical faculty member with Royal University Hospital at the University of Saskatchewan and teaches psychology at the University of Phoenix (Burnaby Campus).

Mary Lang, MA, RCC has a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology. She has been with our agency since September 2004. She uses an integrative approach inspired by Collaborative and Narrative therapies, as well as Emotionally Focused therapy. Her understanding of child development, attachment theory, current post-traumatic stress research, and Buddhist mindfulness (Vipassana) concepts and practices influence her counseling approach.

Janel Ball, MA, RCC, MBACP received her Master’s Degree in Integrative Counselling Practice from the University of Derby in Derby, England. The therapeutic approaches she uses in counselling include Person-centred, Cognitive-behavioural, Attachment Theory, and EMDR. She has been working as a counsellor with the BC Society for Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse (BCSMSSA) since 2005. Her past work experience includes working as a addictions counsellor at a methadone clinic as well as facilitating numerous workshops, support groups, and therapy groups. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), through her membership with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Councellors and maintains membership with the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (MBACP).

Victim Services

Matt Lovick, joined BCSMSSA as our Victim Services Coordinator in August 2005.

Poran Poregbal, RSW joined BCSMSSA in April 2004. Poran started working as a Victim Service Worker in March 2000 and has since then worked for West Vancouver Police Department, on a volunteer basis. Poran has a BA in Social Work and has worked as a social worker in both Sweden and Canada. Poran has an interest in cross-cultural topics and has facilitated numerous workshops and seminars in those areas. Poran enjoys attending workshops to further improve her skills. She also works as a research assistant for SFU and UBC. Poran speaks English, Swedish and Farsi.

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