Cate Pelling

I was born in Vancouver, British Columbia and completed a BA in psychology at Simon Fraser University and a MA in Counselling Psychology at U.B.C. My MA thesis focused on the impact of attachment injuries in couple relationships.

I have worked in the counselling field since 1988. I began as a community-based counsellor working with displaced older workers and then later worked with at risk youth and their families. In 1996, I moved into clinical work and spent a number of years as a clinician, couples counsellor and family therapist working in Counselling Services, Adult Mental Health and at Youth Forensic Psychiatric Services. I continue to do some work as a clinical counsellor and family and couple therapist.

In addition to my formal education, I regularly undertake training in empirically validated, emerging approaches within psychotherapy. 

Teaching Courses

• PSYC 130 Contemporary Issues in Psychology
• PSYC 154 Interpersonal Relations
• PSYC 200 Introduction to Personality
• PSYC 203 Social Psychology
• PSYC 205 Introduction to Groups
• PSYC 250 Psychopathology
• PSYC 256 Introduction to Counselling

Areas of Practice

Individual, Couple and Family Therapy
Trauma-informed practice
Clinical Counselling

Areas of Study

Attachment processes in close relationships
Emotion Focused Therapies

Publications

Pelling, C. and Arvay-Buchanan, M. (2004), Experiences of Attachment Injury in Heterosexual Couple Relationships. Canadian Journal of Counselling, Vol 38:4, 289-303.