Kelvin Gartly
CERTIFIED CANADIAN COUNSELLOR (CCC)
You're Not Broken.
You're Stuck.
And there's a difference. I'm Kelvin Gartly, a therapist in Abbotsford who works with men, women, and couples at a crossroads. Maybe you're overwhelmed. Maybe your relationship is falling apart. Maybe you're facing a transition that's shaking everything loose.Here's what I know: You're not broken. You're stuck, overwhelmed, or going through something really hard—and that's not the same thing. I help men, women, and couples who are at a crossroads, feeling stuck, or going through transitions they didn't see coming. Whether you're questioning your life path, struggling with anxiety or depression, navigating relationship challenges, facing empty nest or other major transitions, or just feeling something needs to change but you're not sure what, I create a space where you can figure it out without judgment.
My Approach?
Real Conversation, Real Change
I work from a person-centred and existential framework, which means I start by listening—really listening—to your whole story. Not just the problem that brought you to therapy, but the full context of your life: your relationships, work, sense of meaning and purpose, hopes and dreams. I'm less interested in diagnosing what's wrong with you and more interested in understanding your story and helping you write the next chapter.
CCC
#11253201
18+
AGES
$160.00
COUPLES
$140.00
INDIVIDUAL
MAYBE YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE...
1
You're a Man Who Feels Like He's Supposed to Have It All Together (But Doesn't)
You're in your 20s trying to figure out who you are and where you're going. Or you're in your 40s, 50s, or 60s realizing you don't have all the answers and the old strategies aren't working anymore. You're dealing with anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, or just feeling like you're going through the motions.
I get it. I've been there. And as a male counsellor who has navigated his own transitions, losses, and challenges, I create a space where men feel safe being real.
2
You're Facing a Major Transitions—Maybe It's Empty nest. Career change. Retirement questions...
The feeling that "this can't be all there is." You're at a crossroads, and the old roles don't fit anymore. You need someone who has lived through these transitions and made it to the other side—not just read about them in a textbook.
I've raised three adult children. I've faced empty nest. I've rebuilt my career. I've questioned long-held beliefs. I know what it's like to sit with the big questions:
"Who am I now?"
"What matters to me?"
"What do I do with the rest of my life?"
3
You're Just Overwhelmed, The Weight of Daily Responsibilities, Burnout, or Mental Fatigue
Anxiety that won't let up. Depression that makes everything feel flat. Grief that you can't seem to process. Everyday life that feels like too much. You need a steady, understanding presence who can help you make sense of what you're experiencing and take steps forward.
Not every struggle needs a diagnosis—sometimes you're just experiencing a season of difficulty, loss, or transition. I'm patient with clients who need time to find their words, and I balance concrete strategies with deeper exploration about what makes life meaningful.
WHAT WE'LL WORK ON TOGETHER:
Anxiety & Depression
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Feeling overwhelmed or stuck
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Constant worry that won't shut off
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Understanding what your anxiety is trying to tell you
Relationship Challenges
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Disconnection and growing apart
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Communication breakdowns
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Rediscovering each other after change
Men's Mental Health
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Pressure to have it all together
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Feeling like you can't talk about struggles
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Understanding how depression shows up in men
Grief & Loss
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Processing difficult losses
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Transitions that feel like grief
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Finding meaning after change
Life Transitions
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Empty nest and identity crisis
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Career changes and "what now?"
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Faith deconstruction and rebuilding
Confidence & Self-Worth
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Overcoming self-criticism
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Building confidence to take risks
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Reconnecting with your strengths
THINGS I WON'T DO WHEN YOU WORK WITH ME:
I won't judge you.
I won't tell you what you "should" do.
I won't help set unattainable goals .
We won't move faster than your pace.
No therapy-speak or jargon. Real Talk.
My Approach?
REAL CONVERSATION. REAL CHANGE.
I work from a person-centred and existential framework, which means I start by listening—really listening—to your whole story. Not just the problem that brought you to therapy, but the full context of your life: your relationships, work, sense of meaning and purpose, hopes and dreams. I'm less interested in diagnosing what's wrong with you and more interested in understanding your story and helping you write the next chapter.
I DRAW FROM SEVERAL APPROACHES
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
For practical tools to manage anxiety
Existential Therapy
Exploring meaning, purpose, & big questions
Narrative Therapy
Helping you understand & author your story
Person-Centred Counselling
Creating a safe, non-judgmental space.
WHO I AM—BACKGROUND
DEGREES & EDUCATION
MA | Counselling Psychology
YORKVILLE UNIVERSTIY
PROFFESIONAL REGISTRATIONS
Certified Canadian Counsellor (CCC)
#11253201
SPECIALIZED TRAININGS
BC Association of Clinical Counsellors
BCACC MEMBER
I didn't choose therapy because I had all the answers. I chose it because I saw the power of being truly heard.
I wanted to create a space where people—especially men—could put down the weight of roles & expectations and begin to sort through what's really going on.
I've spent over 25 years working in student development walking alongside young adults through some of their most formative years. But my real education came from life itself—raising three children, navigating empty nest, rebuilding my career, questioning long-held beliefs, & figuring out who I was when old roles don't fit anymore.
These experiences make us grow
& grounds my practice in reality. I know what it's like to sit with the big questions:
"Who am I now?"
"What matters to me?"
"What do I do with the rest of life?"
"What's my first step?"
"How is this going to change?"