About Marnie

I started Turning Point to Wellbeing in 2005. For the past seventeen years I have worked with a wide variety of clients dealing with pain, cancer, life threatening illnesses, surgery, anxiety and depression. My sessions begin with a listening ear and kind heart, and then draw on my extensive and diverse training and skills, to support each client in their unique needs. I am committed to working with clients in a holistic way, to guide them along their path to wellbeing, no matter their circumstances. 

 When I turned 40 years old my Mom passed away from lung cancer. Alongside my family, I supported my Mom through all the steps of treatment, and finally the very end in the hospital.  During this time, I kept searching for someone who could bring some peace to my Mom, to help reduce her pain so she wasn’t in such a drug induced fog, and to help her go through the treatments with the least amount of side effects, and anxiety. I unfortunately couldn’t find that person. After my Mom passed away, I vowed that if I could help even one person not suffer the way my Mom did, I would do that. And thus, began my integrative training towards creating Turning Point. 

With a business background I enrolled as a mature student to University to study psychology. Over the next ten years I expanded my learning to include counselling, hypnotherapy, energy healing, nutrition, yoga, hospice training, and much, much more. I travelled extensively across Canada and the U.S. to study with many renowned teachers, learning from each technique, and took what I felt were the gems from each. Everything I learned began to build and integrate, into a unique toolbox of skills and methods. The most impactful trainings I have taken include:

 Clinical Hypnosis and Strategic Psychotherapy For Treating Depression and Anxiety with Dr. Michael Yapko PhD, world renown for his work with depression and anxiety. 

Medical Hypnosis for pain, surgery, and illness.

Simonton Centre Cancer Counselling, dedicated to improving the health and lives of cancer patients and their families. 

Hospice Grief Training which led me to work for a Hospice, helping facilitate their adult grief programs. 

 Langara Integrative Energy Healing Program, specifically focusing on tools to help with anxiety, pain and depression. After working with a variety of patients at Vancouver General Hospital for my practicum, I was impressed and encouraged by the results of these methods. 

 Integrated Health Yoga, Therapy and Medical Qigong Training proved knowing how important the mind/body connection is, and aids in helping alleviate stress. I have been teaching a wide variety of Qi-Gong and Therapeutic yoga to groups for the past fifteen years as part of my community outreach practice. 

Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant® specializing in funerals and memorials. I took this extensive training after working with several clients who wanted support for themselves and their families at the end of their life. During this deeply personal time I am able to continue my support in a meaningful and important way.  You can find more info about my celebrant work here.

 Stand-up comedy Does this one surprise you? Everyone feels better when they can bring a little laughter into their life, and my Mom was a very humorous woman who loved to make people laugh. A really good laugh does wonders for our immune system, and I feel that when used appropriately, humour can help bond myself to my clients and helps them leave their session feeling uplifted.  

 Besides working with individuals, I have worked extensively with groups, including groups for people with chronic pain, life threatening illnesses, trauma, and caregivers, on topics such as Stress Release, Anxiety, Depression, and Lively Aging.

 After 25 years of education, training, and experience, I realize that I have met my goal, and have become the person I was looking for to help my Mom. I am proud to have helped many wonderful clients along my journey, and continue to do so through Turning Point to Wellbeing. My sincere hope is that if I could be of service to you that you reach out to me. I have a very large ‘toolbox’ and after listening to your needs, that our work together can truly be a ‘Turning Point to your Well-Being’! 

'The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.' - Socrates