Skip to main content
Charis Counselling

About Charis Counselling

Kindness and grace are at the heart of how we care

Charis Counselling began in 2014, when Registered Psychologist Susan Grinder opened a practice built on one conviction: hardship deserves to be met with kindness and grace. Care here is tailored to the person asking for it, never fitted to a template.

Meet Our Team

Susan and a supervised counselling team

A speckled ceramic vase holding an olive branch on a wooden tabletop, its leaves casting soft shadows on a warm wall

Founded with purpose

Charis Counselling was founded in 2014 by Registered Psychologist Susan Grinder.

Care shaped to you

Individual, couples, family, and small-group appointments, tailored to what you actually need.

A grounded background

Years in schools and social work agencies across Saskatchewan and Alberta, in social work, crisis counselling, and group facilitation.

The meaning of Charis

Charis means kindness and grace

Charis is a Greek word for kindness and grace, and it names the way we hope every person is met here: hardship answered with compassion, and steady company toward more peace and balance. There is no single path through a hard season, and we would never promise one — only that you will not have to walk it alone.

  • Kindness

    You are met with warmth and respect from the first conversation.

  • Compassion

    Hardship is answered with understanding, never judgment.

  • Peace

    Room to set heavy things down and be genuinely heard.

  • Balance

    Steady support toward firmer ground, at your own pace.

Explore Services
A white lighthouse tower with its beacon lit at sunset, casting a beam over a rocky coastline

Founder story

Founded in 2014 by Susan Grinder

Charis grew from years of front-line work. Long before opening the practice, Susan supported people in schools, social work agencies, crisis rooms, and groups — experience that still grounds the tailored, human care offered here today.

  • Schools & social agencies

    Front-line work across Saskatchewan and Alberta.

  • Crisis counselling

    Supporting people through difficult, often urgent moments.

  • Groups & recovery

    Group facilitation and experience supporting trauma recovery.

  • Education & practice

    A Bachelor of Education and a Master of Counselling Psychology.

Meet the Team
Susan Grinder, founder of Charis Counselling, holding a small dog
Susan GrinderFounder & Registered Psychologist

Credentials & supervision

Professional responsibility and verified credentials

Counselling asks for trust, and trust deserves accountability. Current credentials and memberships are paired with the relevant issuing body so the information can be checked at its source.

Professional standing is kept visible because choosing care should never require guesswork.

Read FAQs

Care philosophy & next steps

Tailored care, clear next steps

There is no single doorway into feeling better. Care at Charis is shaped around the person in the room, with respect for culture, identity, and the pace that feels right to you.

Explore Services
  • Inclusive care

    Respectful care across ages, cultures, identities, and family shapes.

  • Tailored approach

    Sessions shaped around your needs and goals, not a fixed program.

  • Flexible formats

    In West Edmonton, or online and by phone across Alberta where eligible.

  • Collaborative path

    You set the direction; support comes alongside without pressure.

A boardwalk path winding through coastal shrubs toward a white lighthouse on a rocky shoreline

Ready to take the next step?

Explore services first, or choose a therapist and book securely when you are ready.

Book OnlineHow booking works
Questions first? Call 780-244-3530