Martin Bartel | MTS-C, RCC, RMFT

Martin and his wife are the parents of 4 sons and together with their respective partners are grandparents of 12 grandchildren. Martin and Wanda began their family journey in 1980 when they ventured off of Martin’s family farm to start their own dairy farming journey in Agassiz. In 1989 they sold Marwabar Holsteins Ltd and after a year of transitioning moved to Jamaica to do community development work for three years with Mennonite Central Committee.

Upon returning Martin attained a masters degree in Theological Studies in Counselling and has been in Private Practice as a Family Therapist since 1996. He has also worked extensively with the Ministry of Children and Family Development both as a Team Leader for Child and Youth Mental Health Services and as a Director of Operations. Martin is also an adjunct professor at Trinity Western University in the Counselling Psychology Department. As part of his practice, he supervises Master’s level advanced practicum students who assist in providing therapeutic services.

Martin and his wife Wanda currently live on acreage which was part of Martin’s farming homestead in Agassiz where his private practice is located providing a range of therapeutic services.

Martin and his wife Wanda currently live on acreage which was part of Martin’s farming homestead in Agassiz where his private practice is located providing a range of therapeutic services.

• In Office Counselling
• Online Counselling
• Nature Based Counselling
• Equine Assisted Counselling

Evan Arndt

Coming soon…

Ashleigh Wells, M.A. Student

Ashleigh Wells is a Master’s student in Counselling Psychology at TWU with a growing specialization in equine-assisted and nature-based approaches to counselling. She is passionate about providing a safe, compassionate, and non-judgemental space where clients can explore their experiences at their own pace.

From an early age, Ashleigh felt a deep connection to animals and dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. She spent several years working in a veterinary practice, where she developed a strong understanding of the complexity of caring not only for animals, but also for the humans who love them. During this time, she became increasingly aware of the unique mental health challenges faced by veterinary professionals. This awareness became a driving force in her decision to return to school and pursue counselling. While Ashleigh ultimately chose a different path than veterinary medicine, her experiences continue to shape her work and are central to her developing clinical focus, including her thesis research topic exploring access to mental health supports for veterinary professionals.

After completing her Bachelor’s degree at SFU in 2008, Ashleigh took some time to focus on raising her children, while also building two successful photogrpahy businesses. Through her work as a photographer, she developed a meaningful connection with both the people and their animals, often being invited to capture significant and vulnerable moments in their lives. These experiences deepened her appreciation for the human-animal bond, and led her to recognize a lack of support for individuals navigating end-of-life decision making and pet loss grief. These experiences strengthened her commitment to supporting both veterinary professionals, and those impacted by the complexities of loving and losing animals.

Ashleigh’s approach is guided by curiosity, empathy, and a deep respect for the unique factors that shape each person’s story. She is drawn to experiential and relational approaches to counselling, which she believes can support meaningful connection, healing, and restoration. She is committed to active, ongoing self-reflection and continued professional development as she works toward becoming a Registered Clinical Counsellor.

Bugsy & Lexie

Bugsy and Lexie each bring their own energy and ways of interacting with each other, and they contribute to healing in the counselling process. Through communicating with horses, individuals can gain deeper insights into patterns that may also appear in other relationships with family, friends, and coworkers. Spending time with Lexie and Bugsy supports the development of mindfulness, exploring boundaries, practicing assertive communication skills, learning to manage emotions, moving with intention, and so much more!