Human-First Therapy
Welcome to Stellara Therapy Co., a mental health practice dedicated to supporting teens, adults, caregivers, and helping professionals across Alberta and B.C. Our approach is human-first, prioritizing a trauma-informed and inclusive space where your lived experience is honored. We believe in building a foundation of safety and mutual understanding, ensuring that you feel truly seen and heard before we ever move into intervention.
Safety
We prioritize creating a secure, trauma-informed environment where you can feel grounded, understood, and heard.
Compassion
Our practice is rooted in genuine kindness, meeting every part of your experience with empathy and non-judgment.
Our Mission & Values
Collaboration
We work as active partners in your journey, honoring your autonomy and the unique wisdom of your path.
Curiosity
We bring an open-hearted interest to your lived experience, seeking meaningful understanding before intervention.
At Stellara Therapy Co., we believe the therapeutic journey is most effective when grounded in a human-first philosophy. Our team takes a trauma-informed and inclusive approach, seeing the person before the problem. We are dedicated to creating a reassuring space for teens, adults, caregivers, and helping professionals to explore their path forward with clarity and compassion.
Alyssa Cole
Alyssa Cole is the founder of Stellara Therapy Co., where she works with teens and adults to build emotional insight, resilience, and practical life skills. Her path into counselling has been shaped by a diverse background in education, healthcare, psychology and coaching.
Alyssa began her post-secondary education journey in a Bachelor of Education, which transpired to her pursing her Diploma in Nursing, followed by a Bachelor of General Studies, and recently completing her Master's of Arts in Counselling Psychology. Each of these experiences has contributed to her understanding of how people learn, grow and navigate challenges - both emotionally and physically.
Her nursing career started in 2020 with Alberta Health Services where she got to support individuals from all walks of life. During her time as a nurse she spent time working in the Emergency Department, Labour and Delivery, Medicine, Rehabilitation, Palliative Care, and with addictions withdrawal and recovery. She appreciates her nursing experience for supporting her understanding of how the brain works, how trauma lives in the body and the relationship between our physical and mental health.
Outside of her academic and professional work, Alyssa has spent many years coaching youth sports, where she discovered how powerful mentorship and empowerment can be in helping young people build confidence, perseverance, and self-belief. Coaching reinforced a core belief that now guides her counselling work; people thrive when they feel understood, supported, and empowered.
Alyssa's own journey with her mental health has also shaped her approach. Living with ADHD, she understands the challenges of navigating systems and expectations that are not always designed for neurodivergent minds. Over time, she has learned how to embrace and empower her neurodivergent differences, recognizing both the struggles and the strengths they bring. This experience fuels her passion for helping others better understand their brains, reduce shame, and build strategies that actually work for them.
Through Stellara Therapy Co., Alyssa aims to create a space that is human, supportive, and grounded in real-life skills. Her work focuses on helping people develop self-awareness, emotional regulation, and confidence so they can move through life with greater clarity and self-trust.
The "Why" Behind Stellara Skills Lab.
At Stellara Therapy Co., one of our core beliefs is that insight alone is not always enough. Many teens and adults understand what they are struggling with - anxiety, overwhelm, procrastination, emotional reactivity, or difficulty focusing - but still feel unsure about how to actually change those patterns in daily life.
That is where Stellara Skills Lab comes in.
Stellara Skills Labs was created to bridge the gap between understanding mental health and learning the practical skills needed to navigate it. While traditional counselling often focuses on exploring experiences and emotions, our Skills Lab focuses on building real-world tools that people can practice and apply immediately.
The program is designed to help individuals strengthen skills such as emotional regulation, executive functioning, self-awareness, communication, and resilience. These are skills that many people were never explicitly taught, yet they play a major role in how we manage stress, relationships, school, work, and everyday responsibilities.
Stellara Skills Lab is also rooted in the belief that everyone learns differently. As someone who lives with ADHD and has worked closely with neurodivergent youth and adults through both counselling and coaching, Alyssa understands that traditional approaches don't always work for every brain. The Skills Lab emphasizes flexible strategies, practical exercises, and strength-based learning so participants can discover what works best for them.
Rather than focusing on what is "wrong," our Skills Lab focuses on building capacity - helping people better understand their minds, develop practical tools, and grow confidence in their ability to navigate life's challenges.
To guide this process, the program follows the STELLAR framework, a constellation-style model that supports participants in developing the core skills needed to regulate emotions, strengthen thinking patterns, build self-awareness, and take meaningful action in their lives.
Becuase when people are given the right tools, growth stops feeling overwhelming and starts feeling possible.
Ready to connect? We’re here for you.
Finding the right therapeutic fit is a personal process. Reach out today for a consultation or to ask any questions about our counselling services and Skills Lab offerings. We typically respond to all inquiries within two business days.