Lori Gard

Lori is a dynamic and versatile professional with a diverse skill set that includes being a children’s book author, keynote speaker, professional trainer, and couples and family therapist.

With over thirteen years of experience in the field of education, Lori has worked as a K-12 classroom teacher, an instructional coach, and a school counsellor. She holds multiple degrees, including a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Studies, a Bachelor of Education with a focus on Intermediate education, a Master of Education in Leadership, Literacy, and Inclusion, and a Master of Science in School Counselling and Guidance.

Lori is currently completing an advanced certification in couple and family therapy from the University of Guelph. 

As Your Life Design’s couples and family therapist, she specializes in conflict resolution, emotional regulation, anxiety, family systems, peer relationships, support for suicidal ideation and suicide prevention, and social-emotional support for learning in her private practice. She is trained in Solution Focused Brief Therapy and Counselling, as well as Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).

Lori is a Canadian Certified Counsellor and a Counselling Therapist who also provides support to both students and their families in managing and coping with the demands of school, recognizing the impact it has on children and youth personally and relationally.

As a professional trainer, Lori has extensive experience facilitating workshops and coaching educators and other adults to develop and hone their teaching skills so as to reach their full potential. She is well-equipped to provide information and support in one-on-one, group, and large gathering settings. Lori’s passion for writing is evident in her contributions to online and print publications. She has co-edited a book on curriculum and recently authored her first children’s book, “Reg Goes Swimming” among other published work with her diverse background and wealth of knowledge.