Josh Dempsey, Associate Counsellor
Josh is accepting new clients.
Sessions with Josh are Online
Monday 1:00pm – 5:00pm
Thursday: 12:00pm – 5:00pm
Friday: 11:00am – 4:00pm
Sessions Types: Individuals, Couples, Teens 14yrs+
Josh Dempsey (he/him) is a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (RTC #2981) with the Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada (ACCT) and a Counselling Therapist (CT#2736) with the Association of Counselling Therapy of Alberta (ACTA). He is a graduate of the Practitioners Training Program offered by Clearmind International Institute with a diploma in Transpersonal Therapeutic Counselling.
After relocating to Calgary from Ontario as a child, I experienced firsthand the challenges of adapting to a new environment and the impact it can have on personal relationships and emotional well-being. My early years were marked by a drive to prove myself through sports, yet I often found it difficult to form genuine connections with peers and family members. This tendency to withdraw emotionally persisted until I witnessed the positive changes that intentional, dedicated choices could bring to family relationships. Inspired by this transformation, I made the decision to address my own patterns of anger, depression, and emotional disconnection.
Through my personal journey, I have come to deeply value honest communication and the importance of recognizing and validating the unique feelings and experiences of others. I strive to foster an environment where everyone’s emotions are acknowledged and respected, understanding that what may seem minor to one person can be significant to another.
Professionally, I have worked across multiple industries and have seen how stigma can prevent individuals from seeking the support they need. I am committed to breaking down these barriers by providing a compassionate and supportive space where clients can explore their emotions, develop self-regulation skills, and cultivate self-love. My goal is to serve as a trusted anchor for those navigating life’s challenges, helping them feel heard, understood, and empowered to create meaningful change in their relationships and overall well-being.
My Approach:
I am dedicated to fostering authentic connections with my clients through a relationship-centered approach. Drawing from Gestalt, Bowen’s Family Systems Theory, Transpersonal Psychology, AEDP, Somatic, and Experiential Therapy, I create a compassionate and non-judgmental space where clients feel safe, seen, and heard. My goal is to offer support, reassurance, and encouragement—sometimes even celebrating your progress alongside you.
Together, we will focus on building confidence, self-awareness, and the capacity to enrich relationships in all areas of life. By exploring both past and present experiences and engaging in emotional processing, we work to uncover the roots of thoughts, feelings, and triggers that can disrupt your connection with yourself and others. Developing self-regulation tools in these moments opens the door to deeper, more meaningful connections within your community and the world around you
Education & Professional Development
- June 26 – 30, 2025, Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) Conference
- November 2024 – Forward Facing My Experience: Facilitator Certification Training
- January 24, 2025 – Indigenous Awareness Training Part 1 & March 7, 2025 – Indigenous Awareness Training Part 2: Bridging the Clinical and Cultural – Leigh Sheldon ACTA
- October 25, 2024 – Ethical Boundaries in Counselling – Dr. Simon Nuttgens, R. Psych, ACTA
- June 28/29, 2025 – Somatic Trauma Healing Summit: Advanced Methods in Body-Based Therapies
- March 24, 2025 – Trauma-Sensitive Movement: Somatic Techniques to Support the Nervous System – Manuela Mischke-Reeds, MA, LMFT, CHT
- December 10/11, 2024 – Transforming Traumatic Grief: New Strategies for Meaningful Healing from Traumatic Loss – Kate Truitt, PhD, MBA
- December 5/6, 2024 – Trauma Conference: The Body Keeps the Score-Trauma Healing Through the Senses – Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD
- November 4, 2024 – Treating Stressed Out Couples: 22 Clinical Interventions to Help Partners Set Healthy Boundaries, Overcome Resentment, and Thrive Amid Day-to-Day Tensions – Arielle Schwartz, PhD, CCTP-II, E-RYT
- October 19, 2024 – EMDR & Parts Work for Treating Complex Trauma: Somatic Techniques to Decrease Defensiveness and Facilitate Trauma Processing – Arielle Schwartz PhD, CCTP-II, E-RYT
- October 10, 2024 – Treating the Untreatable: How to Transform Narcissistic Relationships – Terry Real, LICSW
- September 3, 2024 – Transforming Trauma with Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT) – Leanne Campbell, PhD
- June 24/25, 2024 – Couples Therapy Training: Getting Started with Relational Life Therapy – Terry Real, LICSW
- February 15, 2024 – Anxiety Certification Course: Integrate CBT and Exposure & Response Prevention for Treatment of GAD, Panic Disorder, OCD, Social Anxiety, & Phobias -Kimberly Morrow, LCSW, Elizabeth DuPont Spencer, M.S.W., LCSW
- January 26, 2024 – Anxious Grief: Strategies for Working with the Missing Stage of Grief – Claire Bidwell Smith, LCPC
- October 18, 2023 – Changing the ADHD Brain: Moving Beyond Medication – David Nowell, Ph.D.
- October 2, 2023 – Working with the Cycle of Self-Destructive Behaviors in Traumatized Clients – Sue Johnson EdD, Lisa Firentz LCSW-C DAPA, Janina Fisher PhD, Andrew Tatarsky PhD, Amy Pershing LMSW ACSW, Ann Saffi Biasetti, LCSWR CEDS CIAYT
- Relational Trauma: Psychodrama and Experiential Interventions for Treating Childhood Wounds in Adult Clients, Tian Dayton, PESI Inc. 2023
- Acceptance & Commitment Therapy: Intensive ACT Training, Dr. DJ Moran, PESI Inc., 2023
- Intensive Trauma Treatment Certification Workshop: EMDR, CBT and Somatic-Based Interventions to Move Clients from Surviving to Thriving, PESI Inc., 2023
- Forward Facing Freedom, Forward Facing Institute, 2023
- Defeating Habits and Addictions: New Life-Changing Treatment Strategies for You and Your Clients, PESI Inc., 2023
- Anxiety Certification Course: Integrate CBT and Exposure & Response Prevention for Treatment of GAD, Panic Disorder, OCD, Social Anxiety, & Phobias, PESI Inc., 2023
- Gaslighting: Help Clients Escape and Rebuild from a Narcissist’s Emotional Abuse, PESI Inc., 2023
- Relational Trauma: Psychodrama and Experiential Interventions for Treating Childhood Wounds in Adult Clients, PESI Inc., 2023
- Trauma Treatment Certification Training (CCTP), Janina Fisher, PESI Inc., 2023
- Documentation, ACTA, Dawn Psychological Services, 2023
- Counselling with Indigenous Peoples, ACTA, 2023
- Healing from Affairs, PESI Inc., 2023
- The Mindfulness in Psychotherapy Summit, PESI Inc., 2023
- Shadow Teacher, Counsellor Training Program, Clearmind International, 2022-23
- Transpersonal Therapeutic Counsellor Training Program, Clearmind International Institute, 2022
- Certified Educator, Keeping the Joy in Relationships, Positive Discipline Association, 2021
- Certified Laughter Yoga Facilitator, Center for Mindfulness, 2021
