River’s Edge Counselling Centre is a group counselling practice in St. Albert, Alberta.
We’re a close-knit team of therapists, supported by a Client Care team, working out of a welcoming space near the Sturgeon River. We’ve been part of this community since 2014.
From the beginning, River’s Edge was built around a simple conviction: that counsellors do their best work when they aren’t doing it alone, and that the people who come to us deserve the benefit of a team — colleagues who consult, learn, and think together about how to help. That belief still shapes everything here, from how we support one another to the care our clients receive.
How we began
River’s Edge was founded by Nicole Imgrund, who had spent years working in settings where care was always a shared effort — in hospital and community work, and in multidisciplinary teams — before opening her own private practice. What was missing for her in private practice was a sense of community. So in 2014, she set out to build it: a place where therapists could practice alongside one another rather than in isolation, and where that collaboration would translate directly into better care for clients.
From a small beginning on Mission Avenue, the practice grew — more clients, more therapists, and a growing Client Care team — until we eventually moved to our current home on Tache Street. We designed our new space thoughtfully, so that the warmth, hospitality, and sense of safety a person feels when they walk in would reflect the work we do inside.
We’ve chosen to stay in St. Albert, in one location, rather than expand outward. It keeps us focused on what matters most to us: excellence and care, strong relationships within our team, and genuine relationships in the community we belong to.
What’s important to us
Accessible counselling
Good mental health care shouldn’t depend on what someone can afford. Alongside our regular practice, we offer lower-cost and sliding-scale options through our student counselling program, without session limits — so that everyone we see, whatever they pay, can have the full experience of therapy: the time to reach their goals and deeper healing than is often available.
Training the next generation
River’s Edge has been a teaching practice from the start. Most years, we have five or six counselling students learning on-site, and close to fifty have now graduated from our program. Having learners among us keeps the whole practice curious, current, and striving — and it’s part of how we contribute to the future of counselling and psychology in our province.
Being part of the community
Our connection to St. Albert matters to us as much as the work inside our walls. We think of ourselves as part of the fabric of this community, and we’re always looking for ways to partner with and support the other organizations working alongside us. We’ve brought speakers like Olympian Clara Hughes and Taraq Hadad to the Arden Theatre and to local schools, and used events like these to raise funds for organizations doing important work, including local mental health services and the food bank. We hold free monthly Wellness Matters webinars and workshops, we’ve gathered helping professionals for a day of retreat, and we’ve been a proud and early supporter of the Rainbow Sidewalk and Pride Day in St. Albert.
The right fit
One of the hardest parts of beginning counselling is finding the right therapist — and the fit between a client and a counsellor genuinely affects how well therapy works. People often have to navigate that at one of the hardest times in their lives. Our Client Care team is here to make it easier: handling the practical pieces like scheduling and insurance, and being a real person on the phone who listens and helps match each person with someone who’s a good fit for them.
Seeing the whole person
We try to relate to people — clients and colleagues alike — as whole people, with a holistic understanding of what brings someone to counselling and what helps them heal.
Our Mission, Vision and Values
These are the commitments that have guided River’s Edge from the beginning.
Our Vision
- To create a welcoming, safe place for people to heal and grow.
- To create a community of professionals devoted to excellence in care, ongoing learning and collegial support.
Our Mission
River’s Edge Counselling Centre is committed to provide counselling and psychological services to individuals, couples and families from a holistic perspective that helps people live their lives with a greater sense of purpose, peace, connection to others and understanding of self.
Our Values
- We believe that within each person there is a wellspring of strength, wisdom and creativity that can be drawn on to bring deep healing and meaningful growth.
- We believe that the counselling relationship should be characterized by compassion and integrity, and that each person deserves to be treated with respect and non-judgment for the problems they may bring.
- We believe in the value and beauty of diversity, respecting spiritual, cultural and individual differences — including sexual orientation, social class, ability, race, age, body size/type, gender identity and gender expression, and political beliefs. The uniqueness of each person is to be honoured and understood in the context of counselling.
- We believe that the wellness of professionals is integral to their ability to provide quality care. A supportive, engaging community of colleagues is an essential part of staying well and continuing to grow professionally.
- We believe that professional excellence and quality care are enhanced by an active learning environment, which includes the presence of students, ongoing consultation and professional development opportunities.
Land Acknowledgement
We respectfully acknowledge that we are on Treaty 6 territory, traditional lands of First Nations and Metis peoples. As treaty People, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, we share the responsibility for stewardship of this beautiful land.
Serving St. Albert since 2014.
