About Me

Crystal Arber is a distinguished professional with an impressive social work and clinical counselling background. She earned her master’s degree in social work from the University of British Columbia and has accumulated over two decades of experience. As a registered social worker and clinical counsellor, Crystal has become a leading professional expert. One of Crystal’s notable achievements is her certification as an EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapist, demonstrating her dedication to helping individuals dealing with trauma and PTSD. Her expertise extends to being an approved EMDR consultant and EMDR facilitator. Throughout her career, Crystal has exhibited a profound commitment to addressing complex trauma and PTSD, particularly within healthcare settings. Her work as a trauma counsellor in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver led to the creation of an innovative EMDR treatment program tailored to the unique needs of trauma survivors in this area. This program included the development of the “Making Sense of Trauma” group, an 8-week education and skills-based approach to understanding and coping with trauma. Crystal also provided EMDR therapy for complex PTSD, emphasizing long-term healing and recovery for her clients. In 2014, Crystal undertook a pivotal role as a committee member and educator for the ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) study within the Vancouver Coastal Health care system. Her contributions in this capacity elevated her to a leading advocate for Trauma-Informed Practice. Her primary focus centred on addressing the profound legacy and impact of residential schools, especially within healthcare professionals’ education, ultimately driving the promotion of cultural competence and a trauma-informed approach within healthcare settings. Crystal’s dedication to treating PTSD also led her to the BC-Operational Stress Injury Clinic, where she played a pivotal role in creating an EMDR pilot program designed to treat PTSD among veterans and emergency services personnel. This program achieved remarkable success and culminated in her presentation as a speaker at the EMDR Canada Conference in 2019, where she shared her expertise on How to apply Intensive EMDR for Military and First Responders who have been diagnosed with PTSD. In 2022, Crystal led a dedicated trauma recovery team in the EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Program. Her team provided six pro bono EMDR group treatments for individuals displaced by war, offering much-needed relief to those suffering from the effects of trauma. In 2023, Crystal’s impactful work extended to speaking at the EMDR HAP Conference, where she and her team spoke on ASSYST & EMDR-IGTP-OTS Humanitarian Psychosocial Pilot Project for Ukrainian Refugees Displaced by War in Vancouver, BC, Canada. The presentation at the EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Conference shed light on the team’s innovative approach to addressing the psychosocial needs of Ukrainian refugees and the effectiveness of the ASSYST EMDR IGTP -OTS protocol, highlighting Crystal’s dedication to humanitarian causes. Crystal Arber’s multifaceted career encompasses clinical expertise, advocacy, volunteer work, and education. Her contributions have positively impacted countless lives, and her dedication to creating positive change and raising awareness on societal issues makes her a prominent and well-rounded figure in her profession. I am a cisgender white woman who uses the pronouns she/ her. I live on the land of the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations territory.