Your Path to Mental Well-being Begins Here!

Discover the heart behind Lightedharbour Services. We're dedicated to providing compassionate mental health support for all ages in Airdrie, Alberta, specializing in children's and women's mental health, couples and parenting counselling, teacher burnout, sports performance anxiety,  generalized anxiety, depression, stress management and trauma.

Christine Allaby MACP, B.Ed, CCC

Our journey to starting  Lighted Harbour Counselling

With over two decades in the education field, our founder, Christine, witnessed firsthand the growing mental health needs of children and youth—alongside increasing rates of anxiety, depression, and teacher burnout. Working closely with students, families, and educators, she saw the profound impact that unaddressed stress, performance pressure, and feeling emotionally overwhelmed can have both inside and outside the classroom.

Christine is deeply passionate about supporting youth from diverse backgrounds, including those navigating anxiety, depression, academic stress, sports and performance anxiety, major life transitions and other mental health issues. Her work also reflects a strong commitment to women’s mental health, informed by an understanding of the unique emotional, relational, and societal pressures women often face.

The COVID-19 pandemic further underscored the effects of social isolation, burnout, and gaps in accessible mental health care. These professional and personal experiences became the catalyst for Christine’s transition into counselling, inspiring her to become a Canadian Certified Counsellor and to establish Guiding Light Counselling Services in Airdrie, Alberta. Her practice is grounded in compassion, practical support, and a belief in each individual’s capacity for growth, resilience, and healing.

Christine is dedicated to helping people access affordable mental health services. She has experienced firsthand the challenges and barriers of locating affordable and accessible counselling.

A genuine and empowering partnership

 Did you know:

Approximately 1 in 5 Canadians lives with a mental illness annually, with

14% experiencing major depression and 13.3% experiencing general anxiety disorder in their lifetime. As of 2022, 5.2% of Canadians (15+) reported generalized anxiety disorder

Nearly half (42.9%) of participants in recent surveys reported they cannot afford to access mental-health services as frequently as they need them.

 Among young people aged 18–24 showing signs of mental illness, 57% stated they could not afford to get services

Did You Know:

  • Anxiety & Depression Prevalence: By 2022, anxiety (5.2%) and depression (7.6%) rates in Canada increased significantly compared to 2012. Roughly 23% of adults screened positive for anxiety, depression, or both during the pandemic.

  • Suicide impacts people of all ages and backgrounds in Canada, which is equivalent to 12 people dying by suicide every day. For every person lost to suicide, many more experience thoughts of suicide or attempt suicide.

  • Youth & Gender Impact: Young women aged 15 to 24 saw the highest increases, with anxiety prevalence tripling and depression doubling over the last decade. Women generally have higher reported rates (18%) compared to men (12%)

  • Pandemic Impact: By 2023, 1 in 4 Canadian adults reported moderate to severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, or PTSD

  • Teacher burnout is currently at crisis levels, with K-12 education reporting the highest burnout rates of any industry. Teacher burnout is critically high across Canada, with over 60% of teachers reporting high emotional exhaustion and many citing "barely holding on" due to heavy workloads, complex student needs, and violence. 

Experience hope, understanding, and strength

Our greatest hope is that after each session at Lighted Harbour Counselling Services, you leave feeling renewed, knowing you are not alone. We strive for you to feel stronger, truly listened to, and deeply understood. Our goal is to equip you with the tools and insights to help you navigate challenges, such as anxiety, depression, stress management, relationship challenges, and ultimately foster lasting well-being and resilience for individuals of all ages in Airdrie, Alberta, Canada.

“Lighted Harbour Counselling Services truly helped me find my way. I felt listened to, understood, and left every session with a renewed sense of hope and strength.”

Rebecca, Airdrie, Alberta