Meet the Team
At Rural Haven Therapeutics, counselling is personal. Finding the right therapist matters.
Our team brings different backgrounds, areas of experience, personalities, and therapeutic approaches to the work we do. What we share is a commitment to creating a space where you can feel comfortable being yourself, talking about the hard things, and working toward meaningful change.
We provide counselling for children and youth, adults, couples, and families in Carstairs, Alberta and virtually across Alberta and British Columbia. Whether you’re looking for support through something difficult, working through experiences from the past, navigating relationships, or simply wanting things to feel different, our team is here to help you find the support that fits.
Jennifer Topiwala
Owner, Canadian Certified Counsellor|CCC, MACP, BA, BSc
Carstairs, AB & Virtual across Alberta
I believe good therapy starts with connection. You should be able to walk into a counselling room and feel like you can be yourself, not like you need to have the right words, know exactly what you want to work on, or have everything figured out before you arrive.
My approach is warm, genuine, collaborative, and sometimes a little outside the traditional therapy box. Depending on the person sitting across from me, therapy might involve deeper processing and reflection, practical skills, EMDR, humor, a walk and a coffee, or simply having a safe place to finally say the things you’ve been carrying.
Learn more about Jennifer
I hold a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University and am a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC). My work draws from several evidence-based and trauma-informed approaches, including Psychodynamic Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, the Gottman Method , Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), and Polyvagal-informed approaches.
I work with individuals, couples, families, teens, and children experiencing concerns including trauma, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, relationship difficulties, emotional dysregulation, self-esteem, boundaries, identity, life transitions, and feeling stuck in patterns that are no longer working.
I have a particular interest in trauma and attachment, relationship work, grief, emotional regulation, and supporting athletes with the unique pressures that can come with sport.
I don’t believe therapy should feel clinical for the sake of being clinical. My goal is to understand who you are, what has happened in your life, what matters to you, and what you need from therapy – and then we build our work around that.
At Rural Haven, I wanted to create the kind of counselling space I would want to walk into myself: comfortable, human, welcoming, and safe enough for difficult conversations.
Wherever you’re starting from, I’ll meet you there.
Renee Kruger
Canadian Certified Counsellor|MACP, CCC, RCC, TITC-CT/CFST, LPN
Carstairs, AB & Virtually across British Columbia and Alberta
True healing is rarely just about talking. It’s also about understanding how our experiences can show up in our bodies, relationships, emotions, and everyday lives.
With more than two decades of experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse before becoming a clinical counsellor, I bring a unique perspective to therapy that considers both emotional and physical well-being.
My approach is compassionate, grounded, and focused on helping people move beyond simply surviving toward feeling more connected, capable, and in control of their lives.
Learn more about Renee
As a Clinical Traumatologist and Early Intervention Specialist, I bring together my healthcare background with evidence-based therapeutic approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, trauma-informed care, and other approaches tailored to each client’s needs.
I work with individuals, couples, families, children, and youth experiencing trauma, anxiety, stress, relationship difficulties, emotional challenges, major life transitions, and the lasting impact of difficult experiences.
I understand that trauma doesn’t always stay neatly in the past. It can affect how you see yourself, how safe you feel, how you relate to others, and even how your body responds to everyday situations.
In therapy, you will find a safe, inclusive, and non-judgmental environment where we can make sense of what you’ve experienced while also building practical ways to move forward.
My goal isn’t simply to help you cope with what you’ve been through. It’s to help you reconnect with your strengths, rebuild trust in yourself, and create a life that feels like more than survival.
Hayley Schierman
Practicum Student Counsellor|MACP Candidate
Carstairs, AB & Virtually across Alberta
I believe therapy should be somewhere you can show up exactly as you are, without judgment, pressure, or feeling like you need to know exactly what to say.
I am currently completing my Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology through Yorkville University. As someone local to the Carstairs area, I also understand some of the unique strengths and challenges that can come with rural and small-town life.
My approach is warm, collaborative, and client-centered. My goal is to make counselling feel approachable and to create a relationship where you feel comfortable, respected, and genuinely heard.
Learn more about Hayley
Together, we can explore what you’re experiencing, understand patterns that may be keeping you stuck, recognize your strengths, and develop practical tools that support the changes you’d like to make.
I work with youth ages 10+, teens, and adults experiencing concerns such as anxiety, stress, emotional regulation difficulties, self-esteem, relationship and family challenges, life transitions, and other everyday struggles.
I recognize that starting counselling can feel intimidating, especially if you’ve never been to therapy before. You don’t have to arrive knowing exactly what’s wrong or what you want to work on. We can figure that out together.
At Rural Haven, I provide counselling under the supervision of an experienced Canadian Certified Counsellor as part of my graduate practicum.
Student counselling is offered at $50 per 60-minute session, with sliding-scale options available when needed. This can be a more affordable way to access consistent counselling and support.
Whether you’re looking for support for yourself or your teen, I’d be happy to connect and see whether working together feels like the right fit.
Ileen Moore
Reception & Client Care
Carstairs, AB
Ileen is one of the friendly faces behind Rural Haven Therapeutics and a big part of creating the comfortable, welcoming environment we want clients to experience when they walk through our doors.
Learn more about Ileen
Behind the scenes, Ileen helps with many of the day-to-day details that keep Rural Haven running smoothly. From administrative support and keeping the clinic organized to making sure the coffee is ready and the snacks are stocked, she takes care of many of the little things that make our space feel less like a clinical office and more like somewhere you can settle in.
Before joining Rural Haven, Ileen spent more than 40 years working within the justice system. Throughout her career, she worked alongside people from many different backgrounds and walks of life – experience that reinforced the importance of treating people with kindness, dignity, and respect.
Rural Haven is, at heart, a family-supported practice. As Jennifer’s mom, Ileen has been cheering Rural Haven on from the beginning and now plays an important role in helping make the clinic feel welcoming, comfortable, and cared for.
And while Ileen doesn’t technically call Carstairs home, she spends enough time here that she might as well! She loves the community, the people who make it special, and the small-town connections that are such an important part of Rural Haven.