David Guthrie

David Guthrie BA, BSW, MSW is a Registered Clinical Social Worker (RCSW) and a certified Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) clinician. He works exclusively with adults experiencing anxiety disorders in Kelowna and the surrounding area, and also offers virtual counselling. David has worked in the mental health field for 28 years.

Anxiety disorders are the focus of David’s practice. He supports adults experiencing Social Anxiety/Phobia, Post‑Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Obsessive‑Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), and Panic Disorder.  Many people with anxiety experience persistent worry about perceived threats, feared future events, or catastrophic predictions.

Social anxiety often involves fear of being judged or embarrassed, making everyday activities—such as going to the mall, public speaking, meeting new people, talking on the phone, or using public bathrooms—feel overwhelming. Panic disorder may involve fear of becoming anxious, having a panic attack, fainting, vomiting, or experiencing symptoms in public spaces. OCD can include worries about contamination, a need for things to feel “just right,” or distressing intrusive thoughts. People may engage in rituals such as excessive washing, checking, counting, or re‑doing tasks to reduce anxiety. Some individuals experience aggressive, violent, or sexual intrusive thoughts (“pure obsessions”), which can be extremely distressing. David has specific expertise in treating this unique presentation. Generalized Anxiety Disorder often involves chronic worry about health, predicting negative future events, or fears about unlikely events such as plane/car crashes.

David uses a CBT‑based approach to help clients understand their thoughts, challenge unhelpful patterns, reduce anxiety‑driven rituals, and apply effective relaxation skills, creating individualized plans that guide each step of treatment. He also helps clients explore the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that arise during anxiety and uses structured exposure exercises to build confidence and a greater sense of control. Alongside CBT, David integrates ACT strategies such as mindfulness, cognitive de‑fusion, and values‑based action to strengthen emotional regulation, and incorporates EMDR when appropriate to process distressing memories and reduce the intensity of anxiety triggers. Together, these evidence‑based therapies form a flexible, integrated framework that supports meaningful, lasting change.