Our Instructors

Get to Know our Instructors

Sheldon Bilsker

Hypnotherapy Instructor, Founder, Orca Institute

Sheldon Bilsker, RCC, HT was a practising Counselling Hypnotherapist and Registered Clinical Counselor with 38 years of experience in private practice. He is Past President and Founder of the International Association of Counselling Hypnotherapists (IACH, est. 2004) and past President of The Canadian Hypnotherapy Association.

He has also been a member of the Legislative Review Committee of the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors which submitted the first proposal to the Health Professions Council of BC to set up a College of Counsellors in BC and therefore create a protected title of “Counselling Therapist”.

Although unsuccessful at the time it formed the groundwork which contributed to the development of FACT BC, the current lobbying body representing 14 major counselling groups in BC. Sheldon is one of the original members of the BC Association of Clinical Counselors (memb. #0017).

In 1986, Sheldon began training students in hypnotherapy and other therapeutic approaches. It was at this time that he founded Orca Hypnosis Seminars, now Orca Institute.

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Diane Auld, MTC, HT, is a practicing Counselling Hypnotherapist, Master Therapeutic Counsellor and Hypnotherapy Teacher. She has been an Instructor since 2006. Her love affair with hypnotherapy started long before she decided to study Hypnotherapy at Orca Institute. Many years of her own work and finding ways to understand the unlimited powers of my unconscious mind led her to Ericksonian Hypnotherapy, and that love affair just keeps growing.

For the past 17 years, she has had the honour of accompanying clients in her private practice, in the exploration of self through counselling, hypnotherapy, The Way of the Heart™ Field Integrations and a variety of creative therapies. In 2019 Diane created our Counselling Skills Program. This course is now part of our Counselling Skills program.

As a teacher, she brings a deep respect for Ericksonian Hypnotherapy, for each student’s individual learning style and a passionate desire to help the students realize their unlimited potential as a learner and Counselling Hypnotherapists. She feels that learning is best done experientially in a safe environment where they each have an opportunity to experiment, play, make corrections and experience.

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Diane Auld

Hypnotherapy And Counselling Skills Head Instructor

Diane Auld

Hypnotherapy And Counselling Skills Head Instructor

Diane Auld, MTC, HT, is a practicing Counselling Hypnotherapist, Master Therapeutic Counsellor and Hypnotherapy Teacher. She has been an Instructor since 2006. Her love affair with hypnotherapy started long before she decided to study Hypnotherapy at Orca Institute. Many years of her own work and finding ways to understand the unlimited powers of my unconscious mind led her to Ericksonian Hypnotherapy, and that love affair just keeps growing.

For the past 17 years, she has had the honour of accompanying clients in her private practice, in the exploration of self through counselling, hypnotherapy, The Way of the Heart™ Field Integrations and a variety of creative therapies. In 2019 Diane created our Counselling Skills Program. This course is now part of our Counselling Skills program.

As a teacher, she brings a deep respect for Ericksonian Hypnotherapy, for each student’s individual learning style and a passionate desire to help the students realize their unlimited potential as a learner and Counselling Hypnotherapists. She feels that learning is best done experientially in a safe environment where they each have an opportunity to experiment, play, make corrections and experience.

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Cheryl Otterbein

Assistant Instructor

Cheryl Otterbein has over 20 years of experience in the medical field, and now as a mental health counsellor and is a counselling master hypnotherapist with the International Association of Counsellors and Therapists.

Recognized hypnotherapy instructor with The International Association of Counselling Hypnotherapists ( I.A.C.H.). She has also trained in various other therapeutic modalities, including EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), and Counselling.

Through her work at the Edmonton School of Hypnotherapy, Cheryl Otterbein aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to help clients achieve their goals and improve their lives. The school offers a supportive and nurturing learning environment, with small class sizes and personalized attention from instructors.

Graduates of the program are prepared to work as professional hypnotherapists and may also pursue additional certifications or advanced training in related fields.

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Aaron Wong is a compassionate and skilled counsellor who is committed to helping individuals overcome personal challenges and achieve their full potential. Along with being a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor with ACCT, Aaron is a dedicated Naturopathic Physician whose clinical focus is helping his clients and patients through an exploration of the interconnectedness of the somatic, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of themselves.

He earned his degree in Naturopathic Medicine from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Boucher Campus and has been practicing for over a decade. In addition to his naturopathic education, he has also completed a 3-year counselling training program.

Aaron was so inspired by the changes he witnessed in group therapy that he assisted and shadow facilitated multiple group therapy workshops/retreats over and above the standard requirements. He now conducts his own workshops, group therapy workshops and retreats.

Aaron was so inspired by the changes he witnessed in group therapy that he assisted and shadow facilitated multiple group therapy workshops/retreats over and above the standard requirements. He now conducts his own workshops, group therapy workshops and retreats.

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Aaron Wong

Assistant Instructor, Naturopathic Physician

Aaron Wong

Assistant Instructor, Naturopathic Physician

Aaron Wong is a compassionate and skilled counsellor who is committed to helping individuals overcome personal challenges and achieve their full potential. Along with being a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor with ACCT, Aaron is a dedicated Naturopathic Physician whose clinical focus is helping his clients and patients through an exploration of the interconnectedness of the somatic, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of themselves.

He earned his degree in Naturopathic Medicine from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Boucher Campus and has been practicing for over a decade. In addition to his naturopathic education, he has also completed a 3-year counselling training program.

Aaron was so inspired by the changes he witnessed in group therapy that he assisted and shadow facilitated multiple group therapy workshops/retreats over and above the standard requirements. He now conducts his own workshops, group therapy workshops and retreats.

Read more
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