CLI Counseling Program
Supporting Mental Wellness Across the Lifespan — Children, Adults, and Seniors.
Areas of Specialization
The CLI Counselling Program provides supportive, client-centred counselling for adults, children, and seniors, with a focus on graceful aging, emotional wellbeing, and life skills development. Services are designed to support individuals and families through life challenges, transitions, and personal growth in a safe and respectful environment.
Areas of specialization include:
-
Anxiety and depression support -
Grief and loss counselling -
Trauma-informed counselling -
Childhood mental health and emotional regulation -
ADHD support and coping strategies -
Test anxiety and academic stress -
Family counselling and communication support -
Educational and career counselling -
Senior counselling and graceful aging support -
Lifestyle skills and personal development -
Stress management and resilience building -
Life transitions and adjustment support
Counselling focuses on building practical coping strategies, strengthening relationships, improving confidence, and supporting individuals at every stage of life to achieve emotional balance and wellbeing.
Who We Support
Adults
Support for managing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and life transitions. Counselling focuses on emotional wellbeing, relationship support, career direction, and building healthy coping strategies for daily life and work balance.
Children & Youth
Support for emotional regulation, anxiety, ADHD, confidence building, and family challenges. Sessions help children and youth develop communication skills, resilience, and positive coping strategies in a safe and supportive environment.
Seniors – Graceful Aging
Counselling that supports seniors through life changes, loss, retirement adjustment, health concerns, and social isolation. Focus is placed on graceful aging, maintaining independence, emotional wellness, and meaningful engagement in community and family life.
Students & Lifelong Learners
Support for test anxiety, academic stress, motivation, and educational planning. Ideal for CAEC, ESL, and adult learners balancing school, work, and family responsibilities.
Sherma Jeffrey-Ryan
Program Manager & Counsellor, Calgary Learning Institute (CLI)
Sherma Jeffrey-Ryan came to Canada from Grenada over 45 years ago, arriving in Calgary on her own without family support. Through determination, hard work, and a strong commitment to education, she built a new life while continuing to support and uplift others in her community. After many years, she was able to sponsor her entire family to join her in Canada, an experience that continues to shape her passion for helping newcomers and families succeed.
Sherma worked as a babysitter to support herself while pursuing her education. She later worked at Nortel Communications during the day while attending university classes in the evenings.
While raising four sons and balancing work and studies, she earned a Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in Sociology, followed by a Bachelor of Education, a Master of Education, and a Master of Counselling Psychology.
Sherma taught with the Calgary Catholic School District for over 25 years, working closely with diverse learners, including ESL students and adult learners, and developing programs designed to help students overcome barriers to education and achieve success. She is the owner of the Calgary Learning Institute (CLI) and the President of the Calgary International Learning Institute (CILI), where she continues to lead educational, counselling, and community-based initiatives.
Deeply committed to community service, Sherma remains actively involved in the immigrant community through board membership and volunteer work. Her counselling and educational work reflects her belief in resilience, lifelong learning, and the importance of building strong, supportive communities.
Sherma is married and is the proud mother of four grown sons and grandmother to three grandchildren.