About Donna

Donna Lynn Hutchinson is a Registered Clinical Counsellor and author of the transformative So What Mindset. With a warm and engaging approach, Donna has dedicated her career to helping individuals break through limiting beliefs, cultivate self-compassion, and unlock their full potential. As the founder of Smiling Hearts Counselling and the visionary behind the Belief Busters workshops, she blends evidence-based therapeutic techniques with a touch of humor, creativity, and her own personal journey of overcoming challenges, including her post-cancer resilience and entrepreneurial spirit.

In addition to her counselling practice, Donna is a passionate entrepreneur in Sunshine Valley, where she operates a cottage-style home bakery and a local farmstand. She is also the President of the local fire department society, bringing her leadership and community spirit into everything she does. 

Whether through her book, workshops, or freshly baked treats, Donna is committed to helping others find the freedom to say "SO WHAT?" and move forward with confidence and joy.

Life’s journey can sometimes lead us through challenging and overwhelming experiences. In those moments, it may feel as though darkness clouds the heart, and a fog of confusion descends, making emotions like anxiety and depression seem insurmountable.

Mental health struggles can arise from a wide range of life circumstances. 

 Some challenges may begin before we are able to express ourselves, while others develop over time, presenting at various stages throughout our lives. These struggles are authentic and valid, and it can often feel as if there is no clear way forward.

Yet, hope remains. With the right support and tools, it is possible to rediscover joy or experience happiness in the heart—perhaps for the very first time. Resources exist to help navigate these difficult periods, offering guidance and the possibility of healing and personal growth.

 Donna focuses on working with individuals who have experienced trauma or are navigating major life transitions and belief systems that limit personal growth. Her perspective is that anxiety and depression are often symptoms of trauma, and these issues, along with low self-worth and self-esteem, can manifest in various areas of life, affecting relationships with others and with oneself.

Donna combines her deep experience in health and fitness with a strong foundation in psychology, offering clients an integrative body-mind approach. As a certified, trauma-informed yoga instructor with a dedicated mindfulness meditation practice, she only recommends tools she uses herself and knows to be beneficial. Donna values academic knowledge but also recognizes the healing power of humour, which she brings gently into therapy when appropriate to ease difficult conversations.

Donna is part of the LGBTQ+ community,  lives in Sunshine Valley, BC with her wife of twelve years and their 3 dogs.

 Three years ago, I faced a life-changing diagnosis: stage 3 ovarian cancer. As a registered clinical counsellor, I had spent years helping others navigate their toughest moments, and suddenly, I found myself in the midst of my own. Through that journey, I learned how to stay positive and adopt a “one day at a time” mindset, finding strength in vulnerability. Now I want to share that experience to help others and their families who are going through similar challenges. It's about finding hope, support, and the belief that you can get through even the hardest days. You don't have to go through this alone.

 Donna Lynn Hutchinson - MEd. Counselling Psychology, EMDR Practitioner, Trauma-Informed Yoga Instructor, Imago Couples Therapist, and Registered Personal Trainer/Fitness Instructor.