Moving Forward Family Services

Moving Forward Family Services Moving Forward Family Services is a registered charity that provides low-barrier counselling for individuals, families, couples, and children.

Our vision at MFFS is to ensure no one is ever turned away from quality counselling services.

Ryan was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where his strong sense of community began at an early age. Deeply involv...
04/01/2026

Ryan was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where his strong sense of community began at an early age. Deeply involved in the local hockey world, he built lasting friendships, learned the value of teamwork, and gave back to the sport that shaped him.

After finishing high school, Ryan earned his Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Winnipeg. Ready to build his future, he moved to Vancouver, where he quickly established himself professionally and personally. Ryan earned his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and began his career as a commodities trader, building a respected 15 year career.

In 2013, Ryan married his wife, Erin. Two years later, they welcomed their twins—a moment that profoundly reshaped his sense of purpose. Following a serious car accident, Ryan took time to reflect deeply on his priorities and the kind of life he wanted to create for his family. He made the decision to pursue a new path—one that would allow him more time with his children, and a chance to serve his community in an even more personal and impactful way.

Ryan completed his Master of Counselling Psychology through Yorkville University and went on to establish his own practice, Stellar Counselling. His practice grew quickly, a testament to both his skill and the warmth and presence he brought into every session. Ryan was committed to continual personal and professional growth, always striving to become the best counsellor he could be. Ryan completed his internship with Moving Forward, where he remained after graduation, volunteering his time to support new interns.

Above all, Ryan was a devoted father and husband. He cherished time with his family and took immense joy in being an engaged, loving, and steady presence in the lives of his children. His love was wholehearted, constant, and deeply felt.

Ryan will be missed immensely by all who knew him. His kindness, generosity, and the meaningful impact he had on his family, his clients, and his community will continue to ripple outward for years to come.

On Friday April 10th, we honour Ryan Mymko with a bursary in his honour, to a deserving grade 12 student embarking on post-secondary education for a career in a helping profession.

03/19/2026
Are you a Mental Health Champion in Grade 12 in BC, who will be entering a mental health post-secondary program in the F...
03/14/2026

Are you a Mental Health Champion in Grade 12 in BC, who will be entering a mental health post-secondary program in the Fall? Apply now for a $750 bursary

Bursaries will be awarded to chosen recipients at our April 10th Gala in Surrey.

For Interested Students

- Submit a 450-500 word essay on how you have contributed to mental health awareness efforts within your network i.e. family, community, team, place of employment, place of worship, and/or school. Include in the essay a description of the program you are entering in the Fall and how that program will enable you to support the mental health and well-being of our communities. Eligible Mental Health post-secondary programs include social services, addictions, mental health, peer support, social work, coaching, counselling psychology, psychology, forensic mental health, psychiatric medicine, child and youth care, teaching (if you plan to be a teacher who emphasizes social/emotional learning) and any other field where you interact with the public and provide support around mental health and well-being.

- Submit along with your essay a reference letter from a teacher, coach, or any other non-custodial adult that confirms the contributions

Submit both to hello@movingforward.help with Subject Line "Student Bursary" by March 31, 2026

03/10/2026
03/09/2026

Still time to join!

Perimenopause & Partnership: A Session for Men

We warmly invite and greatly encourage interested men to attend our one-time virtual perimenopause group tonight, March 9, 6-7 PM (PST)

I have been facilitating a MFFS perimenopause group for a few years now, and one of the recurring hopes and goals is to raise awareness for the male demographic.
What has it been like to live with, love and support a partner in peri-menopause?

This is a great opportunity to ask questions of our female guest panel which may deepen your understanding of this natural life transition in order to strengthen your relationships and better serve your female clients.
Please email mokieburnham@gmail.com to register

03/03/2026
Are you a Mental Health Champion in Grade 12 in BC, who will be entering a mental health post-secondary program in the F...
03/03/2026

Are you a Mental Health Champion in Grade 12 in BC, who will be entering a mental health post-secondary program in the Fall? Apply now for a $750 bursary

Bursaries will be awarded to chosen recipients at our April 10th Gala in Surrey.

For Interested Students

- Submit a 450-500 word essay on how you have contributed to mental health awareness efforts within your network i.e. family, community, team, place of employment, place of worship, and/or school. Include in the essay a description of the program you are entering in the Fall and how that program will enable you to support the mental health and well-being of our communities. Eligible Mental Health post-secondary programs include social services, addictions, mental health, peer support, social work, coaching, counselling psychology, psychology, forensic mental health, psychiatric medicine, child and youth care, teaching (if you plan to be a teacher who emphasizes social/emotional learning) and any other field where you interact with the public and provide support around mental health and well-being.

- Submit along with your essay a reference letter from a teacher, coach, or any other non-custodial adult that confirms the contributions

Submit both to hello@movingforward.help with Subject Line "Student Bursary"

03/03/2026

Every March MFFS proudly joins communities across the country in celebrating Persian Heritage Month. Across Canada this month recognizes the culture, and contributions of more than 200,000 Canadians of Persian descent. In Ontario, this was formally recognized through the Persian Heritage Month Act, a meaningful step that acknowledges how deeply rooted and impactful the Persian community is within the province and across the country.
Persian Heritage Month also aligns with Nowruz, the Persian New Year, which marks the beginning of spring and symbolizes renewal, family, and togetherness. It is an opportunity not only to celebrate vibrant traditions and cultural heritage, but also to acknowledge the meaningful social and economic contributions Persian Canadians continue to make in communities across Canada.

https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-42/session-1/bill-271 #:~:text=In%20the%20month%20of%20March,culture%20has%20imprinted%20on%20humanity.

03/01/2026

❗️Mark your calendars: Coldest Night of the Year returns February 27, 2027❗️

We're still riding high from this year's fantastic CNOY and are energized to begin preparing for next year's event. Join us next year as we walk together in support of creating a better future for people experiencing hurt, hunger, and homelessness.

See you then!! 🗓💙

******

❗️Notez bien la date dans vos agendas : la Coldest Night of the Year revient le 27 février 2027❗️

Nous sommes encore sous le coup de l'euphorie après la fantastique édition de cette année et nous sommes impatients de commencer à préparer l'événement de l'année prochaine. Rejoignez-nous l'année prochaine pour marcher ensemble en faveur d'un avenir meilleur pour les personnes en situation de détresse, souffrant de la faim et sans domicile fixe.

À bientôt ! 🗓💙

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MULTIPLE SITES
Surrey, BC

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Our Story

Moving Forward Family Services opened its doors in 2016 and set about revolutionizing the way people access quality mental health services throughout the Lower Mainland. Frustrated by the need he saw all around, and the lack of integration between primary health care providers and those in the mental health field, our Executive Director Gary Thandi founded Moving Forward Family Services (MFFS). Our vision at MFFS is to ensure no one is ever turned away from quality counselling services because of lack of funds or long waitlists. MFFS uses a client-centered, anti-oppressive approach to provide safe, accessible, affordable counselling to all. If you want counselling, we will provide it. Since we don’t rely on government funding, we turn to the community to support our programs through donations.

In just over two years, MFFS has provided counselling to over 3000 patients ranging in age from 4-94 in donated office space all over the lower mainland for people from literally every corner of the globe. We serve clients in 15 different languages. We receive approximately 30 new client requests every single week. We see clients for depression, anxiety, trauma, addiction, we do couples counselling and see clients who are mandated to attend. We offer group counselling and hold psycho-educational programming as part of our commitment to community-university engagement. The demand is daunting, but our commitment is limitless.

MFFS is a not-for-profit and a registered Canadian charity. We have an active, engaged Board that brings attentive oversight and an impressive breadth of experience to our operations. Our founder and Executive Director oversees a very small team of contracted administrative employees, intern counsellors from schools across Canada and the US, and affiliated clinical counsellors. It is a lean operation with no extras: we hold pot-lucks and we do our own tidying up. Our focus is on delivering high quality counselling services to clients who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access it, and everything we do furthers that mission. We have had enormous impact throughout the community have been honoured to receive many awards and citations since inception, including the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Difference Makers Award and the DRISHTI Magazine Award for Community Engagement.