Katie Pula

Approach Description: I strive to provide an empathic, nurturing and expansive relationship that brings compassion and mindfulness to our thoughts and feelings, past experiences, and to how the body and mind react to the stressors in our lives. I believe a deeper understanding of ‘self’ ultimately instills a stronger sense of confidence, peace, and health in our day to day lives. Honing our natural ability to self-regulate and heal often begins with naming our struggles and traumas in the presence of a supportive other. From here we gain greater clarity on how to take care of ourselves, create boundaries and self-care patterns that instigate lasting change. I believe in a holistic approach to mental health – one that addresses the intersection between mind and body, bringing awareness to the complexities of our moods, feelings and responses. Symptoms of anxiety, depression, loss, grief, big life changes and burn-out can be relieved greatly through emotional exploration, mindfulness techniques, and self-compassion. I am committed to bringing awareness and acknowledgement to the oppression that exists within racial, cultural, religious, gender, and sexual identities and experiences. I am dedicated to understanding how it exists in my client’s life and how it interacts with both of our beliefs and behaviour. I recognize that I as a white woman I benefit from white privilege, and am committed to addressing how systemic oppression might influence our relationship. I am committed to being informed about my client’s cultural context so that I am aware of how this impacts the nature of their experiences.