Carolyn McKenna
Welcome!
My name is Carolyn (she/her) and I am grateful to be working as a Registered Clinical Counsellor in the beautiful Fraser Valley BC, and the unceded territory of the Stó:lō People. It takes courage to reach out for support, and I consider it an honour to be invited into your therapeutic journey.
Do any of these statements sound familiar?
“I feel like I’ve lost myself. I don’t know who I am anymore”
“I feel stressed & overwhelmed-I don’t know how to cope
“I want to figure out my direction/next step”
“Becoming a mom has been overwhelming/challenging”
“My classroom is burning me out. I need new strategies to cope”
“I am exhausted. I don’t feel supported”
“I am struggling in my personal relationships”
“I worry a lot. I am always feeling anxious”
“I don’t feel joy/pleasure anymore. I feel down all the time”
“Nature makes me feel better/clear/calm… I need more of that”
I work with adult women, and I am grateful to be invited into each individual’s unique therapeutic journey. I am passionate about helping women recognize their strengths, wisdom, self-worth, intuition, and personal goals within a supportive, collaborative, and strengths-based environment. I also offer therapeutic support in the area of perinatal mental health, and I am committed to helping women adapt to the changes and challenges that can come along with this life transition.
I work with teachers & educators, and I am passionate about “supporting the supports.” As a previous school district employee (for over 10 years), I have a deeply developed understanding of the challenges teachers and support workers experience. I am committed to supporting educators in a variety of ways which could include: dealing with burnout; developing a personal care plan; processing role transitions; finding solutions to classroom challenges; providing education on child/youth mental health; creating ways to promote mental-health in the classroom; developing nature-inclusive classrooms & lesson plans.
Nature-inclusive therapy: Connecting with nature has been well researched as having an incredibly positive impact on mental health. Using this approach within a therapeutic setting might look like: exploring nature’s impact on mental health (gaining new knowledge), learning therapeutic ways of connecting with nature, allowing other living beings to be wise-teachers, and nature-based “homework.” Although this can also include conducting some sessions outdoors, outdoor sessions aren’t a requirement of using a nature-inclusive approach. If you are interested in learning how to tap into this aspect of healing and growth within your own therapeutic journey, I can help you.
Areas of practice and focus:
* Women’s mental health
* Perinatal mental health (anxiety, depression, life-transitions)
* Teacher/educator mental health & supports
* Intuition & sense-of-self
* Self-compassion
* Anxiety & depression
* Self-esteem & self-worth
* Stress & coping skills
* Life-transitions & career exploration
* Nature-inclusive personal wellness
Credentials:
* Registered Clinical Counsellor in good standing with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (member # 16002)
* Master of Counselling Degree, City University of Seattle (Vancouver BC campus)
* Ecotherapy Certificate (Level 1), The Earthbody Institute
* Perinatal Mental Health Certificate Training, Maternal Mental Health Now
* Interpersonal Psychotherapy Perinatal Focus (Level A), IPT Institute
* Compassion-Focused Therapy Essentials, APT Canada
* Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology, University of the Fraser Valley