Katarina Guillen-Spencer, MA, RP

A Bit About Me

Hi, I'm Katarina! 

​

I am a Registered Psychotherapist with a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology. My goal is to foster understanding and self-exploration, improve communication, and to help clients strengthen their relationship with themselves and others. I support my clients in connecting with their body's emotional responses, and to further identify their emotions, needs, and values.

​

My approach to therapy is collaborative and holistic. I believe that you are the expert in your own life, and I value co-creating therapeutic goals based on your existing strengths. I also value emphasizing the mind-body connection and using the knowledge we gain to inform our work together. I also work to recognize the impact that others, as well as the systems my clients are a part of, have on their well-being and therapeutic journey.   

​

Overall, I strive to help my clients find workable solutions for their difficulties, and to develop new ways of relating to themselves and others. Our lived experiences shape us into who we are today and impact the way we interact with ourselves and within our relationships. I believe understanding our past, as well as how it is influencing our present, can support desired change and growth. 

​

I am influenced by a variety of therapeutic modalities in my work such as Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Dialectic Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Family Systems Theory, and Solution Focused Therapy (SFT). I value open, authentic, and honest communication in my own life and within sessions, and I am deeply committed to creating a supportive and compassionate environment in which my clients can experiment with new ways of relating.

​

Outside of sessions, I enjoy various fibre arts such as knitting and sewing, cooking and trying new foods, travelling, playing board games, exercising, and spending time with family and friends.