Hi I’m Karen.

I’m a therapist offering support for relationship anxiety and insecure attachment in Ottawa and Manotick, as well as online therapy across Ontario.

I work with adults who look like they’re managing everything on the outside, doing, helping, holding it together, while inside they feel anxious, overwhelmed, and constantly on edge.

They’re often the ones everyone relies on. And over time, carrying that much responsibility starts to feel heavy.

Most of the people I support have already tried to figure it out. They’ve done therapy. Read the books. Listened to the podcasts. Tried to think their way into feeling calmer.

But their bodies still feel tense. Alert. Like they can’t quite settle.

That’s because anxiety in relationships isn’t just a thinking problem.

It’s a nervous system pattern shaped by years of staying responsible, staying needed, and staying on guard.

Real change happens when we work with your system directly, helping it learn that you don’t have to over-function to stay connected.

Why I work this way

As a therapist, through both my clinical work and my own lived experience, I’ve seen this clearly:

When anxiety has been present for a long time, especially in relationships, it isn’t just about thinking differently.

It’s about patterns your body learned to survive.

If being the steady one, the fixer, or the responsible one felt tied to love or safety, your system won’t easily let you stop.

That’s why insight alone isn’t always enough. You can understand the pattern. You can see the self-sacrifice. And still feel unable to relax.

Because when your body believes that closeness depends on you holding everything together, it stays on alert.

This isn’t a flaw. It’s a survival strategy.

In our work together, we don’t just talk about the pattern, we help your system experience something different.

Safety that isn’t earned through over-functioning. Calm that doesn’t require self-abandonment.

This is where real change begins.

My approach

In therapy with me, we don’t rush to fix. We start by helping your nervous system feel safe enough to settle.

We slow down. We build steadiness first with awareness and self-compassion.

From there, anxiety and overwhelm don’t have to be fought, they begin to soften on their own.

How I work in therapy

My approach is integrative and nervous-system informed. I pay attention to how stress and past experiences live in the body, not just the mind.

I draw from somatic (body-based) therapy, attachment-informed perspectives, and parts-based work to help you understand your patterns with compassion instead of judgment.

I also integrate cognitive and emotion-focused approaches when helpful, always at a pace that feels supportive and manageable.

There’s no one-size-fits-all method. Therapy is shaped around you, with the goal of helping your system feel safer, more settled, and more able to experience connection and ease.

What it’s like to work with me

Clients often describe therapy with me as grounding, steady, and supportive, a place where they don’t have to perform, explain, or hold everything together.

You don’t need the right words or a clear starting point. My role is to help you make sense of what you’re experiencing and support you in building a more sustainable way forward.

Many of the people I support are thoughtful and capable. They don’t just want insight, they want to feel calmer and steadier in themselves.

Training & credentials

I’m a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) offering virtual therapy in Ontario.

I have a Master’s degree in Counselling and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology both from the University of Ottawa.

A Calm and Grounding Therapy Space in Manotick

In my Manotick office, just outside Ottawa, my calm and friendly dog, Vinny is often nearby during sessions.

Many clients find his quiet presence comforting and grounding while we work together.

If what you’ve read here resonates, you’re welcome to book a free 15-minute consultation to see if working together feels like a good fit.

Book a Free 15-Minute Consultation

A simple next step

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