Offering compassionate IFS counselling for individuals, couples, and families
Ready to better understand yourself?
IFS (Internal Family Systems) is a compassionate, evidence-based form of psychotherapy that helps you explore your inner parts and reconnect with your core Self.
What is IFS Counselling?
IFS, or Internal Family Systems, is a form of psychotherapy that helps us understand and work with the different “parts” within ourselves. These inner parts may hold emotions, beliefs, memories, or roles we’ve developed over time. Some are protective, some reactive. All are trying to help in their own way.
At the heart of IFS is your Self energy, the calm, curious, compassionate essence of who you are. When you’re connected to that inner Self, you can begin to build more trust, balance, and healing among your parts, even the ones that feel stuck or overwhelmed.
Full disclosure: I spent over 30 years in and out of therapy. I could explain why I felt or behaved the way I did, but that understanding never led to real change. IFS did. It helped me shift how I actually responded and felt in the moment. That’s why I offer it to clients: because I know how powerful it can be.
For those navigating perinatal or birth-related trauma, IFS provides a gentle, non-judgmental space to process difficult experiences, reduce guilt and anxiety, and reconnect with yourself. It fosters emotional regulation, resilience, and a more grounded, connected parenting experience.
Who Karen Helps
Karen works with individuals and couples navigating all sorts of “transitionings” in their lives, from the expected to the unexpected, the joyful to the deeply challenging.
This can include (but isn’t limited to):
– New and expecting parents
– Folks who have experienced birth or reproductive trauma
– Couples in transition or seeking deeper connection
– People grieving loss, in the perinatal period and beyond
– Anyone struggling with depression, anxiety, anger, or emotional overwhelm
All parts and all folks are welcome in this space.
IFIO Couples Counselling
Intimacy From the Inside Out (IFIO) is an IFS-informed approach to couples counselling that helps partners move through conflict, communicate with clarity, and reconnect with compassion. It supports a deeper understanding of yourself, your partner, and all the parts that show up in your relationship. IFIO offers a powerful and healing path toward greater connection, trust, and emotional safety.
Individual IFS Counselling
Individual IFS counselling offers compassionate, grounded support for those navigating emotional overwhelm, inner conflict, or life transitions. Whether you’re new to counselling or returning to deepen your healing, sessions are available in person or online to meet you where you are. Karen invites you to come to this work from a private, safe space, wherever that may be.
Support for Birth Workers
Counsellors, doulas, midwives, and other care providers carry so much, often more than they realize. If you’re holding vicarious trauma, feeling burned out, or disconnected from your purpose, this space is for you. Using the IFS model, Karen offers grounded support to help you process what you carry, reconnect with your passion, and feel resourced in your work again.
Birth Trauma, Grief, & Loss
Birth, loss, and parenting don’t always unfold as expected. Whether you’re grieving a fertility journey, struggling after a difficult birth, or feeling overwhelmed in early parenthood, your experience is valid. Karen offers a safe, compassionate space to hold your story, process what’s been hard, and begin to heal.
Groups & Classes
Karen offers group-based education and support for the journey into parenthood, both before and after baby arrives. These classes create space to unlearn fear-based birth narratives, explore newborn care and early family life, and build confidence through grounded, compassionate guidance.
Here's What People Are Saying
IFS was totally new to us, and it’s been an incredible experience. Karen creates such a safe and supportive space for couples to reflect and grow together. Through her IFS-based approach, we’ve learned things about ourselves and each other that we may never have uncovered otherwise. It’s amazingly powerful to sit with your partner and watch them connect with parts of themselves they hadn’t known before. We trust Karen completely and always leave our sessions feeling more grounded, connected, and understood.
“I first met Karen when I attended her birth prep class. Both my husband and I had such a positive experience. As time went on and I navigated the rocky waters of motherhood, I turned to Karen for individual counselling. I have worked with therapists for the last 10 years, but was drawn to Karen from her very authentic and warm energy during birth prep. I am so glad that I did. It was my first introduction to Internal Family Systems in therapy, and I have grown to love it as a therapeutic model. Karen is very skilled at listening and helping me make sense of my human experience. She always meets me where I’m at while also asking to challenge me when I’m up for it. I can’t recommend Karen enough, her support has been instrumental in my growth and healing.”
“Karen supported me through a really challenging time in my life while dealing with pre-natal depression. It was really all too much to deal with. She gave me a safe space to openly share and provided me with tools to cope. She is truly loving, compassionate, empathetic and knowledgeable. I was able to cope with the depression and had a healthy pregnancy. I highly recommend her. She is one of the rare people I have worked with who have the ability to provide trauma support without triggering trauma, but rather creating a safe and grounding space to release it. You just feel her strength and love and feel like it’s a safe space to let it all go. She’s the real deal!”
Have Questions? We Have Answers.
No judgement! If they don’t want to come, we can still do plenty of work one-on-one. There may come a time where I meet your partner and then I can get curious about the parts that aren’t interested in counselling and ensure those skeptical parts feel welcome in whatever way they show up!
