Momentum Counselling

Hello! My name is Mikara.

I am here to help.

A little bit of my story

I have been helping people reclaim their wellness for over two decades in all kinds of settings: private business, non-profit, public school system, and even a short stint in child protection social work.

During this time, I connected with wounded humans, honed my skills, advocated for change, learned to heal my own wounds, and made life-changing decisions of my very own.

Throughout it all, I was influenced by my own experiences of being a mixed-race (Cree-Ukrainian) woman: recovering from colonization while messing up and repairing in my roles as parent, worker-bee, wife, daughter, sister, and friend.

Along the way I took every training available. However, I learned the best teachers were those that had trusted me to help. My clients showed me again & again how our ecosystem impacts our wellness, and how powerful we are when we examine & willingly navigate these forces. I am ever-grateful to each one of them for the honour of being a witness to their courage.

I am also grateful for the privilege to have my personal and professional values overlap. I value honesty, kindness & vulnerability, which grounds my counselling in a humanistic & person-centred practice. My cultural concept is one of wellness as an active, circular process where we find our balance within the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual sides of ourselves and our communities. We all have gifts to share.

I love a good story & I am honoured to have you share yours with me.

Your Problems

Anger, worry, sadness, stress
Change/life transitions (planned or unplanned)
Grief & Loss
Feeling stuck or confused

Self-esteem
People. (kinda captures it all, huh?)

Ways I Can Help

I listen & don't judge.
I listen extra hard for underlying meaning.
I listen extra extra hard for your opportunities for mischief & healing.
I validate the struggle.

I have practical strategies you can use.
I adapt to what you need for your short-term & long term goals.

Change Happens.

My theory of change is that problems develop when we are not living according to our values and we become disconnected from our plot. The change we are seeking happens inside first, sometimes barely detectable as a sense of unease & imbalance, and sometimes loudly with our emotions and body in turmoil. This happens to all of us - either very slowly as we drift, or suddenly & beyond our control. Whichever way the problem shows up, there is also opportunity riding shotgun.

Help is Here.

I have a Master's in Counselling Psychology from Athabasca University, During university, I studied many theories of counselling, incorporating the ones that resonated with me and had positive research evidence (more about this here). In every organization I have worked for I have been trained in the current evidence-based counselling methods being promoted at the time, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), solution-focussed brief therapy (SFBT), & emotion-focussed family therapy (EFFT). I added a few that interested me as well: acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), polyvagal/somatic (body)-based therapies and narrative therapy. Although there are many methods for helping with positive outcomes in research, the very best ones are the ones that work for you.

I rely on the research to guide my selection of proven theories and training, but I rely on your feedback for the best measurement of my effectiveness with you.

Opportunity Knocks.

Sitting with you provides a reference point that we can orient from together to get back on the map or draw a new one. As a professional helper, I know that you are the expert of you. I am a co-pilot/team member for your wellness journey.

There is no one-size-fits-all practice approach; therefore, I adapt to your unique needs for therapy. I use an assimilative integrative practice. This means that although I practice from a humanistic, and two-eyed seeing (Indigenous & western-European) lens, I use techniques from ACT, CBT, DBT, EFFT, art, narrative, and mindfulness modalities. I operate with a plan for service, that you and I assess for effectiveness for the duration of therapy: from one session to long term work. I work for you!

Feedback for the Win.

I will check in with you from time to time about your experience of therapy and progress towards your goals. This feedback helps me adapt my practice, and is an evidence-based approach to identify what is working, spot challenges, problem solve together so that I meet your needs. I tailor my services uniquely to YOU. This is considered individual evidence-based practice, and is what I rely on most for evaluating my effectiveness as your counsellor.

FAQ

What type of counselling do you offer?

I am offering online individual counselling for adults (age 19+) with light to moderate challenges (I don't provide crisis or trauma counselling).

What are your fees?

I charge $150 for a 50-minute virtual session.

Where are sessions held?

I only work online. The benefit is that you can join from the comfort & privacy of your own space. You just need a stable internet connection & I send the link to Google Meet or ZOOM.

Who can access your services?

Adults (19+) in Canada from BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, NWT, Nunavut, Newfoundland

Do you accept insurance to pay for my sessions?

I do not direct bill, which means that you are responsible for paying for your appointments. I am a Certified Canadian Counsellor (CCC) which many insurance companies accept. However, it is entirely up to you to ensure that your particular insurance will reimburse you for your sessions. I will provide a detailed receipt that you can submit to your insurance after your session.