Karen Windeler Counselling Practitioner Book a session

Virtual counselling · BC & Ontario

A space to finally exhale — and understand yourself more deeply.

Karen Windeler, MACP  ·  Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) — CRPO

Online counselling for anxiety, ADHD, relationships, identity & life transitions. Sometimes the struggles we experience in the present are connected to patterns that began long before we had language for them.

You may notice yourself overthinking conversations, feeling emotionally exhausted in relationships, struggling with anxiety, people-pleasing, self-doubt, conflict, or feeling disconnected from who you are underneath the roles you carry for everyone else. Therapy can be a space to slow down, make sense of these patterns, and begin relating to yourself with greater clarity, compassion, and understanding.

Individual adult counselling 50-minute sessions · $150 CAD Virtual across BC & Ontario
Karen Windeler, counsellor, smiling warmly

Warm, relational, collaborative therapy — rooted in attachment, story, and family systems.

My approach

Healing is not about “fixing” symptoms.

My approach is warm, relational, and collaborative. I draw from psychodynamic, attachment-based, narrative, Bowen family systems, and emotionally focused approaches — including Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) — to help clients better understand themselves within the context of their relationships, histories, and environments.

I believe healing is not simply about “fixing symptoms,” but about understanding the deeper emotional experiences and survival strategies beneath them — the coping strategies that once protected you, but may no longer serve you.

“My goal is to create a therapeutic relationship where you feel emotionally safe enough to explore difficult thoughts, feelings, and experiences without fear of judgment or shame.”

What therapy with me feels like

Together, we may explore:

  • Patterns that keep repeating in relationships
  • The emotional impact of past experiences
  • The stories you carry about yourself
  • Coping strategies that once protected you but may no longer serve you
  • Ways to build a more grounded and authentic relationship with yourself

Areas I support

You don’t have to carry this alone

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Anxiety & overthinkingConstant analysis, worry, and difficulty relaxing
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Relationship patternsRepeating dynamics, closeness and conflict
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Self-esteem & identityReconnecting with who you are underneath the roles
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Emotional overwhelmFeeling flooded, shut down, or exhausted inside
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Family dynamicsEarly experiences that still shape the present
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Attachment woundsLove, safety, and trust learned early in life
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Life transitionsChange, uncertainty, and identity shifts
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Burnout & stressSurviving for a long time without space to slow down
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Grief & lossLoss of people, identities, time, and possibilities
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Boundaries & communicationPeople-pleasing, over-giving, and finding your voice
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Cultural identity & belongingBelonging, adaptation, and being seen as yourself
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Trauma-informed processingGentle, paced emotional work — never rushed

About me

Hi, I’m Karen.

Portrait of Karen Windeler

Credentials

  • Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MACP)
  • Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) — CRPO
  • Bachelor of Laws (LLB)

I believe many of the struggles we experience in adulthood do not begin in adulthood.

Often, the ways we relate to ourselves, navigate relationships, respond to conflict, manage emotions, or move through the world were shaped long before we fully understood what was happening to us.

Over time, we develop stories about who we are. Some are spoken directly to us. Some are learned through relationships, environments, family systems, culture, or experiences where we felt unseen, unsafe, too much, not enough, responsible for others, or disconnected from ourselves.

Therapy, for me, is not about “fixing” people. It is about helping people understand themselves more deeply, compassionately, and honestly.

My work is relational, emotionally focused, attachment-informed, and psychodynamic in nature. I draw from approaches such as AEDP, narrative therapy, Bowen family systems, and attachment theory to help clients connect the dots between past experiences, present patterns, emotional responses, and the stories they carry about themselves and others.

I’m often interested in questions like: Where did this pattern begin? What did you learn about yourself in relationships? What had to be adapted or protected? What emotional needs went unseen? What happens when we begin relating to ourselves differently?

Many of the people I work with are insightful, caring, and emotionally aware, yet still find themselves repeating painful relational patterns, over-functioning for others, struggling with anxiety or self-doubt, feeling emotionally overwhelmed, or unsure of who they are underneath the roles they have learned to carry.

I aim to create a space where people feel emotionally safe enough to slow down, reflect, explore, and experience themselves differently — not through shame or judgment, but through curiosity, compassion, and connection.

Alongside my counselling background, I also hold a law degree (LLB), which shaped my understanding of systems, identity, advocacy, and the complexity of human experience.

At the heart of my work is the belief that healing often begins when we feel genuinely seen, understood, and no longer alone inside our experiences.

Book a free consultation with Karen

How I can help

Individual therapy, in depth

Virtual individual counselling for adults — exploring not only what is happening in the present, but the deeper emotional experiences, attachment patterns, family systems, and internal narratives influencing how you move through the world today.

Individual Therapy

A space to slow down and make sense of it all

Therapy can be a space to slow down and begin making sense of the patterns, emotions, relationships, and stories that shape how we experience ourselves and others.

Many of the people I work with are thoughtful, insightful, and emotionally aware, yet still find themselves feeling anxious, emotionally overwhelmed, disconnected from themselves, stuck in repeating relational dynamics, or carrying a persistent sense of not feeling “good enough.”

My approach is relational, attachment-informed, psychodynamic, and emotionally focused — helping clients better understand themselves with compassion rather than shame.

Anxiety

Anxiety & overthinking

Anxiety is often more than simply “thinking too much.” Sometimes it is connected to hypervigilance, fear of disappointing others, difficulty trusting yourself, people-pleasing, perfectionism, or growing up where emotional safety felt uncertain.

You may find yourself constantly analyzing conversations, anticipating problems, struggling to relax, over-functioning for others, or feeling emotionally exhausted from carrying too much internally. Therapy can help you understand these patterns, regulate overwhelm, and develop a more grounded relationship with yourself. Many of the adults I work with also live with ADHD, and find it helpful to understand how attention, emotional regulation, and overwhelm are connected.

Relationships

Relationships & attachment

Many of us unconsciously carry relational patterns from earlier experiences into present relationships — over-giving, struggling with boundaries, fearing rejection or abandonment, shutting down emotionally, avoiding conflict, or losing yourself in relationships.

Together, we explore the attachment experiences, emotional wounds, and relational dynamics shaping how you connect. The goal is not perfection, but greater awareness, emotional safety, authenticity, and connection.

Identity

Identity & self-worth

Sometimes people arrive in therapy feeling disconnected from who they are underneath the expectations, roles, or survival strategies they have carried for years — questioning identity, struggling with self-worth, or realizing much of life has been shaped around adapting to others.

Therapy can become a space to reconnect with your own voice, values, emotions, needs, and sense of self with greater clarity and compassion.

Family

Family dynamics & early experiences

Our earliest relationships often shape the way we understand love, safety, conflict, emotional expression, and ourselves. Even when we intellectually understand our family dynamics, the emotional impact can continue showing up in adulthood through anxiety, relationship struggles, self-criticism, emotional reactivity, or difficulty trusting ourselves and others.

Together, we explore how early experiences and family systems may still be influencing present emotional and relational patterns.

Burnout & transitions

Burnout, overwhelm & life transitions

There are seasons in life where people realize they have been surviving for a very long time — emotional exhaustion, difficulty slowing down, loss of identity, caregiving fatigue, chronic stress, or no longer knowing what you need outside of taking care of everyone else.

Life transitions can also bring uncertainty, grief, identity shifts, and emotional disorientation even when the change itself is wanted. Therapy can offer space to process, reconnect with yourself, and move through change with greater awareness and support.

Grief

Grief & emotional processing

Grief is not limited to death. People also grieve relationships, identities, versions of themselves, unmet needs, lost time, family experiences they never had, or transitions that changed them deeply.

Often grief exists alongside anger, guilt, confusion, relief, numbness, or longing. Therapy can provide a space where these emotions do not need to be minimized, rushed, or explained away — but instead understood, processed, and held with compassion.

Fees & insurance

Simple, transparent fees

Individual therapy session

$150 CAD

50-minute session · Virtual · Individual adults

Free 15-minute consultation available to see if we’re a good fit.

Evening appointments are available, with sessions as late as 10:00 pm Pacific Time.

Book on Jane App →

Direct billing & reimbursement

At this time, I do not offer direct billing. As a pre-licensed therapist, payment is due at the time of session. A receipt will be provided for possible reimbursement depending on your individual insurance plan and coverage.

Please verify coverage directly with your insurance provider prior to booking.

Accessible rates

A limited number of reduced-rate sessions may be available depending on financial need and current availability.

If cost is a barrier, please book a consultation to discuss whether an accessible rate may be appropriate.

Insurance & Receipts

I do not direct bill insurance companies. You pay at the time of your session, and I provide a detailed receipt you can submit to your insurer for reimbursement.

I am a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), and I practise under clinical supervision. Many extended health plans cover psychotherapy or counselling services, and some cover services provided by a qualifying registrant working under supervision.

Before your first session, it is worth asking your insurer:

  • Does my plan cover services from a Registered Psychotherapist?
  • Does it cover a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) practising under clinical supervision?
  • What is my yearly maximum for psychotherapy or counselling?
  • Do I need a referral from a doctor?

If coverage matters in your decision, please check with your plan first. I am happy to answer questions about receipts during your free consultation.

Frequently asked questions

Before you book

How do I start? Is there a free consultation?

Yes — I offer a free 15-minute consultation to help determine whether we feel like a good fit for working together. You’re welcome to book a consultation or a full therapy session directly through Jane App.

Are sessions virtual or in-person?

Sessions are currently offered virtually through a secure online platform, for clients located in British Columbia and Ontario. I am based in Burnaby, BC, and work with clients across the Lower Mainland, including Vancouver, as well as throughout British Columbia and Ontario. Individual sessions are 50 minutes.

How long does therapy last?

Therapy looks different for everyone. Some people attend for support during a difficult period or transition, while others engage in longer-term work focused on deeper emotional patterns, relationships, identity, or personal growth. Therapy is not only for crisis — some people also attend for self-exploration, insight, or periodic check-ins during different seasons of life.

Do you direct-bill insurance?

No — I do not offer direct billing at this time. Payment is due at the time of session, and you’ll receive a receipt you can submit for possible reimbursement. Please check your plan’s coverage for a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) before booking.

What is your cancellation policy?

Please provide at least 24 hours’ notice for cancellations or rescheduling. Late cancellations or missed appointments may be subject to the full session fee.

Who do you work with?

I work with individual adults on anxiety and overthinking, relationship and attachment patterns, identity and self-worth, emotional overwhelm, family dynamics, boundaries and people-pleasing, life transitions, grief and loss, cultural identity and belonging, and trauma-informed emotional work.

Karen Windeler Counselling Practitioner

Ready to begin?

If you’re interested in working together, you’re welcome to book a free 15-minute consultation or a therapy session. All booking, intake, and session details are handled securely through Jane App.

Book a consultation or session

Virtual counselling across British Columbia & Ontario  ·  Based in Burnaby, serving Vancouver  ·  Individual adults  ·  50-minute sessions