Jessa Tiemstra
B.A., M.C., Registered Psychologist

I specialize in providing counselling to teens and adults who struggle with anxiety, depression or who have experienced trauma. I have experience working with individuals who experience difficulty managing emotions, dissociation, difficulties in relationships, a lack of boundaries, and high levels of self-criticism. To best support my clients, I am trained in Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), mindfulness, and trauma-informed practice that helps provide a structured framework to teens and adults to manage their day to day challenges better.

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With my teen clients, I have additional expertise working on self-esteem, self-harm, disordered eating, perfectionism, and relationship challenges. As part of my work with teens, I frequently involve parents to best support both the teen and the broader family. I have additional experience working with teens and adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). With my clients who have ADHD, we collaborate on practical day-to-day strategies to manage symptoms. Areas of focus include time management, executive functions, self-compassion, and how ADHD may interact with symptoms of anxiety or depression. 
 

I take a client-centred approach to mental health and prioritize being collaborative, empathetic, and nonjudgmental. My goal as a therapist is to create a safe space where we can be authentic, explore different ideas, and look at new strategies to try. Wellness is both personal and multi-faceted, and I avoid taking a cookie-cutter approach to therapy. Through therapy, I hope my clients will be empowered, identify new insights and self-awareness, have greater self-compassion and discover ways to live a richer, more meaningful life.