Therapy is, at its heart, a practice of relationality.
Therapy as Relational Practice
In my work, psychotherapy is first and foremost a relational practice—an intimate partnership for exploring the expected and the unknown seasons of life. No crisis or diagnosis is required; questions, hopes, confusion, and quiet curiosity are more than enough.
Sessions are online and confidential, supporting privacy and accessibility for residents of Ontario.
Who I Welcome
My practice is open to adults of all ages—those navigating transition, seeking steadiness through distress, or wanting to feel more present and connected in daily living. Therapy can support shifts in mood, anxiety, or pain, but it can also simply be a space to rediscover optimism and meaning.
Working with Inner Patterns
Unhelpful habits and behaviours can shape our lives in the hardest of ways, and often trace back to early relationships and experiences of feelings being rejected or ignored.
For instance, someone who learned early on that their anger or upset could overwhelm a parent or caregiver might now find it hard to assert themselves, to ask for help or speak up when something doesn't feel right. In therapy, we can become curious about what this was like, noticing how patterns of negative thinking, self-criticism or anxiety may be inviting us to see ourselves more truthfully, and to begin exploring new ways of responding.
While we can't change the past, or make life less difficult or painful, we might begin to see ourselves and others with a bit more kindness and understanding.
Mindfulness in the Therapeutic Process
Mindfulness runs quietly through my approach—not as a technique to master, but as a way of being with experience. In therapy, mindfulness might mean noticing how emotion lives in the body, or pausing long enough to sense what feels tender or true.
While some clients come with an established practice, many do not. There is no expectation to meditate or "be mindful." The spirit of mindfulness—curiosity, presence, and gentleness—often arises naturally through conversation itself.
For others already drawn to mindfulness, psychotherapy can deepen the work: tending to what surfaces between sessions, exploring life off‑the‑cushion, or bringing care to experiences that feel too complex or painful to meet alone. Each process informs the other, weaving spacious awareness into the very heart of relationship.
How I Work
I value presence, curiosity, and whole‑person attention. Each conversation is a collaboration, meeting whatever arises with steadiness and care. My years in hospital spiritual health and long engagement with contemplative practice have shaped a grounded, attuned way of working—rooted in respect for each individual's pace and wisdom.
This is therapy as a shared space: thoughtful, humane, and alive to what unfolds in real time.
Trauma Sensitivity and Ethical Care
Privacy, consent, and trauma awareness are integral to every session. I'm attentive to how personal and collective histories intersect, and how care can honor context—supporting both individual and community wellbeing.
This same steadiness extends to my end‑of‑life and spiritual health work, where similar principles of presence, trust, and care guide conversations about meaning, loss, and transition.
Professional consultation is available for colleagues wishing to offer mindfulness or end‑of‑life support safely and responsibly, always separate from clinical psychotherapy.
Offering Psychotherapy in Ontario
Psychotherapy is available to residents of Ontario, Canada.
For those beyond Ontario, I offer mindfulness coaching and consultation, distinct from psychotherapy and not regulated clinical care.
Begin Here
If therapy feels like a possible next step, I welcome you to a complimentary, confidential 30‑minute conversation.
Email: kara@karabraun.health
If mindfulness raises distress for you, please seek non‑urgent help. For emergencies, contact crisis services. Though rare, meditation injury or spiritual crisis can be overlooked in clinical care. I provide safe, trauma‑informed consultation whenever possible.
Kara Braun is a Registered Psychotherapist (Ontario) and provides psychotherapy only to clients physically located in Ontario, Canada.
Mindfulness coaching and consultation are available internationally; these services are not psychotherapy, do not include the controlled act of psychotherapy, and do not substitute for regulated mental health care.
Please ensure coaching is permitted in your region. For urgent needs, contact your local emergency services.