Karina Waluk

She/Her

GITDip

Registered Psychotherapist

English

Hi, I’m Karina :) I’m really glad you landed here. I work with deep thinkers, creatives, and high-achievers (often in tech, academia, or creative fields) who feel overwhelmed, stuck, or at a crossroads. You might be juggling ADHD, anxiety, burnout, and/or work or relationship stress.While things might look fine from the outside, it can feel like a constant uphill push just to get through the day. Perhaps you're wanting to feel a sense of ease, more space to breathe, or more clarity.

Background

I’m not the kind of therapist who just nods or repeats the same phrases over and over. I’m curious: What matters most to you? What feels off? What’s the story your body is holding that your brain hasn’t caught up to yet? Some weeks we’ll talk things through. Other times, we might tune into what your body is holding. I draw from evidence-based tools like CBT, mindfulness, relational therapies, and somatic therapies. Before becoming a therapist, I spent ten years coaching academics, creatives, and people in tech, including senior leaders and folks in the C-suite through career transitions, creative blocks, burnout, and leadership challenges.

Your therapeutic experience with me

I can help untangle the noise; whether that’s ADHD, anxious spirals, people-pleasing, burnout, or big life shifts. My style is collaborative, curious, and down-to-earth. I bring tools when they’re helpful and space when it's needed. I practice from an anti-oppressive lens and am neurodivergent-affirming, trauma-informed, as well as LGBTQIA2S+ allied. It’s not always easy to move toward our goals — even when we really want it. Sometimes the familiar "meh" feels safer than the unknown. In therapy, we’ll gently make space for what’s been ignored or pushed aside, get curious about what’s actually going on, and make changes that feel doable. If you're feeling stuck or overwhelmed I can help.

Areas of expertise

These are the areas I commonly work with, and they form a big part of the support I offer in my practice:

Relationship Issues?

Life Transitions?

Anxiety & Worry?

Burnout?

Self-esteem & Self-worth?

ADHD?

I also support you in these additional areas and welcome you to reach out if any of them speak to what you are going through:

Emotional Regulation?

Trauma?

Chronic Pain?

Personal Growth?

Interpersonal Relationships

Grief, Loss, And Bereavement

Depression?

Chronic Illness?

Therapeutic approaches

These are the approaches at the heart of my work, and I use them often because they help create meaningful change:

Mindfulness

Mindfulness teaches you to slow down, tune into the present moment, and respond more calmly to stress and overwhelm. This modality can be helpful for Anxiety, Depression, and Chronic Pain.

Somatic Therapy

Somatic therapy helps you reconnect with your body to process emotions, reduce tension, and build a deeper sense of safety and regulation. This modality can be helpful for Trauma, Anxiety, Stress, and Chronic Pain & Illness.

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

Internal Family Systems (IFS) helps you understand and care for the different “parts” of yourself—like the inner critic or the overachiever—so you can feel more grounded, compassionate, and whole. This modality can be helpful for Self-Esteem, Trauma, Life Transitions.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT helps you notice and shift unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors that may be fueling anxiety, stress, or low mood. It's more than just boring worksheets and busywork :)

I also draw on other evidence based approaches that can gently support you when they align with what you need:

Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy

Trauma-informed Therapy

Psychodynamic Therapy

Solution-focused Therapy

Emotion-focused Therapy (EFT)

Focused populations and cultural backgrounds

These are the communities and cultural backgrounds I focus on, and I bring a sincere commitment to supporting you in a way that feels respectful and genuine:

Populations

Millenials

Young Adults

Neurodiverse Clients

Chronically Ill People

2SLGBTQIA Community

Cultural communities

Eastern European

First And Second Generation Immigrants

Professional credentials

Registered Psychotherapist
- No.12170

College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario

Educational background

GITDip

Gestalt Institute of Toronto, Canada

Practice locations & services

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FAQ

How do I get started with therapy?

You can start by reaching out through the contact form or emailing me directly. I’ll follow up to schedule a free 15-20 minute phone consult so we can talk briefly about what you’re looking for and see if it feels like a good fit. If it does, we’ll set up your first session and I’ll walk you through the rest from there.

What can I expect in our first meeting?

We’ll start by talking about what’s bringing you in — no need to prepare. I’ll ask some questions, but mostly, it’s about getting to know you and seeing if this feels like a good fit. You can go at your own pace and if you don’t want to talk about something you don’t need to. You can learn more here.

Do I need to have a clear goal to start therapy?

Not at all. Some people come in with something specific they want to work on, others might feel somethings off, or they want to explore themselves. Part of our work can be figuring out what matters most to you and where you’d like to go from there.

How often do we meet?

Most people start with weekly 50-minute sessions. We can adjust the frequency depending on your needs, schedule, and goals.

Immediate crisis support available

If you're experiencing a mental health crisis, help is available right now:

🚨 Call 911 for immediate emergency assistance
💬 Call or text 988 for mental health crisis support and suicide prevention