Katharine Heimbigner-Tenor

Registered Provisional Psychologist

English

Hello: Taking this step to explore therapy can be both courageous and vulnerable, and I want you to know you’re not alone in it. Whether you are navigating trauma, grief, neurodiversity, relationship challenges, or simply feeling stuck, my goal is to help you find clarity, hope, and new ways forward. My role is to walk alongside you at your pace—creating a safe enough, supportive space where all parts of you are welcome.

Background

I am a Registered Provisional Psychologist with almost 25 years of lived and career experiences supporting people through diverse life experiences, including complex trauma, dissociation, grief, neurodiversity, and relationship challenges. My professional journey has taken me through work in private practice, spiritual health care, community mental health initiatives, and interfaith and multicultural settings. I take an integrative, holistic approach—drawing from Internal Family Systems (IFS), Gottman Method Couples Therapy, DBT, CBT, and polyvagal-informed music therapies. My work is grounded in compassion, curiosity, and the belief that each person has the inner resources to heal.

Your therapeutic experience with me

In therapy with me, you can expect warmth, respect, and collaboration. I listen deeply to understand your story and help you feel truly seen. My IFS-informed approach is non-pathological—meaning there are good reasons for what you do, even if they are not obvious right now. Together, we explore these reasons with curiosity and compassion, not judgment. We may laugh at times, shed tears at others, and always hold space for what feels most important in the moment. Whether we’re untangling old patterns, building new skills, or reconnecting you with your strengths, my goal is for you to leave each session feeling heard, supported, and more connected to yourself.

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:

PTSD?

Complex Trauma?

Neurodiversity (autism, ADHD, Audhd)?

Grief, Loss, And Bereavement?

Couples With Trauma?

Nervous System Regulation?

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:

ADHD?

Autism?

ADHD?

Sensory Differences

Dissociation

Depression?

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

Spirtuality

Chronic Illness?

Chronic Illness - Diabetes

Chronic Illness - Long COVID

Relationship Issues

Therapeutic approaches

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

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

A gentle, non-judgmental approach that helps you understand the different “parts” of yourself, why they do what they do, and how they can work together so you feel more balanced, confident, and at peace.

Polyvagal-informed Therapy

Polyvagal-informed listening music therapies (Safe and Sound Protocol, Rest and Restore Protocol) are gentle, nervous-system-based interventions to promote emotional regulation and resilience. Individuals who have experienced trauma and those with sensory differences often benefit.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy

Skills for mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness with a focus on accommodating for neurodivergence.

Gottman Couples Therapy

Evidence-based techniques to improve communication, connection, and conflict management in relationships. It can supportive of working through issues such as infidelity, and for those where one or both partners have mental health concerns such trauma, PTSD and other concerns.

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

Mindfulness

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Somatic Therapy

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: