About

---

Hi, I’m Kendra Blackburn.

I'm a Registered Counselling Therapist, and I provide counselling and group therapy in Nova Scotia, Canada. As a therapist I integrate a few different types of therapy into our sessions, but the two I use the most are EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) and CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). I appreciate these two mental health modalities for many reasons, with the main being that they are highly studied and are clinically effective for many different concerns like PTSD, anxiety, depression and addressing unwanted behaviours or phobias. I see clients for a variety of issues, and I have a special interest in providing care to women who have been diagnosed with ADHD later in life. ADHD support is also a focus of the therapy groups that I run throughout the year.

My Interest In Late Diagnosis ADHD Is In Part Because I Have ADHD

As a teen struggling in school, I was fortunate enough that my parents pushed to get an assessment for me to see if there was an underlying reason for my school challenges. It turns out that there was, and so at age 16 I began my journey to learning how to live my best life as someone who is neurodivergent. I tried different methods to manage my ADHD, including talk therapy, medication, lifestyle changes, and along the way I came to deeply appreciate the support that therapists provided me, for my ADHD, and for life in general. One therapist, early on in our sessions said confidently “you’re gonna be a helper someday I can tell” I think she really spotted my desire to support those around me. This appreciation for mental health providers, and the way they seemed to see the best in me inspired my path to pursue becoming a counsellor.

As Your Counsellor I Am Here To Work With You - This Is A Collaboration

A big priority of mine as a therapist is to make sure you always feel in control of your healing journey. In our sessions, we’ll talk about your goals, and occasionally assess if you feel like things are going in the right direction, or if you want to pivot and address something new. My goal is to make sure you feel empowered and supported during our time together. 

Why I Chose EMDR As A Primary Form Of Treatment

Part of the reason I appreciate EMDR so much is because I’ve seen how transformative it can be for people who have trauma that is impacting their lives. As someone who has treated many types of trauma, from workplace and motor vehicle injuries, to grief, neglect and abuse, I’ve witnessed up close how PTSD and trauma can hold people back in their day to day lives - with flashbacks and memories taking up so much energy that could be put towards a better tomorrow. EMDR treatment can take those heightened - highly activated memories/traumas and reprocess them so that they no longer bring up big feelings, bodily sensations or nightmares when a person thinks about them. In that way, a traumatic event can finally just become a part of your history.

How CBT Can Be Helpful For ADHD

I’m a huge fan of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) because it can be so helpful for managing ADHD symptoms and the feelings that come with living a neurodivergent life. With CBT you learn practical, easy to implement skills to deal with the daily challenges, like difficulty focusing or staying organized. In CBT, you find easy ways to break down big tasks into smaller, manageable steps, which helps to make things less overwhelming. It also is a great way to stop negative thought patterns that might make it harder to stay motivated. I love being able to offer practical tools to my clients, and I often receive feedback that CBT helps them shift their overall perspective about their condition.

Are You Ready To Begin?

Now that you know about me, I’d love to hear a little about you! I am accepting new clients and look forward to connecting. To begin, either fill out the contact form below, or click on the booking link at the top of the page.