My name is Natalka (she/her) and I am a counselling therapist who believes that counselling should be comfortable, relaxed, and safe -not stuffy, or intimidating. Certainly, the work in counselling can be a bit scary, and so I focus on building a safe and secure relationship with my clients so they can feel supported in truly being their authentic selves. I work with older children (ages 8+), teens, and adults. I am a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) and I hold a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology. I practice from a strengths-based & trauma-informed lens. In therapy, I use an integrated approach where I draw from several models of therapy based on client needs including Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Mindfulness, Somatic Therapy, Play Therapy and others. I am an associate practitioner at Therapy Collective in Calgary. 

Though I have a range of experience with many demographics and areas of concern, I am particularly drawn to working with adolescents and children as well as young adults who are transitioning into adulthood. I moved into the field of counselling after a first-career in dance education where I formed my love and passion for working with kids and adolescents. I am a kid at heart and my experiences have taught me so much about child development and how to communicate with kids/youth. I am a neurodiversity affirming therapist and I offer lived experience and tools for kids and adults with ADHD. I love using creative means of delivering therapy and being expressive with my clients using metaphor, art, movement, music, sandtray, mindfulness, and more.

In addition to my training and education as a counsellor, I have an extensive dance background. I hold a BA in Dance (Contemporary Dance specializing in Ballet). I am a certified ballet teacher with an Associate Diploma from Cecchetti Canada. I am proud to have founded/directed Luminare Dance Projects (formerly Trip the Light Dance Company) for over a decade. I have been on faculty at institutions such as Alberta Ballet School, Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, & Evolutions School of Dance, to name a few. I am currently the Ballet Director at Evolutions School of Ballet. With over 12 years of professional dance experience and over 15 years of teaching experience, I bring valuable lived experience to my therapy clients & in mental health workshops with artists, dancers and other athletes