Hi there, I’m Katharina Bleinis
I’m so glad you’ve landed here. I’m Kat (she/her), a Master’s-level counselling intern, somatic practitioner, yoga teacher, dog momma, backcountry wanderer, mountain woman, and plant propagator… and a deeply multi faceted human, just like you. I live and call Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) home. A town and community that I am incredibly grateful to be a part of, where mountains, the river and ocean air, and community connection continually anchor and inspire me.
I come to this work with a deep belief that our body is a story teller and our greatest resource. While the body holds our capacity for healing, it also carries the imprint of our most challenging experiences and memories. Often, these experiences live beneath words, showing up instead as sensations, emotions, or patterns of protection. Counselling, for me, is about creating space to listen to the body with curiosity, care, and respect.
My approach is somatic and parts-informed, meaning we pay attention not only to thoughts and emotions, but also to the body, the nervous system, and the different “parts” of us that have developed to help us survive and adapt. Rather than asking “What’s wrong with you?” I’m more interested in “What happened to you?” and “How has your system learned to protect you?”
In our work together, we might gently notice patterns, track sensations, explore emotions as they arise, and build curiosity toward parts of you that feel stuck, overwhelmed, guarded, or unsure. Therapy with me tends to be collaborative, paced, and grounded in safety. I believe healing happens when all parts of us feel welcome, even the ones we’ve learned to judge or push away.
Outside the therapy room, I feel most myself in the backcountry, somewhere far from cell reception, in a place of quiet exploration with my partner and my dog. You’ll either find me mountain biking, bikepacking, or splitboarding. The mountains and nature will always be one of my greatest resources.
Clinical Training
Masters in Counselling Psychology (in progress)– City University, Vancouver B.C.
BA in Communications and Psychology – Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, B.C. & Hong Kong University
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (Level 1) – Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute
From Narrative to Nervous System: Sensorimotor Sequencing to Process Shock Trauma – Sensorimotor Institute with Pat Ogden
Adapting IFS for Dissociative Disorders – Kathy Steele
6-Month Online Circle Studies Internal Family System – Internal Family Systems Institute
5-Day Certification in Narrative Therapy – Vancouver School of Narrative Therapy
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction – Langara College with Tom Heah
San’yas: Indigenous Cultural Safety Training – Provincial Health Services Authority Indigenous Health Program, British Columbia, Canada (2022).
Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training – Yoga Outreach
300hr and 500hr Yoga Teacher Training
My holistic counselling approach is informed by the following training:
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
Pat Ogden somatic approach explores how trauma is stored in the body’s sensations and movement patterns, using mindful awareness of the body to support healing and nervous system regulation.
Internal Family Systems
Richard Schwartz therapeutic model that understands the psyche as made up of parts, each with their own roles, emotions, and needs. It focuses on creating safety and trust between parts and the inner Self to support healing.
Structural Dissociation Model
a trauma theory that explains how the mind responds to chronic or developmental trauma by creating distinct parts. Some focus on coping and daily tasks, and others storing traumatic memories as a natural and adaptive survival strategy.
Polyvagal Theory
Polyvagal Theory explains how the nervous system is constantly scanning for cues of safety or danger, which influences whether we feel calm, anxious, or shut down. Our nervous system responds to these cues through emotions, behaviours, and in relationship. In therapy, we use this understanding to help you notice these states, honor their purpose, and develop tools to return to balance and connection.