Kayla Rivera

About the Counsellor:

Kayla Rivera (she/her) is a Psychotherapist and Music Therapist with five years of experience in the field of mental health. Known for qualities such as empathy, active listening, cultural competence, and continuous learning, she is dedicated to fostering a supportive and healing space for individuals to explore their thoughts and emotions.

Philosophy:

Kayla believes in client-empowerment, self-discovery, worthy and unconditional acceptance, and individual uniqueness. She is committed to fostering a positive therapeutic relationship and collaboratively working with clients to help them meet their therapeutic goals. Kayla offers support in an environment that is safe, non-judgmental, accepting, and empathetic, which can nurture clients’ independence, trust, and growth. Furthermore, by upholding confidentiality, ethical standards, and cultural sensitivity, she strives to empower clients on their unique journey of healing and positive transformation. Kayla works collaboratively with clients to identify and implement effective strategies to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals.

Therapeutic Approach:

Known for her holistic and integrative therapeutic approach that combines modalities such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), music therapy, emotion-focused therapy (EFT), mindfulness-based therapy, solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT), and strength-based therapy, Kayla tailors her approach to meet the needs of each client. She believes in valuing the uniqueness of each person and that therapy is not a “one size fits all.”

• Cognitive Behavioural (CBT)
• Dialectical Behaviour (DBT)
• Emotionally Focused (EFT)
• Person-Centred Therapy
• Mindfulness Based
• Music Therapy
• Culturally Sensitive
• Solution Focused (SFBT)
• Strength-Based
• Trauma-Informed

Focus Areas:

In her practice, Kayla focuses on anxiety and depression, life transitions, relationship challenges, stress management, self-esteem, and grief and loss. Her counselling expertise lies in relationships, life transitions, and self-compassion. Kayla is particularly adept at active listening, empathy, socratic questioning/dialogue, goal-setting, mindfulness and relaxation techniques, and boundary setting. She works towards fostering positive change and personal growth for clients, collaborating to achieve goals that encompass increased self-awareness, effective coping strategies, enhanced relationships, mental and emotional well-being, and improved quality of life.