More About Karla Buchholz

I have just completed my final year of the Master of Counselling Psychology program offered by Yorkville University. My interests and future areas of specialization are trauma, religious/spiritual trauma, sexuality, couples counselling and sex therapy.

I am sex-positive, fully LGBTQIA+ affirming, and also specialize in helping individuals who have experienced religious trauma or spiritual abuse. As someone who grew up in fundamentalist religion, I am passionate about deconstructing any harmful indoctrinated beliefs based in religious supremacy, and working to heal from harm caused by “purity“ culture. I have expertise in helping individuals free themselves from values instilled by more high-control religious groups and identified cults or cult-like practices. I take a non-judgemental approach to helping individuals and couples explore a healthy, comprehensive, accurate, inclusive, consent-centered, pleasure-based, shame-free sexuality and spirituality.

I like to use integrative approaches with clients and often draw from Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy and Emotion-Focused Therapy.

I believe in the wisdom of lived experiences and view clients as resilient and having the capacity to grow and explore new meaning in life.

In my down-time I like to practice self-care and spend quality time with my partner and our rescue dog.

A QUESTION:

Karla, when did you know you wanted to become a psychologist?

I had interest in becoming a psychologist since high school but did not seriously pursue psychology until I learned more about my own mental health. I knew I wanted to become a psychologist when I personally experienced how helpful counselling and therapy can be. My therapist helped me work through trauma from losing a close family member to an incurable disease (which was impacting my adult relationships), religious trauma, sexual trauma, and anxiety. I became passionate about helping other individuals and couples because counselling helped me to process my past, focus on my present, and create meaning for my future.

Qualifications

Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology

Bachelor of Arts (Major: Psychology, Minor: Counselling)

Languages

• English

My areas of focus:

Amare (Sex, Intimacy, & Gender)

• Alternative Sex Behaviours
• Female Sexual Issues
• Gender Identity
• Sex Compulsion/Out of Control Sexual Behaviours
• Sex Industry Workers
• Sexual Arousal Issues
• Sexual Offending Behaviours
• Sexuality and Intimacy Issues

Anxiety & Depression

• Anxiety

Trauma Care

• Cult and High Control Organization Recovery
• Religious or Spiritual Trauma
• Sexual Assault and Abuse
• Trauma

I have experience in:

• Abuse
• Adolescent and Teen Issues
• Blended Family Adjustment
• Child & Youth Depression
• Child & Youth Stress and Trauma
• Coming Out
• Couples Counselling
• Cross Cultural Issues
• Dealing with Infidelity
• Death or Loss of a Pet
• Depression
• Emotional Abuse
• Emotional Regulation
• Family Issues
• Food or Eating Issues
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• Grief and Loss
• Handling Chronic Illness & Chronic Pain
• Intercultural and Interracial Relationships
• LGBTQ2S+ Issues
• Life Transitions and Adjustment Issues
• Loss of a Loved One
• Major Depressive Disorder
• Male Sexual Issues
• Marriage and Relationship Concerns
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Parenting Issues & Support
• Physical Abuse
• Pornography Issues
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Premarital Counselling
• Problematic Sexual Behaviours in Children and Youth
• Relationship Dependence
• Self-Esteem Issues
• Self-Harming
• Seniors and the Elderly Issues
• Suicidal Thoughts
• Trichotillomania (hair pulling disorder)
• Weight & Eating Disorders

My treatment approaches:

• BITE-Model
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
• Emotionally Focused Therapy
• Family Systems Therapy
• Gottman Couples Therapy
• Grief Work
• Mindfulness Therapy
• Narrative Therapy
• Person Centered Therapy
• Sex Therapy
• Solution Focused Therapy
• Structural Family Therapy