Dr. Karma Guindon, RSW & Associates

Compassionate, Evidence-Based Care

As a therapist, I am deeply committed to helping children, adolescents, adults, and families achieve their goals and find healing within a safe, supportive environment. I approach my work with great respect for each person’s individuality — including cultural background, spiritual beliefs, and lived experience. Every person’s experience is unique, and I believe therapy should reflect that.

My goal is to help clients access their strengths, move through barriers, and create a greater sense of peace, self-acceptance, and fulfillment.

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Therapeutic Approach

Drawing from over three decades of clinical experience, I use a range of evidence-informed approaches to tailor therapy to each client’s needs. My work is strongly informed by Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR) — an emerging, neuroscience-based trauma therapy that reaches the root of distress and promotes deep, lasting change. I am also certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), an approach recognized by the World Health Organization as a leading trauma treatment worldwide.

When appropriate, I integrate additional modalities such as Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Narrative Therapy, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Relational Life Therapy (RLT), and psychodynamic models to create a comprehensive, individualized plan of care.

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Beyond therapy, I also provide consultation and burnout-prevention services for professionals seeking to sustain wellbeing and effectiveness in demanding roles.

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Education and Credentials

As both a Registered Social Worker (RSW) and Certified Couple & Family Therapist (CCFT), I bring a high level of clinical expertise and depth of understanding to my work. The challenges that bring people to therapy are often complex — because life itself is complex — and my training across these two professions enables me to help clients find clarity, insight, and meaningful growth.

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I hold a PhD in Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University, as well as a Master’s Degree in Social Work and an Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Toronto. I completed my Couple and Family Therapy Certification at the University of Guelph and am a Clinical Fellow with the Ontario Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (OAMFT).

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I am registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW), and my services are covered by most insurance and extended health-care plans.

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Professional Experience

I provide consultation and training to psychotherapy and mental-health professionals who wish to expand their therapeutic knowledge and approach. I have also taught graduate-level courses to social work, nursing, psychology, and pastoral care providers, supporting the next generation of helping professionals.

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My doctoral research explored contemporary understandings of ethical practice, and I have spoken nationally and internationally on this topic. I have been honoured with several awards, including recognition from the Ontario Government and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

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For over 15 years, I served as a psychotherapist at Southlake Regional Health Centre, providing therapy to children, adolescents, parents, and families coping with depression, anxiety, OCD, self-harm, chronic illness, school difficulties, and relationship stress. Previously, I worked with Mental Health Services for York Region, where I provided individual, couple, and group therapy to adults facing stress, relationship challenges, and other mental-health concerns. Earlier in my career, I spent seven years at the York Region Abuse Program, providing group therapy to children, adolescents, and adults who had experienced childhood sexual abuse and supervising therapist interns. I have also completed more than 50 professional workshops and trainings, continually integrating the latest research and trauma-informed practices into my work.