Starting individual counselling is similar to driving. You are in the driving seat, and as your counsellor, I am sitting next to you in the passenger seat. You set a goal similar to a destination, and this determines the direction we drive in. You can slow down, change direction, or change lanes anytime in sessions. Some sessions may involve driving in difficult terrain as you share upsetting and painful experiences, which is not easy. But you are not alone; we process these experiences as we move forward together. You gain new insight and tools while covering new ground. As you drive home after your counselling session and reflect on your healing journey, you notice how far you have come.
Hi, my name is Leena Mehta, and I am a registered clinical counsellor in Burnaby (#19428). I’ve worked as a counsellor for over eight years and am dedicated to supporting and empowering women including high‑achieving women who feel overwhelmed, professional women navigating burnout, and women seeking support with anxiety, stress, or perfectionism.
I’ve supported women from all walks of life: professional women, married women with kids, cohabiting partners without kids, women of colour, immigrants, seniors, and women from various religious backgrounds. The one thing all of these women had in common was that they needed support in unpacking and processing distressing experiences.
There is nothing ‘wrong’ with you. You are not broken, and I’m not here to fix you. As your counsellor in Burnaby, I’m curious to learn about your individual experiences and together, at your pace and with your permission, we process your trauma or experiences.
As your Burnaby BIPOC counsellor, I ensure you feel seen, heard, validated, and accepted. Starting your healing journey takes courage, and I am here to support you every step of the way. It’s hard, but you don’t have to do it alone.
At Ease Counselling in Burnaby provides a safe space for you to share your story. You are the expert of your life, not me or anyone else. As your counsellor, I empower you, but I do not tell you what to do. There is no one way or right way to do therapy. What’s most important for me, as your counsellor, is that you feel comfortable and you do what feels right for you.
Tired of feeling overwhelmed or burnt out? What if I told you that you can access support and process your experience in a safe, compassionate space? Let’s work together and focus on your healing journey.
Burnaby women’s counselling focuses on strengthening your connection and relationship with yourself. As your counsellor, I work with women including high‑performing and perfectionistic women to build and strengthen self-compassion and self-kindness. I’ve often heard women share how they are kind and compassionate to others, like their partner, family members or friends, but they struggle to extend this kindness to themselves. As your Burnaby therapist, I’m curious to learn more about my client’s self-talk and, with their permission, rewrite the narrative. I’m interested in learning more about each client’s cultural norms and values, and how these have shaped their thinking and identity. I also support women in identifying their core negative beliefs and where they stem from. For example, some women struggle with feeling not good enough. We work on deconstructing these negative beliefs and strengthening positive ones.
Burnaby women’s counselling provides a safe, compassionate space for women to unpack distressing experiences or trauma at their own pace. As your Burnaby therapist, I support women experiencing anxiety, chronic stress, burnout, and overwhelm, including professional women juggling multiple roles. Some clients have goals they wish to achieve in counselling, while others are unsure. I’m here to support and meet each client where they are. I’m interested in learning about how your anxiety or depression impacts your daily life. I want to learn how your life would be different if you felt less anxious or stressed. We work together to build and nurture the life you want. I also spend time identifying what prevents you, for example, some clients self-sabotage. As your counsellor, I share insights and patterns, and we focus on changing ones that no longer serve you.
Burnaby women’s counselling supports women on their healing journey. There is no right or wrong time to start therapy, and as your counsellor, I appreciate that it takes strength and courage to start your journey. We focus on your anxiety, depression, trauma, or burnout as a high‑achieving woman, and explore how you can heal from distressing experiences. We make space for both your experiences and your feelings. You do not have to justify your feeligns and there are no “good” or “bad” feelings. Feelings come and go, and I encourage clients to remain curious. Your feelings are signs or clues to what is going on internally. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming or scary. You may have coping mechanisms that no longer work. As your Burnaby therapist, I share tools and strategies to help you cope. Some women want support with emotional regulation, while others want to build their self-esteem.
High‑achieving women often live with a quiet, constant anxiety that no one else sees. You’re capable, responsible, and used to getting things done — but inside, your mind rarely stops. You might feel tense, restless, or on edge, even when nothing is “wrong.”
Depression in high‑achieving women often goes unnoticed. You’re the one who keeps going, shows up, and gets things done — even when you feel empty, numb, or weighed down inside. You may look successful and put‑together, but privately you’re struggling to feel joy, motivation, or a sense of connection.
High‑achieving women often move through transitions while still trying to hold everything together. You may look capable on the outside, but inside you might feel overwhelmed, anxious, or unsure of who you’re supposed to be now.
Perfectionism often hides behind success. Many high‑achieving women appear confident, capable, and composed — yet privately feel overwhelmed, anxious, or constantly behind. You may set high expectations for yourself, push through exhaustion, and feel guilty when you slow down. Even when you accomplish something, the relief is brief. There’s always the next thing.
Many high‑achieving women appear strong, capable, and self‑assured — yet privately struggle with self‑esteem. You may excel in your career, relationships, or responsibilities, but still feel like you’re falling short. You might downplay your accomplishments, compare yourself to others, or feel like you’re constantly trying to prove your worth.
High‑achieving women often live with a level of stress that others don’t see. You’re the one who gets things done, holds everything together, and keeps moving even when you’re exhausted. On the outside, you look capable and composed. On the inside, you may feel overwhelmed, tense, or stretched thin.
Many high‑achieving women carry a history no one sees. Childhood abuse — whether emotional, physical, or sexual — often teaches children to become hyper‑independent, overly responsible, and constantly alert. As adults, this can look like success, competence, and resilience. But inside, it often feels like anxiety, overwhelm, and never being able to rest.
Domestic violence leaves deep emotional imprints, even long after the relationship ends. You might still feel hyper‑alert, afraid of conflict, or unsure of your worth. You may struggle to trust others, ask for help, or let your guard down. And because you’ve learned to function at a high level, people around you may have no idea how much you’re carrying.
Intergenerational trauma doesn’t always look like a single event — it often shows up as patterns, expectations, and emotional burdens passed down through families. Many high‑achieving women grew up in environments where survival meant being responsible, self‑sufficient, and “the strong one.” Over time, these roles can turn into perfectionism, overworking, and a constant pressure to hold everything together.
Many high‑achieving women have experienced sexual violence at some point in their lives. You may have learned to cope by becoming self‑reliant, responsible, and high‑performing — doing everything you can to stay in control and keep moving forward. On the outside, you might look composed and successful. On the inside, you may feel anxious, disconnected, or unsure how to make sense of what you’ve been through.
Many high‑achieving women carry trauma that no one sees. You may have grown up in an unpredictable environment, experienced harm in a past relationship, or lived through events that left you feeling unsafe or unseen. Over time, you learned to cope by becoming responsible, self‑reliant, and high‑performing.
Founded by Dr. Russ Harris, has six core components. These include being present in the moment, identifying your values, committing to action, observing yourself, observing your thoughts, and accepting your feelings.
ocuses on your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours and helps you understand how they connect.
Understanding how cultural norms and values impact your life.
Focuses on mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, and emotional regulation.
Founded by Dr. Sue Johnson, focuses on strengthening the connection between couples. Counsellors also explore individual attachment patterns in sessions.
focuses on processing an experience with bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements.
You drive counselling sessions.
Short-term counselling that focuses on achieving one goal in a session.
Counseling sessions focus on your strengths and resilience.
There are small steps individuals can take to build their self-esteem. Here are a few to try. Firstly, by becoming curious about their thoughts. Some individuals struggle with negative thoughts and negative inner dialogue. They can challenge this and unpack where this stems from in counselling. Secondly, acknowledge what is going well. For example, as a Burnaby therapist, I help clients focus on their strengths and achievements. Thirdly, identifying needs and implementing boundaries. Finally, acceptance and forgiveness for past mistakes or regrets. What if I told you that you can do hard things?
Depression can be caused by a range of different factors, including biological ones. For example, if your family has a history of struggling with depression, then you may be more likely to struggle with it. You may also have a chemical imbalance in your brain, and this may result in you feeling depressed. External factors, such as losing a loved one or a parent, may increase the possibility of experiencing depression. Adult childhood abuse survivors may struggle with feelings of depression. Health concerns such as cancer or chronic pain may also increase the likelihood of feeling depressed. What if I told you that depression is not something you can shake off and get over?
The number of sessions you may need varies from client to client. Every woman I support as a Burnaby therapist is different, and their needs vary. I work with each client to establish goals, and we work together to achieve them. Women who have been struggling for a while may need more sessions to help them unpack thought patterns and to identify where they feel stuck. However, women who have been struggling for a shorter period and seek support sooner may find they have less to unpack and process. I’m curious to learn where in your body you feel stress.
Feelings of anxiety can stem from various places. For some women, their anxiety is rooted in their childhood or adolescence, for others, it is rooted in their family of origin. Childhood abuse or trauma, traumatic life experiences, and attachment styles may also explain why someone feels anxious. At Ease Counselling in Burnaby helps women unpack the origins of their anxiety in a safe, non-judgmental space. Many people feel anxious in life, and as your counsellor, I’m interested in learning more about what your anxiety is trying to communicate to you. What if I told you many of the clients I support experience some form of anxiety?
Yes, it is possible to heal from intergenerational trauma. Every woman has a unique healing journey, and while it can take time to process and recover, it is possible to heal. Counselling in Burnaby supports women who want to process and heal from intergenerational trauma. As a Burnaby therapist, I have supported several women on their healing journeys.
At Ease Counselling is grounded in a client‑led, client‑centred approach, meaning you guide the direction of therapy. This approach is especially supportive for high-achieving women who feel overwhelmed, women navigating burnout, and professional women who are tired of being told what to do or how to feel.
In client‑led therapy, you set the pace. You choose what feels safe to explore, and together we move through your experiences with compassion and curiosity. Whether you’re struggling with stress, anxiety, perfectionism, people‑pleasing, or emotional exhaustion, this approach ensures that your voice, your needs, and your lived experiences remain at the centre of every session.
As a registered clinical counsellor in Burnaby, I use a range of evidence‑based therapeutic modalities to support women — including high‑achieving women who feel overwhelmed, professional women navigating burnout, and women healing from trauma, anxiety, or perfectionism. Each approach is tailored to your unique needs, your pace, and your lived experiences.
DBT supports emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. It is particularly helpful for women who feel emotionally overwhelmed, struggle with boundaries, or want tools to manage stress, burnout, and intense emotions.
EFT explores attachment patterns and emotional needs. This approach supports women who want to understand their relationship patterns, heal attachment wounds, or strengthen emotional connection with themselves and others.
As a female Burnaby therapist, my work is rooted in an anti‑oppressive, trauma‑informed approach that honours your lived experiences, identity, and cultural background. I understand how inequality, discrimination, and systemic pressures can shape a woman’s mental health — especially for high‑achieving women who feel overwhelmed, BIPOC women, and professional women navigating stress, burnout, or perfectionism.
I provide a safe, non‑judgmental, and inclusive space for women from all ethnic backgrounds, cultures, and sexual orientations. People who identify as 2SLGBTQ+ are welcomed and supported with care and respect.
As a South Asian Burnaby therapist, I offer culturally sensitive counselling that acknowledges the impact of cultural norms, gender expectations, and intergenerational patterns. This approach is especially meaningful for women who have experienced racism, identity‑based stress, or cultural pressure to achieve, perform, or “hold everything together.”
