OFFERING COUNSELLING, ASSESSMENT & ADDICTIONS SERVICES
Meet Karen Gaudin
Registered Psychologist (she/her)
Karen Gaudin is a Registered Psychologist and the founder of Authentic You, a private practice built on the belief that healing happens when people feel safe enough to show up as their whole selves. With a deeply compassionate presence and over 15 years of experience, Karen is dedicated to supporting individual adults navigating life’s most complex challenges—including addictions specialization, trauma integrated care, sex/ gender therapy and experience working with many presenting concerns and mental health disorders.
Her clinical work blends evidence-based and embodied approaches, integrating Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), exposure-based therapies, and somatic practices to help clients reconnect with their bodies, values, and internal wisdom. She also offers formal psychological assessments for adults, using a thoughtful and collaborative process to bring clarity, insight, and direction to clients seeking a deeper understanding of themselves, including psychological and forensic risk assessment.
Karen worked at Homewood Health, where she supported individuals with addictions and co-occurring concerns for over a decade, progressing from Addictions Case Manager to Addictions Program Manager. She went on to also work as the Addiction Clinical Lead at Insight Psychological before founding Authentic You: Counselling, Assessment & Addictions Services Inc. Her academic background includes an Honours BA in Psychology from MacEwan University and a Master’s in Counselling Psychology from City University of Seattle. Her published research on student alcoholism screening reflects her long-standing commitment to evidence-informed care.
As a psychologist and business owner, Karen is passionate about creating a space that supports not only the therapeutic journey of clients, but also the growth and sustainability of the clinicians who serve them. Authentic You was founded with a clear mission: to provide high quality, high support, values-driven care that honours the complexity of the human experience—for clients, psychologists, and the wider community alike!
Karen works exclusively with individual adults through counselling, assessment and specialized addictions services, offering a grounded, relational approach, that supports lasting transformation. Karen offers sessions Monday through Friday, 9:00am to 3:00pm.
karen's psychological SERVICES
Accepting Limited NEW Individual Adult Clients for Counselling, Assessment and Specialized Addictions Services
Areas of Competence & Clinical Focus/ Presenting Concerns:
✅ Addictions & Other Out-of-Control Behaviours
✅ Adjustment Disorder
✅ Anxiety Disorders
✅ Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
✅ Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
✅ Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD)
✅ Behavioural Compulsions
✅ Bipolar I & II Disorder
✅ Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
✅ Burnout & Fatigue
✅ Chronic Substance Relapses
✅ Compassion Fatigue
✅ Coping Skills Development
✅ Cyclothymic Disorder
✅ Depressive Disorders
✅ Dissociative Symptoms
✅ Eating Disorders & Disordered Eating
✅ Emotional Regulation Issues
✅ Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
✅ Gender Expression
✅ Gender Identity
✅ Grief, Loss & Bereavement
✅ Interpersonal Struggles
✅ Kink-Aware Therapy
✅ LGBTQ2+ Affirming Care
✅ Lifestyle & Identity Concerns
✅ Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
✅ Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
✅ Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)
✅ Panic Disorders & Related Symptoms
✅ Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD) / Dysthymia
✅ Relationship Issues
✅ Self-Care
✅ Self-Compassion
✅ Self-Esteem
✅ Sex Therapy & Related Issues
✅ Sexual Dysfunction
✅ Social Anxiety Disorder
✅ Stress & Related Issues
✅ Trauma & Trauma-Related Disorders (including PTSD)
✅ Workplace-Related Issues & Injuries
Therapeutic Modalities & Counselling Interventions Used:
I draw from a variety of evidence-based approaches and tailor my interventions to meet each client’s unique needs. My work is grounded in authenticity, collaboration, and a deep respect for the resilience of the human spirit. Some of the primary modalities I integrate include:
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Helping clients identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns, behaviours, and emotional responses.
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Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
Building skills in distress tolerance, emotion regulation, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness.
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Exposure & Response Prevention Therapy (ERP)
A gold-standard treatment for OCD and anxiety, supporting clients to face fears and reduce avoidance behaviours.
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Gestalt / Humanistic Therapy
Fostering self-awareness, integration, and personal responsibility in the here-and-now experience.
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Motivational Interviewing (MI)
A collaborative and client-centered approach to exploring ambivalence and enhancing motivation for change.
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Positive Psychology & Strengths-Based Intervention
Highlighting resilience, values, and internal strengths to foster growth and well-being.
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Rogerian / Client-Centered Therapy
Providing unconditional positive regard and a safe, empathic space for clients to explore and grow.
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Somatic and Mind-Body Therapy
Supporting healing by reconnecting with the body and using practices that honour the nervous system and felt sense.
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Addictions Work – Biopsychosocial Model
Exploring the interplay between biological, psychological, and social influences in substance use and recovery.
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Addictions Work – Harm Reduction Approach
Supporting safer choices and meeting clients where they are, while promoting wellbeing and long-term change.
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Addictions Work – Medical Model / Abstinence-Based Approach
Offering structure and support for clients pursuing abstinence, including relapse prevention and post-detox care.
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Addictions Work – Transtheoretical Model of Change
Recognizing that readiness for change exists on a spectrum and aligning treatment with the client’s current stage.
Formal Assessments
In addition to therapy, I provide comprehensive psychological assessments that support diagnostic clarity, treatment planning, and professional recommendations. Assessments are tailored to the referral question and may be used in clinical, occupational, or legal contexts. Services include:
★ Addictions Assessments
Conducted for return-to-work or stay-at-work services, as well as other clinical or occupational purposes.
★ Forensic Risk Assessments
Specialized evaluations to assess the risk of criminal, violent, or sexual recidivism for legal and correctional contexts.
★ Psychological Assessments
Comprehensive evaluations for the purpose of diagnosis, clinical formulation, and treatment recommendations.
Specialized Addictions Services:
As the Addictions Clinical Lead at Authentic You: Counselling, Assessment & Addictions Services Inc., myself and my team of psychologists offer compassionate, evidence-based care that honours each person’s unique path, goals, and readiness for change.
Individual & Group-Based Services Include:
➤ Substance Use Counselling (Alcohol & Drugs)
Support for those navigating substance misuse, dependency, or addiction—whether working toward harm reduction or abstinence.
➤ Trauma-Informed Addictions Therapy
Addressing root causes such as trauma, grief, attachment wounds, and emotional dysregulation.
➤ Concurrent Disorders Support
Integrated care for those living with both addiction and mental health concerns like anxiety, depression, or PTSD.
➤ Behavioural Addictions Counselling
Specialized support for compulsive behaviours including gambling, sex, pornography, shopping, and screen/tech overuse.
➤ Relapse Prevention & Recovery Planning
Personalized coping strategies, safety plans, and tools to support long-term recovery.
➤ Motivational Interviewing (MI)
A non-judgmental, respectful approach to support individuals who feel uncertain about change.
➤ Family & Loved Ones Support
Therapy and education to help family members navigate boundaries, co-dependency, and healing together.
➤ Addictions Assessments
Comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments for treatment planning, workplace, legal, or medical needs.
➤ Psychoeducation
Evidence-informed education on addiction, the brain, and recovery to increase insight and empowerment.
➤ Youth & Emerging Adult Support
Developmentally appropriate care for adolescents and young adults navigating peer pressure, identity, and risky behaviours.
➤ LGBTQIA+ Affirming Counselling
Inclusive, culturally sensitive care that honours the unique experiences of LGBTQIA+ individuals in addiction and recovery.
➤ Online Addictions Counselling (Alberta-Wide)
Secure, confidential virtual therapy for individuals across the province.
Community Support & Recovery Navigation:
➤ Intervention Support
Guidance for loved ones considering a supportive intervention to help someone take the first steps toward healing.
➤ Resource Navigation & Referrals
Help connecting with recovery services such as:
- 12-step and non-12-step support groups
- SMART Recovery, AA, NA meetings
- Outpatient, IOP, and inpatient treatment
- Medical detox, stabilization, and sober living
- Aftercare and long-term recovery supports
- Faith-based and culturally informed programs
Whether you're in crisis, supporting someone you love, or working toward long-term addictions recovery, I walk alongside clients through every phase of the journey.
Karen Our Founder Authentic Vibes 🌿
Karen finds deep restoration and meaning in the presence of water—whether she’s paddleboarding across Summerside Lake, floating down a quiet river, or soaking in the vastness of the ocean. Water is where she reconnects with herself. Under the warmth of the sun, with each steady paddle stroke and the gentle lap of waves, she finds peace, presence, and clarity. These moments aren’t just recreational, they’re sacred. A return to self. A reminder of what it means to slow down, tune in, and allow healing to flow naturally.
Her love for travel isn’t about checking off destinations—it’s about immersion. Karen seeks out connection through culture, cuisine, movement, and music. She’s most alive dancing barefoot, feeling the collective energy of a crowd united in rhythm. Music has long been her medicine—both grounding and uplifting—and its healing power influences her approach to therapy. She believes in the soul-level impact of movement, rhythm, and joy. This embodied energy is something she weaves into her sessions, gently inviting others back into their bodies and their light.
Karen’s journey with adult ADHD, anxiety, and trauma has shaped her into the kind of psychologist who doesn’t just listen—she feels deeply with you. Her lived experience brings depth, authenticity, and a rare kind of understanding. It’s given her both compassion and courage—qualities she offers generously to every client and colleague she supports. Her own healing taught her the value of patience, humour, grit, and softness—lessons she now shares with those learning to navigate their own inner worlds.
At her core, Karen is a challenger of norms, a voice for the unseen, and a champion of authenticity. She fiercely believes in creating inclusive, safe, and radically accepting spaces for all, cultural beliefs, relationship structures, family systems, sexual orientations, and gender identities. Her work is grounded in the belief that healing happens when people are truly seen for who they are.
Karen’s presence is equal parts bold and tender. In living her truth—messy, vibrant, and real—she hopes to inspire others to do the same. Her mission is simple but profound: to help people come home to themselves!