Our Therapists
Edmonton Healing Centre
Sarah Karesa Registered Psychologist
Counselling Program Manager / Mental Health Therapist
Sarah is a Registered Psychologist with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Alberta and a Master of Education in Counselling Psychology from the University of Lethbridge. She is a published researcher, professional speaker, and mental health advocate who uses her professional and personal experience to provide the best possible support for her clients.
Prior to coming to the Edmonton Healing Centre, Sarah worked at Pilgrims Hospice Society – providing counselling for individuals struggling with grief and loss, caregiving, and palliative/life limiting illness across the lifespan. Sarah currently works as an Associate Professor with City University of Seattle’s Edmonton Campus. In this role, she instructs future counsellors in the areas of grief and loss, group counselling, and professional practice.
Sarah’s approach to counselling is based on the philosophy that everyone has the ability to heal: they just need the right tools and a supportive environment to be able to do so. Sarah integrates self-compassion, mindfulness, and strengths-based practice into her work with children, teens, and adults of all ages. While Sarah enjoys helping clients with diverse presenting problems, her specialties are addressing issues related to grief and loss, palliative and life-limiting illness, caregiving, dementia anxiety/fear, depression, self-worth/self-esteem, and life transitions.
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Anna Jongeleen MPS AT CCC
Canadian Certified Counsellor, Registered Psychotherapist and Art Therapist
Anna started at JFSE in 2018. Anna’s approach as a therapist is not only informed by her extensive education, training and professional experience; it is first rooted in her own life experiences and a deep love and care for human beings.
Anna has a Masters in Psychotherapy, Spirituality and Art Therapy, and is certified in Counseling and Children Counseling. Anna is also trained in Complex Trauma Therapy, Trauma-Informed Art Therapy, Somatic and Focussing Psychotherapy, Grief Counseling Play, and Sandtray Therapy. She facilitates Art Therapy for adults, children, and families, to explore and heal deeper levels and to find expression for experiences that are difficult to verbalize.
She has over 20 years of experience as a multicultural therapist in Europe, Israel, and Canada and works with adults, families, couples, youth, and children and is a strong advocate for marginalized populations and people. Her thesis specialized in Eating Issues, and she developed a new treatment model based on attachment theory, somatic experiencing theory and art psychotherapy models.
Her areas of focus are 2SLGBTQ+ clients, clients experiencing social justice issues, family, child and couple therapy, grief and loss (health, career, job, community, faith), bereavement, trauma, sexual abuse, childhood trauma, spiritual dilemmas, attachment wounding, and emotional regulation issues (e.g. anxiety/depression/mood disorders, dissociation, borderline personality, alexithymia, eating issues and disorders, etc.).
Anna speaks English, Hebrew, Dutch and some conversational French.
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Kayla McLachlan
Registered Provisional Psychologist
Kayla is a Registered Provisional Psychologist. Since 2013 Kayla has worked and volunteered in several non-profits that focus on supporting people impacted by trauma and ending gender-based violence.
Kayla believes that counselling is a collaborative process and that people are the experts in their own lives and experiences. Kayla aims to create a warm, safe, and gentle space to explore the challenges that have brought people into counselling. Her work is informed by social justice and anti-oppressive principles. Kayla has additional training in narrative therapy, trauma-informed practices, mindfulness, somatic approaches, and hypnotherapy.
Kayla enjoys spending time in nature, playing cards, cross-stitching, and live theatre.
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Heather Ruhl
Mental Health Therapist
Heather is currently completing her Master of Counselling, reconnecting with her passion for mental health after over a decade of working in financial services. Before joining JFS, Heather completed her internship at Pilgrims Hospice Society, working with individuals experiencing loss and grief and facilitating group program delivery. Her hope is to help clients find ways to heal and discover their own strengths along their journeys and believes her role as a therapist is to shine a light into the darkness so you can choose your path forward. Heather is an advocate for mental health awareness and inclusion, and she works to raise awareness and understanding of mental health and inclusivity in a variety of settings. Heather is a Certified Trauma Professional and uses trauma-informed and narrative therapy approaches in her work.
Heather values spending time with her friends and family, reading, playing with her cat Sam, sewing, crochet, knitting, kayaking, and baking, and appreciates a good cup of coffee.
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Ashley Ploof
Intern Therapist
Ashley is excited to complete her internship with Jewish Family Services as part of her Master of Counselling degree at City University. With a previous degree in Music Therapy from Capilano University, Ashley gained valuable experience working in palliative care, hospice, and long-term care settings.
Since then, she has worked with diverse communities through her work at several non-profits, helping individuals with Parkinson’s and those facing challenges such as poverty, houselessness, domestic violence, and trauma. Ashley believes everyone is the expert of their own story and brings this philosophy to her work.
By offering a warm, safe, and compassionate environment, Ashley works collaboratively with clients to explore challenges and foster personal growth. She values trauma-informed and anti-oppressive practices, and her approach is rooted in shared humanity, helping clients find pathways to healing and change. Her preferred treatment modalities are narrative, person-centred, and ACT.
Ashley enjoys spending time with her family and friends, being in nature with her puppy, Echo, and playing music.
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Justin Mah
Intern Therapist
Justin is excited to complete his internship with Jewish Family Services as part of his Master of Counselling degree at City University. Justin graduated with a B.Sc in Chemistry in 2020 from the University of Alberta and has worked as a teaching assistant for the University of Alberta and a GED instructor for students with disabilities.
By offering a collaborate, safe, and compassionate environment, Justin works with clients to explore their personal challenges and develop personal growth. He values anti-oppressive practices, and his approach is rooted in the belief that regardless of background, all people are capable of growth, learning and success that allows them to reach their full potential.
Justin uses CBT, DBT, and Adlerian inspired approaches to help people overcome their life challenges and work towards their goals.
When not counselling, Justin enjoys spending time with his family and friends, playing piano, teaching dance, and learning about world history.
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Libby Kostromin MPS
Group Facilitator
While completing a Masters of Psychotherapy and Spirituality at St. Stephen’s College Libby initially joined JFSE in January 2019 as a group facilitator before stepping into the additional role of Group Therapy Co-ordinator in June 2021.
Libby brings extensive experience and education in facilitation, program development and relationship-building from her previous ‘life’ as an organisational development consultant and leadership coach in Melbourne, Australia.
The core of Libby’s approach to coaching and counselling involves collaborating with clients to locate and respond to the wellspring of inner wisdom; working together to find the most authentic way of being with, and responding to, the challenges presented in this life.
As a counsellor and facilitator, Libby brings a warm, genuine, mature presence, along with a capacity to empathize and challenge and a willingness to journey into the unknown with others. She is especially drawn to working with adults experiencing interpersonal or professional challenges, a significant or difficult life transition, or some kind of loss—loss of a loved one, of hope, of health or wellbeing, or of connection with others.
Libby feels it is a privilege to journey with clients seeking to grow and deepen—personally, professionally, relationally and spiritually. She enjoys encouraging and supporting others to move forward with greater clarity, ease and authenticity in life.
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Daniella Kersey
Group Facilitator
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