“A tree has its roots planted deep in the heart of the earth. Some trees that appear to be quite steady, need only one raging storm to knock them down. Resilient trees can weather a violent storm because their roots are deep and firm. The roots of a lasting relationship are mindfulness, deep listening and loving speech, and a strong community to support you.” - Thích Nhất Hạnh

Hi! I’m Alaynna (pronounced Ah-lay-na).

I am a Chinese, second-generation immigrant born and raised in amiskwaciwâskahikan (Treaty 6 territory, Edmonton).

I understand that starting therapy can feel overwhelming and intimidating, and you don’t have to go through it alone. My goal is to create a safe, compassionate, and non-judgmental space where you can explore life’s challenges while discovering your strengths and resilience. I bring warmth, empathy, and a touch of humour to our work together, honouring both the joys and struggles that shape you as a whole.

Together, I can support you with concerns such as anxiety, self-identity and confidence, career and workplace stress, cultural and family dynamics, relationships, and intergenerational trauma. My therapeutic approach is shaped by mindfulness, compassion-focused, and strengths-based practices rooted in a culturally responsive, anti-oppressive, and socially just lens. I am passionate about breaking down barriers to mental health, embracing diversity, and making room for “real-talk” conversations where you feel truly seen and empowered. Above all, I hope to offer an environment where you don’t feel the need to silence your voice — a space where you can come as you are, with gentleness and authenticity.

Full list of therapeutic practices: Culturally Sensitive and Anti-Oppressive Therapy, Decolonizing Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Compassion-Focused Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Therapy, Strengths-Based Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and Trauma-Informed Therapy.

In my free time, you will find me listening to R&B, sewing, learning about sustainable fashion, or playing cozy games. I love spontaneous walks around nature and discovering new local café spots!

“A tree has its roots planted deep in the heart of the earth. Some trees that appear to be quite ... Read More

(On maternity leave).

“May you have places and spaces where you don’t have to perform or pretend. May your authentic self find or create soft places to land” – Dr. Thema Bryant.

Welcome! I understand how difficult it may be to exist in spaces where you feel you can’t bring your authentic self. Whether it is because it hasn’t felt safe for you or because you are exploring your identity, navigating life transitions, or managing mental health concerns might impact your ability to do so. I strive to create a therapy space that invites, embraces, and uplifts all parts of you-mind, body, heart, & spirit to show up authentically. You can also expect me to show up as my authentic self, gentle, warm, collaborative, and compassionate.

I practice with a culturally responsive & socially just lens, which means I consider how cultural identity, values/beliefs, worldview, and positioning influence your overall well- being and interact within the therapy space. I hold various intersectional identities, such as being Tamil and a daughter of immigrants. These intersections and my lived experience impact my passion for supporting BIPOC communities to heal from culturally diverse challenges. My hope for you is to be seen, heard, & supported in accessing culturally responsive therapy services. I embrace cultural humility and a relational stance so therapy can be a safe(r) space for you to process life’s difficulties in a way that prioritizes trauma-informed, equitable, anti-oppressive and decolonial values. I offer free 15-minute consultation calls to determine if we would be a good fit to work together, and I would be honoured to get to know and support you if it feels right.

A little bit about me: I enjoy practicing yoga spending time outside and with my loved ones. I prefer sweets over savoury options, except I am a huge popcorn lover :)

Clients: individuals & families; children & teens (age 6+)

Areas of Support: Cultural Bereavement; Grief & Loss; Racial Trauma / Stress; Cultural-identity exploration or challenges; Attachment and social-emotional difficulties; Family of Origin concerns & intergenerational trauma; Relationship struggles

Approach to Therapy: I work from an integrative-eclectic approach drawing from Narrative Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy and Somatic Based-Therapies. 

Education and Training Master of Counselling in Counselling Psychology (Athabasca University); Bachelor of Arts, Major in Psychology, Minor in Sociology (University of Alberta); Hakomi Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy: An Experiential Introduction - 2023; 5 day Brief & Narrative Therapy Certificate – 2023; Body-Oriented Trauma Counselling Strategies- 2021; Introduction to Play Therapy - 2021; Working with Newcomers-Understanding Pre-Migration & Trauma - 2021; First Responder to Sexual Assault & Abuse Training – 2018

Professional Experience: I have been involved in the mental health field for the past decade in various roles, working with children, youth, adults, and families. My experience includes supporting children and youth’s development in a school, group, and community setting, anti- sexual violence advocacy work, supporting survivors of sexual violence and working with other professions to support young people who have experienced marginalization & abuse/neglect.

(On maternity leave). “May you have places and spaces where you don’t have to perform or pretend... Read More

Reena Samra (she/her) Founder and Director, Registered Social Worker

Welcome! I am a trauma therapist with culturally informed, anti-racist and intersectional feminist values. I would be honoured to walk through life’s difficulties with you through creating a trusting relationship. We can process life experiences, develop your unique identity, explore values, and set boundaries. Through being more compassionate to yourself, we can build your self worth and heal childhood wounds. We can heal intergenerational trauma so that you can come into your authentic self. We can work together to figure out who you are, and how to operate in a world that is not always made for us, while also learning to heal in relationships and in community. I work holistically to support folks to deepen their connections to their mind, body, soul, spirit, emotions and community. I am uniquely tuned in to how systems of oppression and our surrounding environments can harm us and our mental health as racialized people with intersectional identities and I strive to bring a social justice oriented, anti-oppressive and systemic perspective to mental health. I care deeply about creating safer spaces that empower BIPOC mental health.

After working in social work for the last decade, I shifted to trauma counselling to do more in-depth work with my clients around meaning-making and creating purpose out of life. As a social worker, I became more aware of the gaps in the system that left many voices and experiences unheard and unsupported. I wanted to create more culturally informed therapeutic services that center those voices that are not often heard. I wanted to create more access to healing for our communities and promote spaces where racialized people can take up more space and be fully ourselves.

My journey into social work and then into counselling was very personal. I know what it’s like to suffer and experience oppression and barriers to mental health support; going through my own trauma inspired me to support others who are going through a similar experience. I aim to bring this holistic perspective into my work and to continue listening and learning from the community.

I specialize in supporting folks with healing from racism, racial trauma and racial grief. Other specialties include newcomer, immigrant and refugee mental health; sexual violence; grief and loss; childhood abuse; complex trauma and PTSD; LGBTQ2S; neurodiversity; trauma-informed yoga and meditation; somatic therapy; spirituality; culturally safe therapy.

We will not heal the wounds of racial trauma in a world that continues to traumatize us. Still, we can work to feel empowered in our lives and to honour our intersectionality. This is a continual work in progress, and there is no perfection to strive for, only compassion for the multidimensional aspects that make us who we are.

You can expect me to meet you with compassion, empowerment, warmth, authenticity, humor and gentleness. We can collaborate to create tailored therapy for you. It would be an honour to get to know who you are.

Types of therapy: Decolonizing Therapy, Emotion Focused Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Culturally Sensitive Therapy, EMDR Therapy, The Grief Recovery Method, Trauma-informed Yoga and Meditation, Intersectional Feminist Therapy, Anti-oppressive Practice, Compassion Focused Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Internal Family Systems Therapy, Somatic Therapy

In my free time, you will find me travelling (I have been to over 20 different countries so far), attending live music shows, spending time in nature, doing yoga and meditating, exploring the city with friends and family, enjoying anything interior design, eating vegetarian food, getting tattoos and piercings, or being a fur baby mom to my two dogs!

Reena Samra (she/her) Founder and Director, Registered Social Worker Welcome! I am a trauma the... Read More