Elena Volk, MEd., Registered Provisional Psychologist | St. Albert

Populations – Children (6 – 12), Adolescents (13 – 17), Adults, and Couples

Areas of Focus – Relationship Concerns, Attachment Concerns, Sex and Sexuality, Women's Issues, Compassion or Empathy Fatigue, Sensory Processing Sensitivity (e.g., HSP), Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, Life Transitions, Stress, Emotional Regulation, Self-Esteem/Self-Worth, Communication, ADHD, and LGBTQIA2S+ concerns

Therapeutic Models – Emotion-Focused Therapy, Compassion-Focused Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy, Sex Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy, Play Therapy, and soon offering Animal-Assisted Interventions

Location : St. Albert and Virtual

Availability: Elena is not taking new clients at this time

A Note From Elena

A common challenge clients often face is taking the risk in therapy to be vulnerable and opening up about more personal or difficult thoughts, emotions, and struggles. This reluctance to be vulnerable can stem from fears, shame, or learning from past experiences.

In sessions, I create a safe and non-judgmental space where clients can gradually build trust and feel comfortable exploring and expressing themselves and their emotions. Through empathetic listening, evidence-based therapeutic techniques, mutual authenticity, and a feedback-informed approach, we work together to explore these sensitive areas at a pace that feels right for each client.

Clients often discover that embracing vulnerability is a transformative step on their journey to healing and personal growth. Although sometimes incredibly difficult, being present, honest, and vulnerable is often what leads to profound breakthroughs and lasting positive change. As clients become more open and authentic in therapy, they gain deeper self-understanding, increased emotional resilience, and improved relationships with themselves and others outside of therapy.

Experience:

I am a Registered Provisional Psychologist with the College of Alberta Psychologists. I hold a Master’s of Education in Counselling Psychology from the University of Alberta and a Bachelor of Arts in Honours Psychology from Grant MacEwan University. I have also completed speciality training in Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) and am a Certified Sex Therapy Informed Professional (CSTIP) with the Integrative Sex Therapy Institute. My therapeutic approach is grounded in EFT and Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT). In essence, this means connecting to ourselves and our emotions with kindness and compassion to understand and work through our inner struggles. That said, while I draw inspiration from these approaches, I integrate interventions from a variety of therapeutic modalities and take care to personalize our therapy sessions to meet your specific needs, goals, and preferences. In our time together, you can expect a warm, empathetic, and compassionate environment where you are free to express yourself without judgment. My goals are to create a space where all backgrounds, stories, and identities are welcomed, an open and honest dialogue is maintained, and where you feel heard, valued, and supported.

Favourite Quote:

“Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it's having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it's our greatest measure of courage.” - Brene Brown

More than just my work:

I absolutely adore animals. Growing up, I often had six or more pets and volunteered at an animal shelter for many years. Currently, I have one dog and one cat! Aside from hanging out with them and my spouse, I love to dance, sit in the sunshine and read, travel, play video games, go on walks in beautiful places around the city, and engage in various art-based activities like drawing or painting. I am also currently learning German!