Kindred Roots Therapy, a young and growing mental health counselling practice in Okotoks, is on a mission to welcome those who may have been discouraged by earlier therapy experiences or misconceptions. Founder and clinic director, Allegra Taylor, passionately believes that therapy should feel like a conversation with your best friend, albeit a friend who is an educated and licensed professional who can offer insightful advice. This is a vision shared by her team of social workers and psychologists.
“Therapy should not feel intimidating. It’s all about normalizing mental health,”she says. “We’ve created a warm and inviting space for that to happen.”
Beyond addressing immediate mental health concerns, therapy teaches individuals to find joy and contentment in the present moment. According to Taylor, the goal isn't to achieve a picture-perfect life but to find genuine satisfaction and fulfillment in the here and now. Therapy also strengthens relationships, teaches the importance of healthy boundaries, and helps people understand what it means to live a life filled with purpose and meaning.
“One of the biggest myths I want to dispel is the notion that therapists are judgmental or that the therapeutic relationship is purely detached,” Taylor adds. "Therapy is a lot more relationship-focused. All of the team at Kindred Roots genuinely care about our clients' well-being, both inside and outside of sessions. We live for the ‘ah-ha’ moments and celebrate our clients' successes and breakthroughs.”
Taylor emphasizes the importance of making therapy accessible and relatable.
"It's easy once people come into our space and spend time at our events," she notes, “but the challenge is overcoming those myths and preconceptions so people make the decision to come here. Cost is often a factor. We offer direct billing to most insurance companies and for those who don’t we offer more affordable sessions with a junior therapist or student intern. We also offer both in-office and virtual sessions, again, with the focus of being a practical, affordable, accessible service.”
She knows that in today’s world, access to mental health supports are more needed than ever before.
“Nobody could predict things could have gotten to this point between inflation, the housing crisis, the media barrage, and the political climate. We are seeing a lot more people coming in feeling like they are stuck between a rock and a hard place. People are anxious and in some cases, terrified. We understand how hard it is to make that investment in yourself when you also have to put food on the table – but that investment is very important.”
For Taylor and her team, the ultimate goal is to offer professional, warm, and caring support to their clients.
“The best part is watching people become happy,” she smiles. “It is an amazing feeling for a therapist to watch apprehensive clients go from feeling like everything is messy to feeling like it makes sense and they have room to live a fulfilling life. Giving people the opportunity to experience that and seeing them live in their most authentic expression is the best part of my job.”
When members of the Kindred Roots team are not helping individuals, couples, and families in session, they are committed to hosting or sponsoring community events that support the values of connection, healthy relationships, and living a joy-filled life that ultimately support mental health.
If you're curious to learn more about how Kindred Roots Therapy can support you on your journey to mental well-being, visit their website and book a free 15 minute consultation. Take the first step towards a fulfilling and purposeful life today.
