A Warm Welcome to
MENLA PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELLING
I'm Sara Jungen, a Registered Psychologist with over 20 years experience, serving clients throughout Alberta and British Columbia through secure video and phone sessions.
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At the core of my work is a fundamental belief: you possess an innate goodness—a part of you that remains whole, resilient, and capable of healing. I approach therapy not as fixing what's broken, but as uncovering the wisdom and strength already within you.
My Therapeutic Approach
My therapeutic approach reflects my unique journey—blending rigorous training in Western psychological methods with Eastern mindfulness practices. This integration allows me to address both immediate symptoms and deeper patterns.
I draw primarily from:
Contemplative Psychotherapy
Hakomi Body-Centered Therapy
EMDR for trauma healing
Over the years, I've continued weaving mindfulness into both my personal life and clinical practice. Beyond individual counselling, I've taught Meditation for Mental Health courses in healthcare institutions, corporate environments, and private settings. To deepen my practice, I committed to an intensive six-year meditation program that included annual advanced training in India.
My Journey To Mindfulness-Integrated Psychology
For over two decades, I've had the privilege of supporting thousands of individuals on their healing journeys. My path as a therapist took a transformative turn in my early twenties during travels to India, where I discovered the profound power of meditation. These Eastern approaches to working with heart and mind opened new doors in my own life through practices like self-forgiveness, helping me let go of the past and develop deeper compassion for myself and others.
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This experience led me to pursue a Master's degree in Contemplative Psychotherapy at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado—a unique program integrating Western psychology with Eastern mindfulness practices. My education went beyond academics to include weekly meditation, month-long retreats, and deep self-reflection, teaching me that to truly support others, we must first understand ourselves.
Diverse Clinical Experience
My career has encompassed work with an extraordinarily diverse range of clients—from new mothers to war veterans, from those grieving to those reclaiming their sense of self, and many others across the spectrum of human experience. This breadth of experience has developed in me a profound capacity to hold space for the full range of human suffering and resilience.
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I want you to know: All of you is welcome here. Whatever you're carrying, I've got you.
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My years of helping people process wounds and develop self-compassion have been deeply rewarding. I've witnessed firsthand that while we all struggle, we possess tremendous resilience and the capacity to heal and thrive in our own unique ways.
Beyond The Therapy Room
When I'm not working, I cherish my role as mother to two wonderful children. Growing up Swiss-Canadian and multilingual, enhanced my ability to honor diverse ways of experiencing the world. I find my greatest sense of grounding and renewal in nature's wild spaces. Much of my childhood was spent int the outdoors—countless nights sleeping under the stars, backpacking and summiting peaks in the Rockies, and trekking in the Himalayas with my family. Today, you'll find me foraging through the coastal rainforests or paddling the ocean waters around my island home. Nature continues to be where I feel most grounded, inspired, and alive.
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I am also committed to learning about and supporting Truth and Reconciliation efforts. As someone living and working on traditional Indigenous territories, I recognize that educating myself on culturally sensitive approaches to providing psychological services, and offering barrier-free access to counselling for First Nations and Inuit people, represents one small personal step toward reconciliation. I continue building my understanding of how to meaningfully contribute to healing the impacts of colonization through completing Indigenous cultural competency training, committing to ongoing First Nations-specific education annually, and offering services through the NIHB (Non-Insured Health Benefits) program
Professional Credentials
Registered Psychologist (R.Psych)
Alberta #3449
British Columbia #2390