Hi, I’m Carla
Founder of Total Living Center
I live in New Brunswick, a quaint little place on the East Coast of Canada with lots of nature and the beautiful Atlantic Ocean to call home. I love the water, and no matter where I am, I am always happiest when I’m facing in its direction. The pull of the tide is a real thing, and despite my love for traveling and other places, the water always brings me home!
It makes sense because I’m a June baby, my sign is cancer, the crab, and they love water. For me, water is grounding and healing. My water connection is crucial because I am also a Highly Sensitive Person (yep, that is a real thing, check out the work by Dr. Elaine Aron.) I get paid for this trait in my beloved role as a Psychotherapist in my equally beloved small town.
My life has allowed me this unique perspective of experiencing anxiety from the time of a teenager. I was grappling with a lot of fear daily. Sometimes it was life stress, other times, it was self-created, I would get stuck in these thoughts that made me feel trapped in worry and dread, and somedays the feelings seemed to come from nowhere. Depression came more in my mid-twenties and had a lot to do with my belief that I was falling short of what was expected of me, and the harder I worked, the more hopeless I became. I channeled a lot of my emotions into academics (something I found easier to manage than my emotions). My high honours and 4.0 may have hinted at my emotional state by the end of my Master’s degree.
By the end of my formal training, I felt disillusioned and burnt out and blamed myself for it.
At age 27, I started leaving behind the expectations others had for me and started the journey of rediscovering myself. It was not easy! By age 28, I started my private practice in therapy, and I’ve never regretted taking that leap.
From one year to the next, I peel back the layers, and with the education, experience, and wisdom I uncover, I help others do the same. It’s been a beautiful, magical, and unpredictable ride. I’m happy I can now share more authentically with those I meet along the path.