Kayla James
BSc., MACP., CCC., CC-BRT, PMH-C (in progress)
Hi, I'm Kayla — a Canadian Certified Counsellor, mama of two, and birth trauma survivor based in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.
I believe that everyone deserves a space where they feel heard, understood, and supported, especially when life feels overwhelming or uncertain. My approach to counselling is grounded in compassion, curiosity, and a deep respect for each person's unique experiences. I strive to create a space where you can show up as you are, explore what feels difficult, and move toward healing and growth at your own pace.
Background
My passion for supporting individuals and families through life’s most vulnerable moments has shaped my journey as a counsellor. My early experience involved working with children with developmental needs, using play-based approaches and learning theories to support their growth and development.
After completing my Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University in 2023, my own experiences with motherhood, pregnancy loss, and birth trauma deepened my interest in perinatal and reproductive mental health. These experiences helped shape my understanding of how profoundly our experiences can affect us, while reinforcing the importance of compassionate, individualized support.
I am EMDR-trained and have completed additional training in birth and reproductive trauma and maternal mental health. I have also provided peer support through Postpartum Support International and am working toward my Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C).
My approach is trauma-informed, collaborative, and grounded in evidence-based care. I draw on a range of therapeutic approaches, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), mindfulness, person-centred therapy, and Internal Family Systems (IFS)-informed techniques.
I support individuals navigating anxiety, trauma, OCD, infertility, perinatal and reproductive mental health challenges, life transitions, and complex emotional experiences. Together, we work to better understand what you’re experiencing, build on your strengths, and find a path forward that feels meaningful to you.
The Story Behind Lotus & Lily
Lotus & Lily was born from my personal experiences and a desire to create more compassionate mental health support during life’s most vulnerable moments.
My own journey has included living with OCD, experiencing a traumatic miscarriage in 2021, and narrowly escaping a stillbirth in 2022 following a fetal-maternal hemorrhage. Each of these experiences has shaped me in different ways, deepening my understanding of how profoundly our experiences can affect us, often long after the moments themselves have passed.
Living with OCD has taught me that some of our hardest struggles happen beneath the surface. Intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and uncertainty can be difficult to explain to others, and the weight of these experiences can sometimes leave us feeling isolated or misunderstood. My experiences with pregnancy loss and birth trauma have also shown me how deeply grief, fear, and unexpected experiences can affect our sense of safety and well-being.
Together, these experiences have strengthened my belief that everyone deserves support rooted in compassion rather than judgment. They have also opened my eyes to the gaps that can exist in mental health care, from receiving a diagnosis and finding appropriate support to navigating fertility challenges, pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. I wanted to create a space where people feel heard, understood, and supported without having to minimize their experiences or navigate difficult emotions alone.
The name Lotus & Lily reflects the heart of this vision. The lotus symbolizes resilience, transformation, and the possibility of growth through difficult circumstances. The lily represents renewal, hope, and compassion. Together, they reflect the belief that even through painful experiences, there can be room for healing, connection, and new beginnings.
While perinatal and reproductive mental health remain especially close to my heart, the values behind Lotus & Lily extend beyond any one experience or stage of life. I believe everyone deserves a space where they can show up as they are, explore what they are going through, and feel supported in finding their own path forward.
I share parts of my story in the hope that someone reading it might feel a little less alone. You do not have to look like you are struggling for your experience to be real, and you do not have to have everything figured out to deserve support.
At Lotus & Lily, your story matters.