Janelle Downing-Baker

Canadian Certified Counsellor

About Janelle

Warm greetings! I began my academic journey with a B.Sc. Kinesiology from the University of Lethbridge and then branched into my Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MACP) through Yorkville University. In late 2025, I am hoping to obtain my designation as a Registered Provisional Psychologist. With a background in competitive dancing and kinesiology, I view health as a holistic entity where all dimensions of wellness interplay with each other. Providing a comfortable environment that is free of judgment is immeasurably important to me, and I treat all individuals with respect both in and outside of the therapeutic space. I use a client-centred approach in tailoring your therapeutic journey around your unique lived experience and needs.

I enjoy bringing mindfulness into my sessions, collaboratively structuring your journey alongside you. You can often catch me engaging in meditation and breathing exercises, so suffice to say, I practice what I preach! Throughout the Fall of 2024, I will be taking a specialized course to begin incorporating somatic practices into therapy, and to become certified in teaching trauma-informed yoga as a means to mesh the mind-body connection. Holistic wellness is a passion of mine and I bring my background of kinesiology into sessions, focusing on a compassionate and insightful perspective towards your body and mind. In addition to mindfulness and somatic work, I also have experience supporting clients with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder through Exposure and Response Prevention, as well as helping clients who are seeking support with hoarding. I also have experience supporting the neurodiverse community through group therapy, individual sessions, and through psychoeducational assessment.

I believe that it’s important to view health as a whole-body concept that incorporates whatever aspects are meaningful to you, whether that be physical health, emotional, spiritual, mental, or a combination of all of those factors. My counselling modality is a client-centred approach where I draw from aspects of mindfulness and somatic therapy, solutions-focused therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, narrative therapy, and exposure and response prevention. Outside of the therapeutic space, I enjoy caretaking for my 43 houseplants, and I am a lover of baking, especially sourdough and baked goods! When I’m not walking or hiking outside, you can catch me enjoying a hot flow yoga class indoors. Let’s explore your journey towards wellness together!