A soft place to grow.
Virtual eating disorder therapy across BC, for anyone ready to find more peace with food and their body.
Hi, I'm Bre (she/her)
If food, eating or your body is taking up more space in your life than you want it to, you’re in the right place. Knowing you don’t want to stay where you are is enough to begin. I work with people who want to understand their relationship to their body and build a life that feels like their own.
I know first-hand how powerful therapy can be, and that experience shapes how I sit with every client. I’m fascinated by the nervous system: how stress, life and trauma can leave us stuck in survival mode, and how eating disorder behaviours often become a way to cope with feelings that seem too big. Together, we’ll make sense of those patterns and build a steadier sense of safety in your body.
Before becoming a counsellor, I spent seven years in business. I felt misaligned with the work I was doing, and went looking for work I could love for the rest of my life. I found it in learning how our brains work and how we make sense of our world, and most of all in hearing people’s stories.
My clinical training has focused on eating disorders. I graduated from City University of Seattle in Canada with a Master of Counselling in September 2026. During my studies, I volunteered and worked at the Looking Glass Foundation, where I provided individual therapy to people affected by eating disorders. Before that, I worked on the Calgary Distress Centre crisis line, supporting people through some of their hardest moments.
Outside of work, you’ll find me on my yoga mat, hosting dinner parties for friends, or at home with my two cats.
Watch a short video of me with the Looking Glass Foundation (Instagram)
Grounded and curious
I believe change starts with a non-judgemental space where you can express your experience honestly. Often, people come to me feeling stuck: unsure why they do what they do, or caught in a hard situation or relationship. Therapy is often about bringing awareness to your patterns and beliefs. Responses and behaviours that once protected you may actually be isolating you from yourself and others. To me, therapy is getting to know yourself and deciding who you want to be.
Emotions are like a blanket: when we pull it over one feeling, like anger or sadness, we cover them all, joy included. In our work, we’ll take time to understand each situation fully, so the ones that once felt black and white start to make more sense.
“Hard things don’t get lighter, you just get stronger at lifting them.”
My work draws on CBT and DBT skills for everyday tools, narrative therapy to help you see yourself as separate from the eating disorder, and experiential and somatic approaches, such as AEDP, for deeper emotions. I also bring a family systems lens, since eating disorders are often influenced by family relationships.
When you’re ready, I’d love to hear from you.
Support for eating disorders and disordered eating
One-on-one virtual therapy for adults anywhere in British Columbia. You don't need a diagnosis or the right words for what's happening. I can help with:
- Restricting, bingeing or purging
- Feeling out of control around food
- Food rules, dieting and “starting again on Monday”
- Body image and how you feel in your body
- Anxiety, perfectionism and self-criticism
- Panic attacks and a nervous system that feels stuck on high alert
- Family and relationship struggles
- Stress, trauma and life transitions
- Life in recovery and understanding your past
“Healing happens not just in what we understand, but in what our body learns it’s safe to feel.”
Common questions
Do I need a diagnosis or a referral?
No. You don't need a diagnosis, a referral or a certain level of struggle to reach out.
What is therapy, and what is my therapist thinking while I'm talking?
Therapy is a confidential space to talk through what's going on with someone trained to listen without judgement. While you talk, I'm listening closely, noticing patterns and trying to understand your experience, not judging it.
I'm not sure what I should be working on. Where do I start?
That's completely okay, and really common. We can start with whatever feels most present for you right now and shape your goals together as we go.
Why does “fit” matter, and what if something doesn’t feel right?
Feeling safe and understood is one of the biggest factors in whether therapy helps. If something I say doesn’t land or feels judgemental, please tell me. I’d always rather know, and talking it through often makes our work stronger.
I feel like I'm making no progress. What should I do?
Bring it up in session. Recovery is rarely a straight line and progress is often easier to see looking back, but if you feel stuck, we can look at what's getting in the way and adjust together.
What stays private, and what does my therapist write down?
What you share stays between us, which makes it easier to be honest. I keep brief session notes so I can follow your care, and you’re always welcome to ask about your records. There are a few legal limits to confidentiality, such as when someone is at serious risk of harm, a child may need protection or a court orders records, and I’ll go over these with you before we begin.
How do virtual sessions work?
All sessions are one-on-one by secure video. You'll need a device with a camera, a stable internet connection and a private space where you feel comfortable talking.
Can you work with my doctor or dietitian?
Yes. With your permission, I'm glad to work alongside your family doctor, dietitian or other care providers. Eating disorder care often works best with a team.
Is therapy covered by my extended health plan?
At this time, my sessions aren't covered by extended health insurance plans, so they're paid privately. I'll update this page if that changes.
Ready when you are.
Reaching out can be the hardest part. When you're ready, you can see my availability and book a session through Jane.
Online booking opens mid-November.
For general questions, email me at bre@breannamckinley.ca. I'll get back to you as soon as I can.