Tessa Burns

After graduating in 2005 from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Tessa Burns decided to pursue a Masters in Counselling Psychology. Through that program, it became clear to her that she wanted to implement creative strategies in her counselling practice. She wrote her final project on the use of animal-assisted therapy with survivors of domestic violence. The project was well-received and strengthened her urge to use alternative treatment methods in her work.

Tessa Burns came across the ideas of Integrated Body Psychotherapy (IBP) through a workshop she attended and was immediately interested. IBP was intriguing because it uses a broader lens through which to conceptualize the concerns that people struggle with. It combines some of the theoretical underpinnings of various traditional counselling practices with breathwork, yoga and body release work. She started using the techniques with her clients, including court-mandated clients, and was amazed by the results. That is when she discovered the Centre for Soft Tissue Pain Ltd and realized how well the body work being done at the Centre would complement IBP.