Jacqueline Milner, MSc, is a Clinical Psychologist and the founder and director of Breathe Mindfulness Centre. With over 30 years of experience, she provides counselling, therapeutic programming, workshops, and retreats across Nova Scotia, supporting individuals and organizations in cultivating mental health and well-being.
A Past-President of the Association of Psychologists of Nova Scotia (APNS), Jacqueline brings an integrative approach grounded in evidence-based therapies, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Internal Family Systems (IFS). She holds advanced certifications in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC), is a trauma-informed yoga teacher, and is a Certified Menopause Lifestyle Practitioner. This specialized training further informs her work with women navigating perimenopause, menopause, and midlife.
Her work bridges psychological science with mindfulness and body-based practices, with an emphasis on nervous system regulation, self-compassion, emotional resilience, and sustainable well-being. She creates thoughtful, accessible spaces that support meaningful and lasting change.
See Jacqueline’s Full Bio & Services Contact for Appointment
Clara Whitman is a Clinical Social Worker from the Annapolis Valley who works with youth (14+), adults and couples. With over a decade of experience in social work, she has been privileged to connect with clients of all ages and stages of life in her work with families and individuals. She has a particular affinity for working with those impacted by trauma, including traumatic stress, PTSD, c-PTSD, developmental and intergenerational trauma.
Clara draws from evidence-based therapies that include elements of mindfulness and self-acceptance, such as Emotionally Focussed Therapy (EFT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Relational Psychodynamic Therapy, and Somatic Therapy. She also integrates elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Narrative Therapy. Clara is further trained in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), an eye-movement therapy designed to offer relief from symptoms of trauma and anxiety in a shorter number of sessions.
Tessa Cosman is a Clinical Psychologist (Candidate Register) from the Annapolis Valley providing therapy and assessment services to adults 19+. Tessa practices a collaborative and client-centered approach, with an emphasis on supporting clients in meeting goals that are important to them.
Tessa provides support for clients managing anxiety, depression or low mood, phobias, emotion dysregulation, OCD, and stress. She practices the following evidenced-based modalities to meet the specific needs of each client: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT).
Tessa values mindfulness and self-compassion as important skills and mindsets. She weaves both of these perspectives into her work with clients.
Jennifer is a Registered Counselling Therapist -Candidate (RCT-C) in the Annapolis Valley who works with children, adolescents and young adults. As a former elementary school teacher and school counsellor, she also has 8 years of experience as a yoga and mindfulness coach. Jen is passionate about taking an integrative, client-centered holistic approach when working with clients.
Jennifer draws from several evidence based modalities such as Somatic Therapy, Expressive Arts Therapy, Play Based Therapy, Mindfulness Based Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Jen strives to cultivate a deep understanding of each client’s lived experience, and tailoring her interventions according to each individual’s hopes, dreams and challenges.
Mindfulness is at the heart of Jen’s therapeutic approaches and is passionate about taking a whole body approach with each client, working together to discover each individual’s unique strengths and resiliency.
Vanessa Wotherspoon is a Registered Psychologist and former teacher with more than 20 years of experience supporting children, adolescents, and young adults. She provides psychoeducational and ADHD assessments for individuals ages 5+, as well as counselling for children and young adults ages 5–25.
With professional backgrounds in both psychology and education, Vanessa brings a thoughtful understanding of how learning, attention, executive functioning, emotions, and behaviour can affect a young person’s development and well-being. She is committed to making the assessment process comfortable and empowering while helping individuals and families understand both their strengths and the challenges that may be affecting their potential.
In counselling, Vanessa supports young people experiencing anxiety, depression or low mood, low self-esteem, behavioural concerns, and difficulties related to learning, attention, and executive functioning. She draws from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and Motivational Interviewing while leaving room for creativity, play, and collaboration. As a certified Yoga in Schools instructor, Vanessa also brings an understanding of mindfulness, movement, and self-regulation to her work with young people.
Lavina Friesen is a Registered Counselling Therapist – Candidate (RCT-C) with the Nova Scotia College of Counselling Therapists. She provides individual counselling to adults and older teens aged 16+, offering a compassionate and welcoming space for clients experiencing trauma, anxiety and overwhelm, grief and loss, relationship concerns, low mood, stress, and life transitions.
Working from trauma-informed and attachment-based perspectives, Lavina supports clients in developing greater emotional awareness, regulation, self-understanding, and confidence. She draws from evidence-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Emotion-Focused Therapy, and Internal Family Systems (IFS).
Before becoming a counsellor, Lavina lived and worked internationally and taught students from many different cultures and backgrounds. These experiences helped cultivate her appreciation for the diverse identities, values, experiences, and perspectives each person brings to counselling.
Lavina is also a member of the Professional Association of Christian Counsellors and Psychotherapists. She welcomes clients of all cultural, spiritual, and religious backgrounds, including those who do not identify with a particular faith. When faith or spirituality is important to a client, Lavina can respectfully include these dimensions in counselling in a way that is guided by the client’s own beliefs, values, and preferences.