Attachment-based Therapists in Nepean, ON

Are you stuck in dysfunctional and self-sabotaging patterns? Do you have high expectations for yourself that you can never satisfy? Are you experiencing inner turmoil and outer irritability you can’t settle? Psychotherapy could help with these. I believe that self-understanding, the awareness of and ability to understand one’s actions and reactions, is important for personal transformation. Using a gentle, introspective approach, I provide clients with the space to be curious about their past and current experiences. I believe personal transformation can happen to everyone at any age.

I provide counselling and psychotherapy services to Individuals, Teens (12+), and Families. I work tirelessly to support my clients in achieving their goals and reducing their distress. I believe that the most fundamental step towards effective therapy is a strong and trusting relationship between the client and the therapist, therefore it is a top priority in the work I do. My overall goal is to facilitate a therapeutic process which empowers clients to find happiness, balance, health, and well-being.

Communicating with your partner is hard. You replay arguments over and over. You feel criticized by your partner and do not feel heard. The idea of voicing your needs feels overwhelming and frustrating. As time has passed, talking to your partner has become minimal. There is less sharing of your feelings due to feelings of disappointment of not being heard. Your partner and you feel disconnected and lack communication. You are exhausted at working so hard to have a genuine relationship and it feels like nothing is working. What you want is to feel you can confide in your partner, feel loved, feel heard and supported.

Beyond my credentials, I've learned keenly from each of my clients over the years, and my practice is informed by rich life experience. I work collaboratively, guiding you in revealing underlying causes and patterns that may be posing challenges in your life, in identifying and clarifying your own goals, and supporting you in carrying out strategies best suited for you to reach them. Each counselling need is unique. Always listening and with empathy, I can challenge you without threatening, and meet you where you're really at - which may not necessarily be where you assume you are.

Accepting new clients mid-May 2024! Are you struggling with your relationships? Struggling with your self-esteem and confidence? Or are struggling to understand your emotions and reactions? If so, then welcome. I believe that we all have some wounds from our past, and that these experiences can impact how we view ourselves and how we show up in our relationships/life. Although we cannot change our past, I believe that making connections from the past to our present allows us to heal. Healing occurs in the present when we free ourselves from past strategies of protection and relate to ourselves in a more connected and lively way.

Are you worried about your child or adolescent? Is your child struggling to connect with peers, bullying others, or being bullied? Is your adolescent having difficulty managing his or her mood or anxiety? Are you having difficulty connecting as a family? Counselling can help to alleviate the pain and discomfort of these difficult experiences, while supporting you and your family to thoughtfully move forward by helping each member feel heard, understood, and connected once again.

I am a Registered Psychotherapist with extensive experience working with both individuals and couples who are struggling with personal and relational difficulties. I focus on treating a number of mental health concerns including, but not limited to: depression, stress, anxiety, trauma, self-esteem, grief, relationship struggles, parenting, and perinatal issues. I am also passionate about supporting individuals and couples experiencing difficulties and challenges related to family creation and parenthood such as infertility, miscarriage/stillbirth, infant loss, postpartum depression and anxiety, and family adjustment issues.

I am dedicated to helping my clients reach their goals. I see individuals, couples and families. I am also open to supervisees (students or RPQ). My main areas of expertise are anxiety and depression, sexual issues (such as sex addiction and improving sexual relationships) and communication skill building with couples and families. I am LGBTQ, gender nonbinary, poly and kink-friendly. I am a straight-up and forward therapist. I work with my clients where they're at, in that moment. Goals are addressed in a collaborative, on-going fashion. Together, we can heal your relationships and help you reach your full potential.

Please Note: I am only accepting therapy clients to work with my supervisee, Alexandra Matheson, who is candidate of Yorkville University's Masters of Arts in Counselling Psychology. My doctoral training has been in evidence-based practice and my primary theoretical orientation is cognitive-behavioural, including exposure and response prevention therapy. I often integrate other therapeutic methods (i.e., emotionally focused therapy, and mindfulness) as my therapeutic approach is to work collaboratively with clients.

Families created through adoption, fostering and donor-assisted reproduction and blended families have unique histories and experiences which differ from families created through birth alone. All have experienced losses and the trauma of broken birth bonds. These experiences can provoke conscious or unconscious feelings such as grief, anger and shame which have significant impacts on self-value, behaviours, relationships and intimacy. If you are a part of such a family, accessing & understanding your experience & grieving your losses, are necessary before personal change and deeper interpersonal connections can be made.

Substance use, trauma and mental health issues can put a significant dent in someone's quality of life. From simply being uncomfortable with how much you are using, or how it is affecting your life, to wishing you could shut your brain or your memories off; to being suicidal or at risk of overdose. You don't need to do this alone. Talking to someone who has seen and helped others with these things can be immensely relieving. If your teenager is going through these problems, it is also relieving to know they are talking to someone about them. Trying to parent a teenager while they are going through this chaos can be challenging.

FREE First Session for New Clients - Are you feeling overwhelmed by family, relationship or work problems, conflict, and stress? Do you feel irritable, worried, fear the worst happening, unsure how to move forward? Your relationships, self-esteem, sleep and focus may be suffering, leaving you feeling exhausted, disconnected and stuck trying to deal with negative thoughts and emotions alone. No matter what you do it never seems to be enough. The good news is you are not alone, and you don't have to take this anymore. I'm here to listen, support and help guide you in healing solutions toward claiming the life you deserve.

STILL ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS I am a doctor of developmental psychology specializing in psycho-educational assessments. Areas of my specialty include learning disability, attention deficit hyperactive disorder, gifted, developmental disabilities and social emotional disorders. My university degree includes a master's degree and a doctorate degree in developmental psychology. College of Psychologists of Ontario .In my case conceptualization and interventions, I implement an integrated and systemic approach. I use evidence-based treatment protocols tailored to each of my client's needs, with a focus on client-centered and cognitive-behavioural approaches.

I am currently accepting new individual or couple clients for in person or virtual therapy sessions. As an individual and couple's therapist, my goal is to provide you with a comfortable environment in which you can explore your thoughts, feelings, behaviors and personal challenges. I know at times we are overwhelmed by life's challenges. This can lead to feeling lost, confused, overwhelmed, stuck or hopeless. I believe therapy is a great asset in getting you through such a difficult time and moving towards feeling better. I would be happy to be your therapist and accompany you on this new experience.

You are struggling with feelings of stress, overwhelmedness, and stuck-ness that might be new—or you’ve had them as long as you can remember. You might be feeling low, unmotivated, and having a hard time getting back to your ‘usual self'. Your life, career, or relationships just aren't going the way you'd like them to, and you want to create more helpful patterns and experiences. These and other issues (grief, parenting and pregnancy/postpartum) are all things people I see are experiencing and wanting to change. I am fluent in ASL and understand the unique issues clients who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing face.

We provide evidence-based treatments for a variety of psychological problems including anxiety, depression, relationship problems, personality disorders, trauma, and issues related to identity and self-esteem. We help couples improve communication, and resolve conflicts to build a more secure bond. We treat teens experiencing anxiety, depression, self-injury, and other mental health problems. We provide treatment for children experiencing anxiety, depression, oppositional and defiant behaviour, ADHD, attachment difficulties, & school avoidance. We help those struggling with substance and alcohol problems.

I work in individual psychotherapy with adults, who are experiencing depression, anxiety, grief and loss, trauma, life transitions, isolation, burnout syndrome, low self-esteem, high levels of stress, communication and relationship issues. I am passionate about working in therapy by building a strong therapeutic relationship within a safe and supportive environment, to help individuals gain insight into their functioning, and provide new ways of seeing themselves. I have extensive clinical experience helping individuals with chronic illnesses to better cope with their health issues and the emotional process related to the acceptance of the disease and medical treatments.

As a person and a counsellor, I believe that everyone, regardless of life circumstances, wants to feel connected and understood. Unfortunately, in today's fast-paced society, often times people do not feel heard or listened to, connected to others, and least of all understood. This being said, I believe that the relationship developed between myself and my client is the most crucial component of counselling. It is my hope that at the end of your sessions, you will develop positive coping strategies while healing unresolved feelings; but above all, that you leave feeling heard, understood and cared for.

I believe when we feel understood, validated, and supported…we heal. This is what psychotherapy is intended to do. My style is gentle and compassionate. I am an encourager by nature, so can help you identify & build on what you already do well. I am also sensitive by nature and there’s a good chance you are as well (it’s a genetic trait called "Highly Sensitive Person" that shows up in about 20% of the population & about 50% of therapy clients).