Buddhist Therapists in Acton, ON

I am the owner and operator of Margarita Rabinovich & Associates. I believe that most of us decide to seek help through psychotherapy when we have painful feelings or destructive impulses that cause difficulties in our lives and the lives of others we care for or love. Most individuals are affected by periods of discouragement and hopelessness, feeling disconnected, numb, distressed, unable to function or anxious. You are not alone. Many mental health disorders can be episodic and often is a response to a way of life that does not align with our more profound sense of meaning and authenticity or to unexamined early traumas.

I offer a contemplative, humanistic and occupational approach to psychotherapy, integrated with mindfulness and compassion exercises, cognitive strategies as well as somatic practices. It is open and eclectic and offers tools which can be used as needed. I take an individual, person-centred approach, and place trust in your inner wisdom to help guide us.

I have learned there is wisdom and resilience hidden in even the most painful of patterns, even when these patterns leave us trapped in destructive habits, despair or bad relationships. Once we find the wise intentions behind the old strategies, healing can happen. If you’re used to numbing out or criticizing yourself to get through the hard times – we’ll do it differently. Therapy with me is a judgment-free space to bring your sorrow, anxiety, anger and confusion without having to hide it or push through on your own.

"I believe one of the bravest things you can do is to begin to understand your own story." I have dedicated my life to build a practice where people can come to a place of peace, where you feel comfortable and safe to unburden yourself about the most intimate and personal aspects of your life without the fear of being judged or shamed. This process allows you to shed the layers that keep you going in the same cycles and help you start a new and more fulfilling chapter in your life. Calling a therapist can be intimidating, but I hope you will take a moment (and maybe a deep breath) to call and see how I can help.

Therapy with me is about befriending oneself unconditionally, with compassion and kindness. Through traumas, life transitions, mistakes, and successes, mindfulness can be that constant strategy that allows you to be grounded firmly in your healing. My approach is holistic, and one that synthesizes the mind, body, and spirit. My work is rooted in yoga and Buddhist practices and my professional social work experience of 18 years. My practice is LGBTQIA2S-affirming, pro-fat and anti-racist. My areas of specialty are: anxiety, depression, chronic/terminal illness, grief, burnout, body image, relationships, and immigrant issues.

Thank you for being here! I work with adults who may experience emotional and behavioural difficulties. I specialize in treating anxiety disorders, OCD, depressive disorders, personality disorders, PTSD, racial trauma, grief and loss, and other relational problems. I also work with those who have experienced childhood trauma. In my work, I consistently and sincerely acknowledge the importance of the transgenerational impact of acculturation on our beliefs, worldviews, and sense of self. I genuinely believe that we are not broken, so we do not need "fixing;" instead, we work to be the self we want to be!

With compassion, an emphasis on safety, a gentle presence and through deep listening, I will help you to identify your goals, develop a plan, recognize your own strengths and internal resources to navigate and overcome current distresses and hurdles. Whether it is challenges of anxiety, depression, loss, trauma, life transitions, self-worth, or relationship issues, I feel it is an honour and a privilege to walk with you on your journey towards individual growth and mental wellness, exploration, discovery, healing, integration and self-empowerment.

Therapy is a journey towards appreciating, knowing and growing into who you are. I want to help you find breathing room in the spaces that feel small, tight and limiting in your life. With the support of my presence, curiosity and body-mind awareness we can clarify what is confusing and bring energy and focus to the next step. With person-to-person humility, I endeavour to meet you in the blank, heavy and unsteady times ready for tears to unravel or the spark of humour that puts it all into perspective. This process can help you create a life that is rich in meaning, dignity and purpose unique to you.

Building connections with ourselves and others is one of the most important components of a fulfilling life. However, negative messages from the world and our past experiences can often make us feel like we are not good enough. This negative self-talk and self-doubt can make it difficult to form meaningful connections and enjoy life the way we want to, leaving us feeling overwhelmed, anxious, confused, or stuck.

Feeling stuck is painful. Seeing the same issues and patterns arising time and again despite all efforts to move past them can be disheartening. I can support you to look deeply, with body and mind, into what is happening. Together, we welcome all the parts of you, even the wounded or troublesome ones, to the table where they can be honoured and learned from with compassion and curiosity. As your clarity and self-awareness increase so will your capacity to make conscious choices that are in line with the life you wish to lead.

Mindfulness teaches us how to relate to ourselves with kindness. I understand how the struggle to avoid or control difficult experiences can leave you feeling like your own worst enemy. Mindfulness is a different strategy. It's about learning to feel at home in our own bodies and our minds - even in times of trouble. My work is grounded in my own personal practice: a 20 year meditator with 14 years as a mindfulness educator, I'm a graduate of a Buddhist seminary with a master's degree in Counselling psychology and specialized training in working with trauma and abuse.

If you work with me, you will find that I am warm, receptive, and engaging. I will offer practical tools and new ways of thinking that you can use right away to cope with the present and make plans for the future. Together we can dive into issues such as work life integration, communication with loved ones, routines and organization, and creating a meaningful, values oriented life.

I work with people from all nations and cultures, and I work more with adults in my practice and with some Chinese when I also speak both Mandarin and Cantonese. Life is never smooth. From time to time, we need to seek help from others to face the challenges. As a professional psychotherapist, I am keen to journey with you through your life difficulties such as traumatic events, life changes, loss, and grief. I will help you to identify your own feelings, emotions, values, faith, and strength to face your life problems causing stress, anxiety or depression etc. Hopefully we work together to find meaning and transcend life changes.

Are you currently feeling overwhelmed by you relationship, career, family or financial issues? Or are you struggling with grief or trauma and haunted by repetitive flashbacks and negative thoughts and have no control over them? Do you feel let down by others and feel like a failure? Have you isolated yourself from the friends and family as you bottle up your pain and feel that it's not useful talking to them as all you get is unhelpful advice or pity? Do you feel angry, restless or constantly feel irritated? You are not alone, I can help you to process you problems by providing you an empathetic and supportive atmosphere. Call me!

I believe that people are much more understandable when you know their life journey. I believe in the power of human connection and the healing that this connection alone can bring about in therapy. My clients know that I am there rooting for them as they navigate difficult chapters: past, present, and future. This is why I am always honoured and excited to hear someone’s story. Looking at the different layers of your story will help us track where certain patterns and cycles have started. Together, we will work through the parts that need healing. We will move forward with this information to make positive changes in your life.

It's not just you, life HAS gotten harder in the last few years. If you've been powering through, staying strong and carrying on, but now you're barely getting by and you're tired of feeling like you're not really living your life, it might be time for outside support. The benefit of therapy is that it's a time where you get to focus on yourself, to look at your life, and to get an outside perspective on how it could be different. You don't have to just endure, with the right support, you can heal from the past, and move forward towards a better future.

***NOW ACCEPTING CLIENTS FOR PHONE/VIDEO*** It’s a privilege and honour to be doing this work, and to walk alongside clients on their respective healing journeys. I believe that everyone is the expert of their own lives and life experiences. By working collaboratively and through meaning-making, I aim to support clients in connecting with their needs, dreams, hopes, as well as to the answers I believe each person has inside them. My approach is trauma-informed, non-directive, strength-based, and client-centered. Healing, the discovery of possibilities, one’s resilience, and one's gifts can all be part of the therapy process.

I am here to help you find your way through life's transitions, unmanageable stress, hopelessness, overwhelm, and anxiety. I will meet you where you are at, help you figure out where you want to be, and collaborate on how to help you get there. I am a guide for self-exploration, personal responsibility, and helping you to re-author the stories and narratives of your life. I am passionate about supporting caregivers who are assisting family members with disabilities, aging parents, and those struggling with fertility and all of the challenges and emotions that go along with that.

You’re the Black Sheep of the family, who doesn’t fit in anywhere and struggles with loneliness: The Outsider. You are talented and intelligent with ambitious business and/or creative dreams; but due to procrastination fueled by self-sabotage and addictions (e.g., cannabis, pornography, video games), you continually fail to achieve goals. You negatively compare yourself to others, can't forgive yourself for mistakes, feel like a failure, and wish you had the confidence to fulfill your true potential because you are meant for more than the mediocrity that most people settle for. Welcome, it's time to awaken the warrior within!