Therapists in M5R

Trying to cope with the pressures and stresses of life leaves us anxious, depressed, and disconnected from ourselves and others. Many of us fall into self-sabotaging behaviours or repeat unhealthy relationships. Many of us face the limitations of psychiatric treatment and are forced to carry the weight and stigma of diagnosis. Many of us struggle simply to maintain our creativity and our sense of self against overwhelming pressures to conform or perform. We all need the chance to check in and process our feelings and reactions, to work through the struggles of our personal history, and find new and creative ways to move forward.

I have been working for 30 years. I specialize in working with neglect, chronic and acute abuse. I enjoy offering clients a chance to reach their full potential. I enjoy working with problems that seem unmanageable, but have seen change over and over again. I like to adjust all therapy work to suit each individual situation. I certified in sensorimotor psychotherapy.

We often come to therapy wanting to feel better, perhaps to change old patterns that don’t align with the vision we have for our lives. Anxiety, depression, anger, PTSD, or personality disruption, difficulty in relationships and addiction are symptoms arising from deeper core (shame-based) wounds. These problematic symptoms surface as a way to cover up painful, enmeshed emotions that are unseen and unheard. I therefore aim to go to the source not the symptom: I specialize in emotion, in building self-compassion, and addressing toxic shame.

I believe in an empathic, collaborative approach, so that you may always be part of the therapeutic process. Psychotherapy allows for a unique relationship, whereby the focus of attention is on understanding you. It provides an opportunity for openness, trust and honesty, often difficult in other interpersonal situations. It can help you to increase your resilience to life challenges and improve relationships. I use a range of therapy modalities according to the best fit for your needs and personality. Greater meaning in life can be achieved by longer term therapy, but also brief periods of therapy which are cumulative.

I am a relational psychotherapist who works to help clients find a sense of empowerment around the issues that are troubling them, to help them explore and understand the meaning and impact of these experiences, and to find change. I draw on many theories, and work particularly in a psychodynamic way (seeing how one is impacted in the present by one's past experiences). With clients who would like to work on childhood issues, I help them resolve and integrate those experiences - family issues, relationship issues, trauma. Together we decide whether short or long term work is preferred.

How do you find hope? I want you to know that I'm here to stand by your side, offering my unwavering support. My aim is to create a safe space where you can unburden yourself and feel the weight lift off your shoulders. I'll be here to listen to you, understand your challenges, and help you pinpoint your best hopes. I recognize how tough things can get, especially when you're grappling with anxiety, depression, or overwhelming feelings.

Many folks come to me feeling overwhelmed, confused, or disconnected from their emotions or behaviours. They find themselves feeling triggered in relationships, or shy away from sharing their authentic selves with others. Some have significant struggles with their focus and can't consistently complete tasks they know are well within their abilities. When we don't know how or why this happens, a sense of powerlessness and shame creeps into our lives. Trust me, I understand confronting these issues is challenging and vulnerable. Changing these patterns is very possible and may be some of the most important work you do in your life.

How do you find hope? You're an intelligent, caring, and hardworking individual. Your capacity to persevere through tough times shows your incredible resilience and determination to shape the life you envision. But right now, the challenges you're grappling with have left you questioning everything. It's completely normal to feel hesitant and overwhelmed about turning your focus inward.

Do you often feel lost and exhausted in your own thoughts? Are you struggling with substance use? Or do you feel that something is weighing you down but you just can’t seem to figure out why? If you are looking to gain some perspective on your thoughts and feelings, gestalt therapy is a good place to start. As a Gestalt therapist, I provide a safe and non-judgmental space to explore what is bothering you in the present moment. I am also excited to have the opportunity to work with student therapists and support them in this rewarding journey!

I am a gentle and bold therapist. I will listen carefully to your experiences. I will explore with you connections between your present thoughts, feelings, actions and past events. The aim is to help you understand more about yourself. The blue print for our actions, behaviors, feelings and self-concept was put in place at a very young age. We may look for patterns that worked well in their early context, but do not work anymore. A change may be needed. The insight you gain in a committed, active therapeutic relationship can be a powerful tool.

It is said that two heads are better than one but for many this is hard to accept. You may be very successful in certain parts of your life and this may make it easier for you to push other, troubling issues aside. This strategy never works indefinitely and ultimately your issues will begin to manifest in other areas of your life.Therapy can help. It will leave you better able to understand your challenges and, perhaps more importantly, to face them with new vigor.

Understanding why and how we react or feel the way we do in relationships with others is a step towards a healthy, grounded, and fulfilled place in the world. Working with a trained psychotherapist will help you explore your life with different lenses and introduce alternative choices and pathways. I seek to help people who wish to break out of patterns and behaviours that keep them feeling stuck in their lives.

Do you feel lonely, empty, overwhelmed or stuck? Does it seem like bad things are always happening to you while everyone else is living a happy life? Do you and your partner have the same fights over and over again? I can help you resolve these issues. I am a warm, down-to-earth, authentic, honest, and empathic person who genuinely cares about your well-being. I help individuals work through a wide variety of issues including those related to anxiety, depression, obsessionality, trauma, dissociation, guilt, shame, insomnia, relationships, sexual orientation, eating, and identity and self-esteem. I embrace and celebrate diversity.

I am a registered psychotherapist and offer psychodynamic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. I hold a PhD in Sociology, which gives me a particular appreciation for how psychological and relational difficulties are shaped by life experiences and broader social conditions. I see therapy as a unique conversation involving me listening with a non-judgmental curiosity to help you similarly listen to yourself. This approach enables us to explore the experiences and difficulties that bring you to therapy, whether that be a specific crisis, a period of transition, feelings of "stuckness," relational patterns, emotions that trouble you, or an interest in personal growth.

Andrew Guthrie, Ph.D., Tcpp dip., R.P. has been a psychotherapist in Toronto since 2000. He trained at Concordia and McGill Universities, the University of Toronto, the Toronto Child Psychoanalytic Program, and the Toronto Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis. He offers psychodynamic assessments and psychotherapy that reflect a deep knowledge of the psychotherapy field and a genuine commitment to the patients in his care. He treats a wide variety of emotional and behavioural problems with his professional yet compassionate approach. Please call or email for more information, or visit his website www.therapyintoronto.com.

Are you new to therapy, and need a supportive, you-focused introduction to life-changing self-awareness? Maybe you've been doing therapy for years, but feel like something from the process is "missing"? Do you still feeling stuck, despite how many breathing exercises and positive self-talk you do? Struggling with childhood trauma, eating challenges, anxiety, grief (or all of the above?). Then let's talk! Using a combination of talk therapy, body-based somatics, critical reframing and psychoeducation, I work with individuals and clients to go DEEPER and get the support and results they're looking for.

I provide compassionate therapy for clients who suffer from depression, anxiety, panic attacks, attachment disorders, childhood trauma, complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (cPTSD) and relational issues. I believe that behind each person's struggle lies the potential for growth and renewal and that despair and inertia can be replaced by hope. I work hard to maintain the highest level of professional expertise possible in a field in which treatment methods are rapidly evolving. I tailor my treatment approach to the needs of each client.

Dear Reader: The reason I get out of bed every morning is not because I believe life is easy - but that it is difficult. What makes life difficult is the fact, that it presents an endless series of problems which require solutions. The very process of confronting and solving life's problems can be a painful one; at times full of sadness, confusion, anxiety, hurt, anger, fear and loneliness. These are uncomfortable feelings, sometimes highly distressing and can equal the worst kind of physical pain. Fearing the suffering involved, almost all of us have attempted to avoid confronting these problems.

My aim is to help individuals, couples and families to reach their full potential. Many individuals experience difficulties after a marriage breakdown, job layoff, mid-life crisis, an accident or serious disease, the death of a close relative or friend, a business failure and so on. Emotional and behavioural problems affect individuals from all walks of life, at all income levels, and at all ages. Services provided by mental health professionals are an integral part of one's complete health care. I help people go from feeling stuck in some area of their lives to achieving their own definition of success.