Emotionally Focused Therapists in Ajax, ON

Accepting New Client's: I am Magdalene Acquah, a Social Worker and a Psychotherapist. I hold a Masters of Social Work (MSW) from University of Toronto and am a member in good standing with the Ontario Association of Social Workers. I have provided psychotherapy to children, families, adolescents, adults, and couples for over a decade. My passion stemmed from a broad range of personal and professional experiences. My desire has always been to work with people seeking help to address various personal issues through counselling and psychotherapy. I have always believed that a healthy mind forms the premise of healthy life

You matter. Your voice matters. I always say, each and every single person has a story. This story shapes the way we think, feel, and act. If you want to explore your story and begin the journey of healing, in a safe space, then this might be for you. I invite you to have a free consultation with me to get started.

Using a client-centred approach, I guide our sessions based on what resonates most with you and your individual needs. You can expect an open and receptive environment, and a safe space where emotions can be deeply felt and expressed.

New client openings available. If you are feeling stuck, experiencing thoughts you cannot stop, anxiety, addiction, anger, deep sadness, confusion, a relentless inner critic, I can help. You don't have to go through this alone. My intention as a therapist is to provide guidance and help you tune into your inner wisdom and access the self-energy to improve your life and feel better, which for most of us is some combined measure of calm, happiness, courage, and self-confidence.

I am by brand, a Rogerian therapist with an eclectic approach to treatment. I tend to marry holistic approaches to evidence based approaches. Creativity flows throughout the therapeutic process and my hope is that therapy can be an enjoyable experience despite the challenges in the therapeutic journey.

My practice is grounded in transparency, empathy and respect. I focus on developing a collaborative relationship to ensure that we are working towards your goals - whether that be having a better understanding of your thoughts, developing skills to manage intense emotions, improving communication, or improving self-esteem, to name a few. During our time together, I hope to help you build confidence within yourself to manage life’s challenges and reach your goals.

We all have relationships that affect us deeply every single day. The relationships that we hold are pieces in our lives that we navigate. The most important relationship we hold is that within ourselves. By navigating our individual sense of self, we also strengthen the relationship with have with others. I am here to guide you as you navigate your own unique culture, relationships, and feelings of stuck in your life.

I am a compassionate, client-focused social worker with over 10 years of considerable experience offering psychotherapy services to diverse clients. Over the years, I have successfully assisted individuals from different groups and backgrounds with life and career changes, family and marital problems, self-esteem difficulties, anxiety, and depression. As an individual who identifies as Muslim, I also provide faith-based counselling.

My passion is helping couples, children and families in distress find their unique voices and build positive relationships. I hold a Bachelor of Applied Science in Child Studies from the University of Guelph and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Toronto. I have been practicing for over 20 years in both the private and public sectors including Children's Aid Society, Bridgepoint Health and Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences. My practice is informed by a range of therapy models including, psychodynamic, family systems, crisis formulation, conflict resolution, narrative and emotion focused therapies.

Are you looking for a therapist who has extensive knowledge and practice utilizing a range of different therapeutic approaches and has specific knowledge related to children and adolescents? Look no further! I am trained to provide Cognitive behavioural therapy, Dialectical behavioural therapy, Attachment based and Structural family therapy as well as Emotion and Solution focused therapies. Many of these interventions work well for adults, children, teens and couples as well!

You feel stuck and alone. You beat yourself up for failing…for not being good enough…for not doing it right. You feel trapped by guilt and shame. You worry, “What if it never gets better?”. You want to be happy, not sad and stressed, but it doesn't seem possible. You feel like you’ve tried everything, but nothing seems to work. You’ve even tried talking to your family and friends, but as much as they try, they just don't get it..they don't understand. And even though, you push people away or stay silent and isolate yourself, you long for someone to notice you are hurting and to know that you matter.

Counselling is a process that can be undertaken at various stages in life and for any number of reasons, from challenges in relationships, to existential matters, anxiety, depression and trauma. Counselling may look different for every individual, but generally entails meaningful discussion, opportunities for self-exploration, the potential for profound insight, and the development of action plans to meet personal goals. My practice is built around particular core values and principles. I work with my clients by building on their strengths, resources and resiliency, as I believe these are essential for navigating life’s challenges.

Life and relationships can present us with challenges that you may not have anticipated or understand, or know how to cope with. Perhaps the way you have been coping is no longer working. If you are looking for a safe place to explore making changes in your life or relationships, and gain insights, please call me when you are ready to take the next step and I would be happy to speak with you and explore the option of working together.

Successful psychotherapy requires close cooperation between a client seeking change, and an experienced therapist/coach to facilitate that change. I work with individuals, couples, families and expatriates in the areas of trauma, depression, anxiety and chemical dependency. I offer personalized treatment approaches from the fields of clinical counselling, organizational and occupational psychology as well as cognitive behavioral therapy. As a trained EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapist, I also encourage lifestyle adjustments as part of a holistic treatment designed to help clients cope, and continue onto their path of recovery.

I strongly believe that you have the inner strength, resilience, and capacity to transform your life in a meaningful way. Hence, I am keen to work with you from a holistic and culturally competent framework to improve your mental health and wellness. My experience in the field have strengthened my understanding of the anti oppressive framework in the light of social justice advocacy and the rights of the client. My narrative approach infused with culturally appropriate knowledge is a powerful tool that allows me to connect with you in working towards the process of healing.

I am dually trained as a Neuropsychologist and Clinical Psychologist. I am able to provide thorough examinations of your brain health, mental health, and/or personality. I actively provide psychotherapy and other forms of psychological treatment related to these issues. I teach at York University, am on Faculty at the University of Toronto and regularly attend workshops/conferences, which helps to keep my knowledge current and practical. Common referral issues relate to work, mood, coping, chronic stress, chronic pain, or an acquired problem. Whether you struggle with your physical and/or mental health, I can assist you with improving both.