Emotionally Focused Therapists in Hamilton, ON
Shady Hills Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy
Registered Social Worker, BSW, MSW, RSW
Hamilton, ON L9H
I’m Melissa Maltar, a social worker and psychotherapist with over 22 years of experience specializing in trauma, including childhood abuse, complex family systems, and the effects of burnout and vicarious trauma—particularly among first responders and helping professionals. My work combines strong clinical expertise with a deep commitment to healing across the lifespan. Central to my approach is holding hope for individuals and families during their most painful and complex moments.
I’m Melissa Maltar, a social worker and psychotherapist with over 22 years of experience specializing in trauma, including childhood abuse, complex family systems, and the effects of burnout and vicarious trauma—particularly among first responders and helping professionals. My work combines strong clinical expertise with a deep commitment to healing across the lifespan. Central to my approach is holding hope for individuals and families during their most painful and complex moments.
Accepting NEW Clients – Are you tired of the cycle of feeling not 'good enough' or people pleasing? Do you want to move past past experiences, daily stressors, low self-esteem, anxiety, or low moods? Do you want to learn more about ADHD or managing it neurodivergence? Do you always feel exhausted and drained but aren't sure why? Have lingering trauma affecting your life or relationships? Do you feel resistant to kindness towards yourself, or want to learn how to practice more of it? We'll work together at a pace that feels good to you and shape a path forward that reconnects you with yourself and your goals.
Accepting NEW Clients – Are you tired of the cycle of feeling not 'good enough' or people pleasing? Do you want to move past past experiences, daily stressors, low self-esteem, anxiety, or low moods? Do you want to learn more about ADHD or managing it neurodivergence? Do you always feel exhausted and drained but aren't sure why? Have lingering trauma affecting your life or relationships? Do you feel resistant to kindness towards yourself, or want to learn how to practice more of it? We'll work together at a pace that feels good to you and shape a path forward that reconnects you with yourself and your goals.
Are you feeling weighed down by life demands, experiences of trauma, or relationships that feel heavy? Are you learning to navigate uncertainty or change? Are you feeling a sense of "stuckness" in your body? Whether you are looking to understand yourself more clearly, create balance in your nervous system, or want to shift your emotional and behavioural patterns, finding a supportive place to begin this process is important. I will support you in rebuilding your sense of wellness and attuning to your needs as we explore places of tension and unease, and focus on your values, core beliefs, and life goals.
Are you feeling weighed down by life demands, experiences of trauma, or relationships that feel heavy? Are you learning to navigate uncertainty or change? Are you feeling a sense of "stuckness" in your body? Whether you are looking to understand yourself more clearly, create balance in your nervous system, or want to shift your emotional and behavioural patterns, finding a supportive place to begin this process is important. I will support you in rebuilding your sense of wellness and attuning to your needs as we explore places of tension and unease, and focus on your values, core beliefs, and life goals.
My goal is to support and guide you on your journey of self-discovery. While exploring who we are can sometimes feel uncomfortable, it can also be an insightful and transformative experience that brings us closer to our most authentic selves. I recognize that starting therapy is a significant step, and through my own experiences, I deeply understand and appreciate any hesitations you may have. That hesitancy is natural, and is also the first sign of meaningful growth and change.
My goal is to support and guide you on your journey of self-discovery. While exploring who we are can sometimes feel uncomfortable, it can also be an insightful and transformative experience that brings us closer to our most authentic selves. I recognize that starting therapy is a significant step, and through my own experiences, I deeply understand and appreciate any hesitations you may have. That hesitancy is natural, and is also the first sign of meaningful growth and change.
After a decade of being a Social Worker, I have witnessed the challenges that men face; fear, pain, confusion, and anger. These difficulties interfere with mens full potential of becoming powerful, disciplined, and masterful in their passions. The difficulties that men face are unfortunately ignored, and the answer to resolve them is to be more vulnerable. This leaves little direction to work towards the ability to overcome what stands in your way.
After a decade of being a Social Worker, I have witnessed the challenges that men face; fear, pain, confusion, and anger. These difficulties interfere with mens full potential of becoming powerful, disciplined, and masterful in their passions. The difficulties that men face are unfortunately ignored, and the answer to resolve them is to be more vulnerable. This leaves little direction to work towards the ability to overcome what stands in your way.
My work is grounded in evidence-based approaches including CBT, ACT, ERP, and EFT, and guided by a person-centered approach for your unique needs.
Do you struggle with anxiety, OCD, or relationship challenges? Are you always in fight-or-flight mode? You may feel stuck in cycles of overthinking and self-doubt. Living with anxiety or OCD can feel like being trapped in endless “what ifs,” intrusive thoughts, and never feeling certain enough. You might find yourself second-guessing your decisions, doubting your worth, or worrying about where you stand in your relationships. I specialize in helping teens, adults, and couples regulate their nervous system and regain control of their lives.
My work is grounded in evidence-based approaches including CBT, ACT, ERP, and EFT, and guided by a person-centered approach for your unique needs.
Do you struggle with anxiety, OCD, or relationship challenges? Are you always in fight-or-flight mode? You may feel stuck in cycles of overthinking and self-doubt. Living with anxiety or OCD can feel like being trapped in endless “what ifs,” intrusive thoughts, and never feeling certain enough. You might find yourself second-guessing your decisions, doubting your worth, or worrying about where you stand in your relationships. I specialize in helping teens, adults, and couples regulate their nervous system and regain control of their lives.
Kristen Parente - Couples, Chronic Illness, COVID
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), BA, BEEd, MACP, CACFT
2 Endorsed
Hamilton, ON L8W
You love each other, but it’s getting harder to stay connected. Maybe you're dealing with resentment that no one talks about, miscommunications that turn into arguments, or silence that feels heavier than words. Add the complexity of chronic illness & it can feel like you're in survival mode. Managing symptoms, appointments, & emotions while your relationship quietly starts to fade into the background. You’re not just navigating daily stress. You’re trying to maintain intimacy, balance caregiving roles, and figure out how to be a partner when one or both of you feel depleted. Maybe you’re grieving the relationship you used to have.
You love each other, but it’s getting harder to stay connected. Maybe you're dealing with resentment that no one talks about, miscommunications that turn into arguments, or silence that feels heavier than words. Add the complexity of chronic illness & it can feel like you're in survival mode. Managing symptoms, appointments, & emotions while your relationship quietly starts to fade into the background. You’re not just navigating daily stress. You’re trying to maintain intimacy, balance caregiving roles, and figure out how to be a partner when one or both of you feel depleted. Maybe you’re grieving the relationship you used to have.
Do you feel anxious in your relationships, constantly seeking reassurance but still feeling insecure or afraid of being abandoned? Maybe you worry that you’re “too much.” You are not broken—and these patterns can change. I provide a supportive space to uncover the roots of these fears, reclaim your inner strength, and build lasting confidence, self-trust, and emotional safety.
Do you feel anxious in your relationships, constantly seeking reassurance but still feeling insecure or afraid of being abandoned? Maybe you worry that you’re “too much.” You are not broken—and these patterns can change. I provide a supportive space to uncover the roots of these fears, reclaim your inner strength, and build lasting confidence, self-trust, and emotional safety.
Using mainly emotionally focused therapy ( EFT) and narrative-based approaches, I work with clients to identify the triggers, needs, and emotions that can create conflict cycles in relationships and explore how modifying the way you tell your story and describe your world can enable change.
I have experienced firsthand how major life challenges can mean juggling everyday responsibilities while facing big questions and feeling unsure of your identity and trajectory. I create a space where clients can clarify what’s most important to them, navigate the losses and possibilities that come with transitions, and build resilience. I’m particularly drawn to clients navigating life and identity transitions, from career changes, fertility challenges, caring for aging parents, and health issues.
Using mainly emotionally focused therapy ( EFT) and narrative-based approaches, I work with clients to identify the triggers, needs, and emotions that can create conflict cycles in relationships and explore how modifying the way you tell your story and describe your world can enable change.
I have experienced firsthand how major life challenges can mean juggling everyday responsibilities while facing big questions and feeling unsure of your identity and trajectory. I create a space where clients can clarify what’s most important to them, navigate the losses and possibilities that come with transitions, and build resilience. I’m particularly drawn to clients navigating life and identity transitions, from career changes, fertility challenges, caring for aging parents, and health issues.
I like to draw from a trauma-informed holistic approach that considers mind, body, and environment, while also pulling from ACT, EFT, mindfulness, Gottmans, and existentialism, that becomes more than "just talking
Accepting New Clients - Are you looking for a therapist that knows what it's like to feel lost or overwhelmed and how to find your footing again? Noticing yourself feeling more anxious, "just tired" or stuck lately, and craving a space to slow down, shift perspective, and reconnect with a sense of meaning or purpose? Trying to make sense of shifts in mood, questioning careers, exploring relationships, parenting and identity, or a major life transition? I'll listen to the threads of your story and help you untangle it all, build self-awareness and skills in coping, and create clarity in the next steps.
I like to draw from a trauma-informed holistic approach that considers mind, body, and environment, while also pulling from ACT, EFT, mindfulness, Gottmans, and existentialism, that becomes more than "just talking
Accepting New Clients - Are you looking for a therapist that knows what it's like to feel lost or overwhelmed and how to find your footing again? Noticing yourself feeling more anxious, "just tired" or stuck lately, and craving a space to slow down, shift perspective, and reconnect with a sense of meaning or purpose? Trying to make sense of shifts in mood, questioning careers, exploring relationships, parenting and identity, or a major life transition? I'll listen to the threads of your story and help you untangle it all, build self-awareness and skills in coping, and create clarity in the next steps.
Noia Wellness | Therapy in Hamilton
Registered Psychotherapist, MPsy, MSc, MACP, MSW
1 Endorsed
Hamilton, ON L8P
We help people overcome anxiety, people pleasing, life changes, or the constant pressure to always “be okay.” Is this you: Maybe your mind won’t stop racing, regardless of how tired you are? Or, maybe you’ve been holding it all together for everyone else? Smiling on the outside, while inside you feel like you’re barely keeping up? We get it—the exhaustion of overthinking, the pressure to be perfect, the weight of masking who you really are, and the quiet fear that maybe this is just how life will always feel. At Noia, we see you, and we're here to help. We use evidence-based tools to create lasting and deep change.
We help people overcome anxiety, people pleasing, life changes, or the constant pressure to always “be okay.” Is this you: Maybe your mind won’t stop racing, regardless of how tired you are? Or, maybe you’ve been holding it all together for everyone else? Smiling on the outside, while inside you feel like you’re barely keeping up? We get it—the exhaustion of overthinking, the pressure to be perfect, the weight of masking who you really are, and the quiet fear that maybe this is just how life will always feel. At Noia, we see you, and we're here to help. We use evidence-based tools to create lasting and deep change.
Pathway To Self Counselling & Psychotherapy
Registered Social Worker, MSW, RSW, BA
1 Endorsed
Hamilton, ON L8R
Using IFS, somatic, and relational approaches, mindfulness, EFT and more, we find the root of what's happening.
You've probably tried a few things already; Therapy, medications, or maybe just pushing through. The Anxiety is still there, and the Depression seems to stick. Whatever you've been using to cope, even Addiction, keeps pulling you back again and again. It's not about willpower, and you probably know that. But knowing it doesn't seem to change it. Most of what we tried treats the surface. It might feel like, the cause underneath all of it, hasn't been touched yet. That's where the work I do is different. If you've been stuck for a long time, I’m here to tell you that you haven’t failed. It's a sign something deeper needs attention.
Using IFS, somatic, and relational approaches, mindfulness, EFT and more, we find the root of what's happening.
You've probably tried a few things already; Therapy, medications, or maybe just pushing through. The Anxiety is still there, and the Depression seems to stick. Whatever you've been using to cope, even Addiction, keeps pulling you back again and again. It's not about willpower, and you probably know that. But knowing it doesn't seem to change it. Most of what we tried treats the surface. It might feel like, the cause underneath all of it, hasn't been touched yet. That's where the work I do is different. If you've been stuck for a long time, I’m here to tell you that you haven’t failed. It's a sign something deeper needs attention.
I have completed the following trainings/certificates:, Fundamentals of Emotionally Focused Therapy Certificate, Core Emotion-Focused Family Therapy Certificate, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy Skills Certificate.
As an individual and family counsellor/therapist, I work alongside youth and adult clients to explore mental health challenges, life transitions, neurodivergence, couple and family relationships, and alleviating the impact of oppressive social structures on mental wellbeing. I have a particular interest in supporting folks who are seeking a deeper understanding of the impact of their environment and their intersecting identities and experiences on their wellbeing and sense of self. I offer therapy in English and Arabic for individuals and families in British Columbia and Ontario.
I have completed the following trainings/certificates:, Fundamentals of Emotionally Focused Therapy Certificate, Core Emotion-Focused Family Therapy Certificate, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy Skills Certificate.
As an individual and family counsellor/therapist, I work alongside youth and adult clients to explore mental health challenges, life transitions, neurodivergence, couple and family relationships, and alleviating the impact of oppressive social structures on mental wellbeing. I have a particular interest in supporting folks who are seeking a deeper understanding of the impact of their environment and their intersecting identities and experiences on their wellbeing and sense of self. I offer therapy in English and Arabic for individuals and families in British Columbia and Ontario.
Do you feel trapped by anxiety and self-doubt? Are you imagining the worst case scenario? You may be exhausted from constant worry and fear, overwhelmed by negative thoughts that someting bad might happen or that you’re not good enough. These thoughts might lead to shame, isolation, and difficulty staying present or completing tasks. They affect you in all aspects of your life including your daily life, school, job and relationships. I can help you develop effective coping skills and tools to improve your overall functioning, your relationships and your mental wellbeing.
Do you feel trapped by anxiety and self-doubt? Are you imagining the worst case scenario? You may be exhausted from constant worry and fear, overwhelmed by negative thoughts that someting bad might happen or that you’re not good enough. These thoughts might lead to shame, isolation, and difficulty staying present or completing tasks. They affect you in all aspects of your life including your daily life, school, job and relationships. I can help you develop effective coping skills and tools to improve your overall functioning, your relationships and your mental wellbeing.
Do you feel overwhelmed by your emotions or disconnected from your sense of self? Past experiences, mood changes, or ongoing self-doubt can leave you feeling exhausted and unsure if things will ever feel different. These struggles can impact your daily life and relationships, making it hard to find calm or clarity. But something in you is ready for change. You want to feel grounded, confident, and supported. I can help you begin that process and feel like yourself again
Do you feel overwhelmed by your emotions or disconnected from your sense of self? Past experiences, mood changes, or ongoing self-doubt can leave you feeling exhausted and unsure if things will ever feel different. These struggles can impact your daily life and relationships, making it hard to find calm or clarity. But something in you is ready for change. You want to feel grounded, confident, and supported. I can help you begin that process and feel like yourself again
Perhaps you’re down, anxious, or facing a crossroads in your life. Maybe you are unsure about the future of a relationship, or feel that you aren’t really living the life you were meant to lead. Life brings hardship and pain to all of us - there is no escaping it - some more than others. I want to hear your story, hear your challenges - and work together to write your next chapter. I believe that each of us have inherent strengths and values that shape the trajectory in which life takes us - building from this, I work with people to consider how these inner strengths are useful in combating mental health challenges and struggles.
Perhaps you’re down, anxious, or facing a crossroads in your life. Maybe you are unsure about the future of a relationship, or feel that you aren’t really living the life you were meant to lead. Life brings hardship and pain to all of us - there is no escaping it - some more than others. I want to hear your story, hear your challenges - and work together to write your next chapter. I believe that each of us have inherent strengths and values that shape the trajectory in which life takes us - building from this, I work with people to consider how these inner strengths are useful in combating mental health challenges and struggles.
Welcome! I’m Karen, a registered social worker and psychotherapist. As a queer woman living with ADHD, I understand how important it is for therapy to feel safe, affirming, and free of judgment. I use a collaborative approach to meet folks where they're at, and I'm committed to creating a space where you can be your authentic self. Together, we can process your emotions and experiences and develop new ways of coping that feel supportive and sustainable. Let's connect, and move toward a life that feels good for you.
Welcome! I’m Karen, a registered social worker and psychotherapist. As a queer woman living with ADHD, I understand how important it is for therapy to feel safe, affirming, and free of judgment. I use a collaborative approach to meet folks where they're at, and I'm committed to creating a space where you can be your authentic self. Together, we can process your emotions and experiences and develop new ways of coping that feel supportive and sustainable. Let's connect, and move toward a life that feels good for you.
Life can feel relentless, especially for the high-functioning individuals who looks “fine” on the outside but feel overwhelmed internally. You may be successful at work, dependable in your relationships, and constantly showing up for others — yet privately struggle with anxiety, overthinking, emotional exhaustion, and difficulty switching off. I understand! My lived experience as a late-diagnosed ADHD and OCD individual informs the way I show up in this work. I understand firsthand that differences don’t mean there is anything “wrong” with you, they often mean you are navigating a world that wasn’t designed with you in mind.
Life can feel relentless, especially for the high-functioning individuals who looks “fine” on the outside but feel overwhelmed internally. You may be successful at work, dependable in your relationships, and constantly showing up for others — yet privately struggle with anxiety, overthinking, emotional exhaustion, and difficulty switching off. I understand! My lived experience as a late-diagnosed ADHD and OCD individual informs the way I show up in this work. I understand firsthand that differences don’t mean there is anything “wrong” with you, they often mean you are navigating a world that wasn’t designed with you in mind.
You're the one who holds it all together, until you can't anymore. Maybe you've lost touch with who you are because so much of your energy goes into managing others' emotions, staying 'strong', or keeping the peace. You might feel emotionally blocked, burnt out, or constantly at war with yourself. You're not broken, you've adapted. But you're ready to explore what's underneath it all, make space for your own needs, and feel like yourself again ... even if you don't fully know who that is yet.
You're the one who holds it all together, until you can't anymore. Maybe you've lost touch with who you are because so much of your energy goes into managing others' emotions, staying 'strong', or keeping the peace. You might feel emotionally blocked, burnt out, or constantly at war with yourself. You're not broken, you've adapted. But you're ready to explore what's underneath it all, make space for your own needs, and feel like yourself again ... even if you don't fully know who that is yet.
Do you ever feel like your emotions are trying to tell you something, but you’re not quite sure how to listen? Have you noticed patterns of avoidance or disconnection in your relationships and want to understand what’s happening beneath the surface? Hi, I’m Carlin Palme, and I believe that, while it's important to feel like we have a handle on our emotions, they’re essential tools for growth, connection, and change. If you are overly suppressed or disconnected, it can be hard to feel like you are living a fulfilling and meaningful life, even when you are surrounded by great things and caring people.
Do you ever feel like your emotions are trying to tell you something, but you’re not quite sure how to listen? Have you noticed patterns of avoidance or disconnection in your relationships and want to understand what’s happening beneath the surface? Hi, I’m Carlin Palme, and I believe that, while it's important to feel like we have a handle on our emotions, they’re essential tools for growth, connection, and change. If you are overly suppressed or disconnected, it can be hard to feel like you are living a fulfilling and meaningful life, even when you are surrounded by great things and caring people.
See more therapy options for Hamilton
Nearby Emotionally Focused Counsellors Searches for Hamilton
- Ancaster
- Beamsville
- Binbrook
- Burlington
- Caledonia
- Dundas
- Grimsby
- Hagersville
- Oakville
- Smithville
- Stoney Creek
- Waterdown