Arete Therapists in Mississauga, ON

***NOW ACCEPTING CLIENTS FOR IN-PERSON (SAUGA/VAUGHAN) AND PHONE/VIDEO*** Let’s be honest, life is hard, and in many ways, we juggle more today than we ever have! Life’s challenges can leave us feeling stressed, confused, demotivated, even helpless and hopeless. It can be a tough road to travel, but you don't have to walk it alone. As a therapist, I don’t think anyone should feel that way. I am committed to supporting my clients with guidance, care, and connected to the proper resources. With experience working with youth, students, adults, and parents, I enjoy collaborating with clients on a variety of challenges.

When I think about therapy, I imagine my client’s search for well-being and healing as if they were lost and trying to find their way home. You might know where home is, but find yourself stuck in darkness, not being able to find your way. As your therapist, I see myself holding the flashlight. You are the one who knows your way to healing, and I have the tools to help get you there easier. This is what I believe therapy looks like; us walking together on your journey. As we travel together to help you find “home”—your place of healing, peace, and comfort—while I share my knowledge and tools to help you find that “home”.

I wear many professional hats. I am an MD, MACP, RP(q), a Clinical Researcher, a Project Management Professional, a Professor at George Brown College, previously an instructor for 15 years at UofT and a family oriented female. I am a published author in the Journal of American College of Cardiology, International Diabetes Federation and the Journal of European Society of Cardiology. I have a number of years worth of work experience in mental health. I have taken care of clients in the in/out patient settings. I believe in providing a non-judgmental and safe space for people to share. My aim is to build stronger communities.

Welcome! I am Shelley Rush a Registered Psychotherapist and Director of Rush and Associates Psychotherapy and Wellness. Rush and Associates Psychotherapy and Wellness is comprised of a team of Counsellors, Psychotherapists, and Psychologists. Our team is committed to assessing your current situation and helping you to develop a plan that suits your needs. Our goal is to help individuals, couples and groups work towards empowering themselves in the process of change and understanding. We provide a safe, confidential and non-judgmental therapeutic environment for you to explore life's many challenges.

As a therapist, I see myself as a facilitator of change and a witness to my clients' journeys of self-discovery. I believe that everyone has the potential for growth and transformation, and I feel honored to accompany my clients on their path towards healing and wholeness. Taking after others who have inspired me, I encourage my clients to step into their power and courageously embrace their vulnerability as a source of strength and connection. My approach to therapy is grounded in empathy, authenticity, and curiosity. I strive to create a non-judgmental and supportive environment where clients feel heard, seen, and understood.

I believe that each individual has the capacity for growth through self-awareness and acceptance. I have supported individuals to recognize their optimal potential, develop and maintain healthy meaningful relationships, while making choices that are in the interest of oneself and others. I help my clients free themselves from disabling assumptions and attitudes so they can live fuller lives. As a trauma-informed therapist, I aim to create a warm, non-judgmental environment to facilitate growth and change.

Some people have been dealt a difficult hand in life which can make pushing forward seem impossible. Challenges like anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, and relational issues can be hard to navigate alone. I believe each person has the ability and skill to be able to help themselves. It's my role to help support people in that process. My job is not to “fix”, but to guide and assist you with becoming your best self. I have worked in both clinical and community settings with individuals, families, children, and youth from various ages and backgrounds and have learned much about the strength of the people I have worked with.

***NOW ACCEPTING CLIENTS FOR PHONE/VIDEO*** When our thoughts get the better of us and we feel overwhelmed, I believe there is always hope to reach the peace for which we all yearn. Through psychotherapy, I support clients struggling with anxiety, self-doubt, identity, and relationships. We all have times when we aren’t sure where we stand in our lives and with others, so I offer a safe and welcoming space where clients can express and find themselves. We are complex individuals with our own unique stories made up of our experiences. Therapy is an empowering space where we can explore these without judgment.

**See our website for other therapists accepting new clients** I am mental health therapist as well as a multi-faith spiritual and religious care provider (also known as a chaplain). My strength is working with anyone's faith and spirituality to help them with their mental health and spiritual journey. I work with all faiths and religious. In my practice, I see each client as a complex and unique person with stories, worldviews, and challenges. My goal is to aid you in accessing your inner resources such as the experiences you cultivate from your stories and the beliefs that find root in your worldviews to cope with challenges.

I believe that challenges can be beautiful, albeit deeply painful, opportunities to create a life you feel inspired to live There is hope in every situation, and often life’s greatest lessons are learned during its biggest obstacles. Life's not always easy. Hardships and transitions can blindside you and leave you feeling like you’re just trying to survive, and on autopilot. And then the questions come: Who am I? How did I get here? The life you have doesn’t reflect the one you imagined. While we can not change the past, we can choose to create meaning in our experiences, and determine how its legacy comes forward with us.

***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.

Welcome, I am glad you’re here! I know the world can be heavy and we can feel lost in it, but you are not alone. You are worthy of receiving support and it would be my honour to offer that to you. I am a Registered Social Worker with a Masters in Clinical Specialization. I practice from an empathetic relational lens, and work virtually with adolescents, adults, and seniors. I believe having a trusting therapeutic relationship with you is the foundation of great therapy and key to creating meaningful change. We will go at your own pace, and we will take the time to explore the concerns and challenges that you’re experiencing.

I always approach my clients in with an anti-oppressive, trauma-informed, harm reduction framework. What does that mean? It means that I will always ask "what happened to you?" instead of asking "what's wrong with you?". It also means that I will always respect you as the expert in your own life. Finally, it means that I believe that everyone does their very best to survive and thrive each day–even on the days that we can't see any hope. I am here to be with you, even through the darkest of days, and help you find inspiration and hope within yourself.

If overwhelmed, stressed out, and anxious seem to be your common state of being, or if you are struggling with feelings of guilt, shame, and hopelessness, or if despite all your best efforts you can't seem to get from where you are to where you want to be, leaving you feeling stuck; then therapy can provide you with a safe space to be seen, heard, and understood. We can uncover the root of why you are stuck and struggling, and discover the innate wellness and wisdom that resides within you, which can help create a new way of being in the present, so that your future can look like what you desire.

The Family Enhancement Centre is a full service counselling centre. We work with children, youth, adults, couples and families dealing with a variety of issues including: anxiety, depression, marital issues, school issues, grief / loss, panic attacks, post traumatic stress disorder, suicidality, self harm, relationship issues, anger management, separation / divorce, blended families, victims of crime, etc.. With multiple registered therapists we personally match your needs with our therapist's skill set, approach and style and we guarantee a good therapeutic match or we will transfer you to another one of our therapists until it is.

I share a common human experience with my clients and appreciate our journeys. Maybe you're considering therapy to connect with someone non-judgmental and outside your personal support system; you're feeling uneasy or worrying about life; you're withdrawing from others and no longer find joy and pleasure; substance use or a habitual behaviour is getting in the way of meaningful relationships and meeting life’s challenges; or you experienced a major event in your life and you're feeling overwhelmed. We will endeavour to understand these challenges and I will support you in taking steps that would benefit you.

When life doesn’t seem to be going according to plan we can be left feeling isolated, overwhelmed, and unsure of what step to take next. It is my belief however that we each have within us all we need to succeed and thrive in our lives, sometimes it just gets buried under all of our “stuff” and we could use a hand to rediscover it. I’m continually inspired by the strength, resilience, and creativity demonstrated in the life stories of the people I work with, and consider it a privilege to be invited to walk alongside them for a chapter or two. I respect the courage it takes to reach out for support, so welcome, I’m glad you're here!

Our past experiences often shape our ways of engaging in the present. I am passionate about supporting people to explore these experiences from a place of compassion and non-judgment. I work with individuals and families who are ready to reconnect with their bodies, gain insight from their emotions, and deepen their connection within their most important relationships. I believe that each person holds the answers within themselves and through our work together, I will support you in building on your unique inner resources to make meaningful changes in your life.