Narrative Therapists in Toronto, ON

I am a registered psychotherapist and a certified expressive arts therapist. I have been a practicing psychotherapist for over 15 years and am interested in promoting self healing, relationships, growth and change. I have trained extensively in expressive arts, gestalt and developmental somatic psychotherapy and have pursued professional training in emotionally focused couples therapy (EFT), trauma informed therapy, narrative therapy and child and play therapy. I create a safe and interactive therapeutic atmosphere, and work from a resource oriented, somatic awareness based perspective, focussing on both short and long term needs.

Have you experienced trauma and feel like you cannot move on? Do you feel numb and easily triggered? Do you sense that a part of you wants to share, but another part makes it impossible to talk about what happened to you? Trauma affects everyone differently. Some may shut down emotionally, avoid intimacy, and become unable to create a trusting bond with others, while others may engage in excessive spending, substance use, and seek out unsafe relationships. While it may seem unachievable, with the right support, you can process trauma and open up for healing.

I have several years of experience working with adolescents, young adults and families on challenges related to stress, anxiety, emotion regulation, relationship issues, grief, parenting, family conflict and life transitions. I offer a gentle, caring and compassionate approach. I believe in the relationship between therapist and client to help individuals to reflect, explore and grow in order to develop successful relationships outside of therapy. Together, we can make sense of thoughts and feelings and connect them to previous and current experiences to change unhelpful patterns so that you can be your best self.

Everyone is unique and presents their own challenges. Through education, experience, authenticity, and a touch of humour, I employ a number of different modalities to counsel individuals and families. Though I lean on an integrated narrative-existential approach through a person centred focus, I also use solutions-focused therapy, psychodynamic therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, as well as acceptance and commitment therapy and cognitive behaviour therapy. I can provide short term therapy, but I am also in for the long haul with you.

I believe it's always possible to reconnect with our strengths, joys, values, and desires, even in times when we feel stuck: when it's particularly hard to see the meaning in our lives, when feelings of regret outweigh feelings of acceptance, when shame and anxiety hold us back from engaging with ourselves and our loved ones. In my work with you, I want to point out those sacred parts of yourself that might have been forgotten. I want to help you see the different paths you can take, and be alongside you as you choose and move forward.

My ideal client is anyone that may be struggling with their mood, or are in a difficult life stage that they need help navigating. Whether you are a child with separation anxiety, an adolescent or young adult going through a break up or a first time parent. I welcome clients who have specific goals for therapy and know what they want to work on. I also welcome clients who have no idea what goal setting is or how to set goals. I encourage the very brave and courageous clients who are skeptical about therapy and aren’t quite sure what they can gain from therapy or how they can benefit.

I am dedicated to the emotional well being of youth, children and their families and to help them find the equilibrium that respects everyone's needs, temperament, developmental stage and aspirations. I use a wide range of approaches tailored to the child and family such as play therapy, art therapy, narrative and solution focused approaches, mindfulness, parent-child attachment and positive behavioural support strategies.

During the decade I spent working as a social scientist, I heard stories of strength, resilience, and courage. I also heard stories of humiliation, abuse, and grief. Throughout, what I have found most compelling is the storytelling. If you are here and are considering reaching out, I cannot wait to hear your story. My own journey with therapy has led me here. For most of my life, I felt I was walking in the dark, often stumbling and getting hurt. When I began therapy, it felt like someone switched a light on, allowing me to finally see the obstacles I had been running into. My goal is to help each client to turn on their own light.

Is your anxiety or depression worsening, and you don’t know to whom to turn? Are you feeling sad and very lonely in your relationship? Is the stress at your work overwhelming, leaving you sleepless and worried? These are some examples of why clients turn to me during challenging times. I believe in the innate strength and wisdom of my clients. Each one of us has our own unique story, but at times we lose ourselves and get stuck. If you choose to work with me, I will help you to focus on your strengths, while developing new strategies to help you overcome your challenges and to move on with your life.

I work with individuals and relationships of all genders and sexualities to help deepen a sense of connection with self and others while creating an environment that feels warm and safe for exploration. At the core, my therapeutic approach offers a space that fosters collaboration and encourages free and open communication. My foundational clinical orientation is Narrative Therapy for its emphasis on understanding how social and cultural norms influence who we are and how we identify in this world.

I am an MSW, RSW, psychotherapist, and Registered Dietitian. For over 20 yrs, I have specialized in helping individuals and families to successfully move beyond the effects of a range of interpersonal relationship challenges including eating disorders. Our journey together is paced as we attend to mental health, emotional, and /or Eating Management skills-building needs. Along the way, it is often necessary to identify and adjust "taken-for-granted" thought patterns, emotions, and behaviors that no longer align with your evolving life goals. Together, we rebuild your skills, confidence, hope, life, and important relationships.

Hoping to understand your anxiety, while also developing tools and strategies to manage it on the day-to-day? Or maybe you’re here because sex isn’t what you were told it would be like. Maybe you’re here because you want to reclaim your sexuality, rediscover, or re-author the meaning of sex. Maybe you're here because you want to discuss sex-based trauma, libido, kink, polyamory, or unwanted behaviours. Whether you're hoping to turn anxiety from a nagging foe to a friend, or simply looking for a space where you don't have to sensor conversations around intimacy, this is a space where we can discuss it all - judgement free.

Our journey together is guided in my belief that we share an innate ability to grow, heal and change. As your therapist, my role is to listen and guide you towards new deeper insights, discover meaning, quiet your inner critic and help you problem solve. I work with individuals struggling with stress/anxiety, depression/sadness, grief/loss, relationship difficulties, separation/divorce, life-stage adjustments, and family problems. As well, I work with individuals who experience inter-cultural, inter-racial and inter-religious relationship challenges as well as those who identify as gifted or artistic.

Do you need help with managing ADHD, stress, anxiety, depression, bullying, behavioural issues, social challenges, social and emotional skills, relationship concerns, life transition concerns, trauma and grief and loss, etc? Recognizing your courage to seek therapy, I understand, appreciate, and applaud you, and you matter! Together, we would identify, explore, review, and challenge the concern and bring about the needed change.

People of all ages have expertise on their own lives. When problems linger and impact mental health and well-being, collaborating with a therapist who is a good fit for you can provide a safe space to establish perspective and highlight the unique values, skills and knowledge you bring to your lived experience. I strive to create warm, respectful and strength-based working relationships that allow us to identify problem solving skills and abilities to reduce the influence of the problem or dissolve it altogether. Sometimes a single consultation is useful while other problems might have us consulting for a period of time.

I'm here to support anyone struggling with life's various challenges. Coming from a highly mobile education industry and music-focused background, I endeavour to provide reflection through various lenses - with a combination of self-exploration and creativity. If you are looking for someone who is open and eclectic in their approach, while maintaining a focus on your development, we could be a wonderful fit!

I’m an individual, couples, and family therapist. I value authenticity, curiosity, a non-judgemental stance, warmth and compassion. These values are integral to the way I approach working with clients. I believe in creating a safe space where people of all backgrounds are welcome, and where clients feel seen, heard, valued, and supported. I work together with clients to capitalize on their inherent strengths and skills, and to cultivate greater feelings of connection, authenticity, understanding, curiosity, compassion, and mindfulness in their lives.

Loss and grief are highly personal experiences, yet it is common to encounter narrow ideas of how grief should be experienced and expressed. This can be the case for both death and non-death-types of loss that involve people, relationships, roles, and identities. Rather than trying to “move on” or “let go”, which doesn’t feel right for some people, there can be ways to live with and learn from loss. As a registered social worker and psychotherapist, I would like to be a witness to your grief and understand what your loss means to you. We can talk about your feelings in a space based on acceptance, respect, and curiosity.

I truly believe that everyone has his/her path in life and ability to walk it. I think that Life is an amazing journey. My role is to assist with navigation. I can help finding the tools to move forward or accompany a person along the way. I believe in our incredible passion for life and creative potential for fulfillment. "I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become" these words belong to Carl G. Jung. I choose to be a social worker, a psychotherapist and a resilient person.