Online Counselling for Quebec

Analogy for therapy: Psychologist and patient shovel together. The deeper we dig the more we discover. No forcing. not imposing. Some findings may hurt, some may alleviate. We stop when you decide. Therapy is a confidential space to get to know who you are and why but most importantly to find out who you would like to be. I’m an active listener; I question, challenge, I sometimes confront, I engage…always with respect and ethic!

You just took the first step, and I’m so happy you did. Now if you allow me to, I’d like to take a moment to introduce myself and offer a preview into our work together. I am a psychologist with expertise in the assessment and treatment of anxiety, mood, personality, and trauma-related disorders. I balance my time between the private and public sectors and am currently the crisis team psychologist at St. Mary’s Hospital. I am also a Co-Founder and Co-Director of Elevate Psychotherapy and Wellness Clinic, a multidisciplinary team of mental health experts dedicated to exceptional psychological evaluations and care.

THERAPY: I specialize in OCD, anxiety, phobias, and ADHD, as well as health-related concerns like concussion, chronic pain/fatigue, migraine, and IBS. I supervise a PhD candidate who offers a reduced rate. I primarily work using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, though I integrate elements from other models. Quebec residents can be seen in-person or virtual, NB residents are virtual only. My therapy style is very laid-back, casual, and collaborative, but also quite practical and focused on changing behaviour, gaining insight, and moving forward.

I am a clinical social worker who works with individuals and couples. I offer support for issues such as anxiety, depression, trauma, health-related issues, relationship issues or work-related stress (among other things). Whether you are looking for coping strategies, conflict resolution skills, or a neutral perspective, I would be happy to assist you on your journey.

It is said that tough times don't last, but tough  people do. In the journey of life, good times empower you with confidence while challenging times build your resilience. Christina has the ability to empathize and connect quickly with her clients offering support, hope and realistic solutions. The primary goal is to bring compassion, acceptance, and a sense of self as she offers a guiding hand to clients in their journey of personal discovery and growth. She also aims to ensure a safe space free of conflict to help clients, couples, parents, co-workers, partners, or family members to come to a common understanding & agreement.

There are points in all our lives when we need outside help. Understanding your emotions and behaviors that are informed by past experiences and negatively affect your self-esteem and relationships with others is challenging. Often we want to change but don't know how. Developing a therapeutic alliance where you feel safe expressing and exploring all the parts of yourself- the good & the bad, is a valuable gift you can give to yourself. I value helping clients to explore the complexity of their beings, process pain, and use their struggles as opportunities for personal awakening and change.

We all deserve a life of contentment, strong attachments and personal satisfaction. Therapy can help us achieve these goals. The heart of my approach is collaboration; I may be an expert in what I do, but you are the expert in you. Together, we discover what is and is not going well, figure out the reasons why, then find ways to make life as good as it can be.

**Please note that the best way to reach me is via email either directly from this site or at deborah.schwartzman@mail.mcgill.ca** We all feel sad and anxious at times, but some of us worry excessively about things that are unlikely to happen, feel tense all day long, or feel so unhappy that it becomes impossible to do the things we used to enjoy. My work with individuals is to get to the bottom of the problem and find solutions. I draw on principles of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT) to explore how your thoughts, feelings and behaviors interact and affect your ability to cope with challenging situations.

Perhaps you have experienced difficult life experiences,that you wish to overcome, or you want to make transformative changes about how you feel because of what has hapenned to you. At times, traumatic experiences that hapenned in childhood, or adulthood, have disrupted your wellbeing and have affected your mental health. Or perhaps you feel stuck, and don't know why. We can work together to uncover what is keeping you stuck and holding you back from leading the best life you hope for. Usually how we feel about ourself can affect many areas of our lives and our various connections to others. Working together is the goal to freedom.

My goal in counseling sessions is empowering you to find words for your pain, to acknowledge and undrestand your feelings and suffering, and to put them into words. Effective conversation as a key tool helps you release your tension. Note that we should not try to banish unhappiness from our lives, because it is through problems that we can progress, change and grow. All of our emotions are valid and are part of our balance. I will help you acknowledge your emotions as well as manage them, and finally improve your problem-solving skills.

Life can be hard and sometimes we need support to help us along the way when the challenges start to take a toll. Weather it is stress, mental health, addiction, relational conflict, trauma, communication issues, managing emotions or just feeling the need to talk to a neutral party, I am here to support you.

I am a marital and family therapist with over 30 years experience working with individuals and couples helping them negotiate and solve problems related to marital conflict, separation, divorce, and with difficulties adjusting to mental health problems. I am a teacher and supervisor in the field, so I am familiar with a range of intervention skills to help my clients with a wide variety of difficulties. I use their strengths to foster better relationships. I lately have a special interest in Adult Attention Deficit Disorder; its assessment and understanding of the relationship issues it poses for the individual and family.

I am an experienced and compassionate counsellor with over 20 years of dedicated service in the field of mental health and well-being, teaching and school counselling. Possessing a Master's degree in Counselling Psychology from UBC, and various specialized certifications, I have honed my skills to provide empathetic and effective guidance to individuals facing diverse challenges. My warm and non-judgmental demeanor instantly puts my clients at ease, fostering a safe and trusting environment for open dialogue.

I have over a decade of counselling expertise. I was specially trained in cognitive-behavior therapy under the late Dr. Micheal Spevack. I treat: panic attacks, fear of flying, depression, OCD, phobias, self-esteem, excessive worrying, procrastination, assertiveness, generalized anxiety, relationship isssues, sexual abuse and incest, insomnia, infertility, and general life stress. I also teach relaxation. I work with you, the client, together as a team on your special goals. We will achieve your goals in a successful, organized manner. I offer warmth and empathy in a supportive environment. Contact me so that you can begin your awesome journey to happiness!

Are you feeling isolated, exhausted, anxious, stressed, overwhelmed and alone in today’s high-tech world? Well you’re not alone! I founded TherapYOU to support you and your specific wellness goals. I am a bilingual licensed Therapist in an active modern private practice providing counselling support to individuals from diverse cultural populations including serving indigenous communities since 2012. Together, we will seek solutions to your life stressors.

Award-winning clinic of psychologists, psychotherapists, and counselors in multiple locations, including Montreal.

People come to me to resolve challenges that get in the way of living well. A trusting relationship is the essence of effective treatment. You need to feel understood and connected in order to share your inner world. My training and extensive years of experience enable me to earn trust and cooperation to help people identify and achieve their goals. My approach to treatment is interactive and collaborative and my style is warm and engaging. Respectfulness, clarity and directness tempered by humour characterize my work.

Throughout our sessions, I strive to create an environment of compassion, acceptance, and present moment awareness. I don't see myself as fundamentally different from the client, but rather as someone who can bring a fresh perspective to their situation. I believe that the client and I are both climbing our own mountains, and I can use my vantage point to identify obstacles on their mountain that they may not be aware of. In therapy, every struggle is important, and no one's pain is greater or less than another's. Together, we can then find new ways to navigate these obstacles and chart a new course towards a more fulfilling life.

I offer evidence-based interventions, with an emphasis on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, for a variety of mental health concerns. I work collaboratively with clients to design individualized interventions for a well-being that lasts, and resilience to weather the storms.