Relational Therapists in Richmond, ON

Therapy can help us to connect with ourselves and others, find meaning, joy, love, acceptance, playfulness and peace of mind. If you are recovering from trauma, if you are stuck or struggling, therapy can create a safe space to work through painful and difficult emotions and experiences in order to live better and feel better. I value creativity, compassion and collaboration. My approach is drawn from attachment theory, narrative therapy, trauma-informed somatic therapies, mindful self-compassion and relational therapy.

I don’t believe in taking a clinical, transactional approach to therapy. I nurture each relationship I have and view every client as a unique individual requiring a tailored approach. Over the last three years I have helped clients move through anxiety, depression, grief, low self-esteem, life transitions, and relational issues. My client-centred approach allows for a natural flow in our work and creates space for sustainable positive change and long-term success. I want therapy to feel useful and I always welcome feedback, honesty, and laughter in sessions. If this feels like the right approach for you, let’s get connected!

UPDATE: October 2023. I am accepting new clients. Please email me at drjoannewest@gmail.com I use evidence-based interventions to help people address challenges and use their strengths. I create a safe space in which you will feel heard, not judged. I treat issues including anxiety, depression, PTSD and trauma, grief and loss, life transitions, gender identity issues, substance abuse, and relational difficulties. I provide therapy and assessment to adults, adolescents (13+), couples, and families.

Are you experiencing feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, grief and other overwhelming emotions? Are you navigating the lasting effects of trauma and its impact your identity and relationships? Often our symptoms are part of survival mechanisms that helped us in the past. Unfortunately, they can lead to unwanted behaviours in our present lives that can cause us shame and self-loathing. What you really deserve is compassion and care towards your pain. It takes a great deal of courage to embark on a path of healing and growth, and I consider it a privilege to work along side you throughout your journey.

I am a white, queer, cisgender man and settler. I value authenticity and strive to be collaborative, warm, playful, curious, and compassionate in my work with clients. I invite you to also bring any parts of yourself to our shared therapy space - the hurt, the hidden, the joyful, and anything else we may discover. My approach to care is rooted in intersectional, anti-oppressive, and trauma-informed frameworks. Some specializations of mine include anxiety, perfectionism, relationship challenges, queer experiences, identity exploration, HIV/AIDS, and navigating trauma. I work with children, youth, adults, and older adults.

Oh hi. You know, I can imagine that he steps leading you here today involved some tough times. I know how difficult it is finding help, especially when you’re feeling overwhelmed, emotional, scared. Maybe things are going pretty well and you’re looking to grow. Either way, I think we all deserve every chance to improve ourselves, find ourselves in the one life we've been given here. That’s what I’m trying to do too. The only way I know how. Through listening, awareness, connection, and growth. I do this with folks who might need someone to help them navigate anxiety, depression, relationship dynamics, and trauma.

My work is guided by curiosity, connection and is rooted in values of authentic collaboration. My therapeutic foundations are rooted within relational, client-directed, strengths perspective, trauma-informed, feminist and structural frameworks. With a deep sense of compassion and respect, I seek to create a warm, safe, and non-judgmental space that facilitates self-awareness, healing and growth. Together, we can begin to tease apart the adaptive approaches to dealing with and moving through life you've grown accustomed to, and begin to untangle patterns that are serving you, and patterns you may be interested in moving beyond.

Experiencing trauma does not have to hold you back. I specialize in supporting those who are navigating how past childhood, relational, betrayal, intergenerational, or complex trauma may have impacted their relationship with themselves, their body, and with others. This may present itself as struggling with self-esteem, body image, emotional/binge eating, attachment, relationship struggles, people pleasing, anxiety, perfectionism, or with just feeling “enough”. Together, we can process past trauma, nurture our unique nervous systems, break patterns that keep us feeling stuck, and move towards a life of self-trust and embodiment.

If you’re exhausted of this capitalist/colonial hellscape we are in and use some dark humour to cope with the trauma then you may have found the right vibe. As activists, healers, intuitive beings, BIPOC/SWANA folks and just deep feelers the world can feel unsafe and stressful (the colonial systems are designed this way) leading us to feel stuck or overwhelmed. Your experience deserves to be heard and seen. I invite you to a safe collaborative environment that centres your healing and the communities you show up for. I utilize an approach that is intuitive, relational, integrative and roots work.

I am NOT currently accepting new clients. My experience enables me to offer effective outpatient, individualized, mental health support for individuals, couples ad families. I provide supports around relationship issues, as well as coping with mood disorders, depression, anxiety disorders, grief & loss, managing life transitions, trauma, and addictions.

I believe that individual experiences are what make us unique, thus "the relationship we have with ourselves sets the tone for every other relationship we have" (Jane Travis). I appreciate having the opportunity to support and work collaboratively with my clients, many of whom may be experiencing a diverse and/or complex array of concerns for their mental health needs and well-being. I strive to offer a safe and supportive environment where my clients can feel safe and secure in exploring their thoughts, feelings, and concerns. I strive to ensure that my client's needs and preferences are met and will adapt my approach when needed.

I welcome you with a willingness to learn more about whatever might be holding you back in life or your relationship(s). My approach to therapy is client-centred and collaborative. I strive to explore solutions that work in your environment. I am a South Asian, gay/queer, cisgender man, immigrant/settler, & I have extensive experience working with heterosexual & queer/2SLGBTQ+ individuals & couples.

I am here for those who have been left without support, invalidated, and let down. I hear that you are looking to be seen for the reasons behind why you are hurting. I am here to prioritize your needs and goals, and to support you on your journey to recovery.

If you work with me, you will find that I am warm, receptive, and engaging. I will offer practical tools and new ways of thinking that you can use right away to cope with the present and make plans for the future. Together we can dive into issues such as work life integration, communication with loved ones, routines and organization, and creating a meaningful, values oriented life. Sometimes we will dive into your past, because that is where a lot of challenges start, but it will always be in the service of your present and your future.

At JNM Wellness, we offer compassionate and supportive counselling services to individuals and couples looking to address any of life's many challenges. My own approach is based primarily in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and is always client-directed. I am a firm believer that you are the expert in your own life, and my role is to provide the guidance and support to help you unpack the past, work with the present, and find your way onto your desired path for the future. With a focus on strengths, goal setting, and psychoeducation, I aim to empower my clients to overcome their challenges and achieve their full potential.

Hey! I’m Joanna, or Jo, for short; pronouns she/they. I value authenticity, mutual respect, and self-agency, so I work collaboratively with my clients. I hold space for all persons, regardless of their race, gender, sexuality, religion, and intersectional identities, and I strive to do so in a compassionate, non-judgmental way.

Thank you for viewing my profile. I am ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS. My practice services individuals, children, youth, families, and groups. We provide psychotherapy to support emotional distress, but not limited to anxiety, lack of motivation, sadness or depression, grief, feeling overwhelmed, feeling stuck in your life and relationship issues. Taking the first step can be difficult, we understand. If you are struggling with mental health issues, the team at Support & Growth Counselling Services can help. We offer a variety of counselling and psychotherapy services to ensure that you and your loved ones can build happy and healthy lives.

Congratulations on taking such an important step towards healing and personal growth! I look forward to providing you with a safe space to collaboratively explore your thoughts, emotions and experiences. Together, we will explore and address the root causes of your concerns, enabling you to move towards an authentic and meaningful life. I am honoured to partner with members of LGBTQ+ and racialized communities and endeavour to understand how experiences of marginalization and oppression impact you and your loved ones. I am also passionate about supporting clients with ADHD or those who identify as neurodivergent in some capacity.