I’m the kind of therapist who will dance, cry, and laugh with you!

(Not some hoity-toity, dry and boring therapist who wears blazers, plasters their office with accolades, and only asks “…and how does that make you feel?”)

Hi, I’m Denise.

A licensed therapist and a Certified Somatic EMDR Practitioner. I integrate both Western and Eastern Modalities and for the past 6 years, I’ve worked with women one-on-one to help them put themselves first, heal from their past, and find REAL happiness.

Being a therapist is my calling. The thing that I’m meant to do. 

But I lived a lot of life before I became one. This is my story.

“Once upon a time”, I got caught up in what society said “SHOULD” make me happy, even though it didn’t.

I had gone to school, got the grades, earned the accolades.
A high-paying corporate job and a pretty car.
A fancy-schmancy house and a handsome fiancé.
I was pretty darn hoity-toity and also, DEEPLY UNHAPPY.

I had checked ALL the boxes.

I was doing ALL the things.

I just couldn’t wrap my brain around what the problem was – because I had “everything”.

So, I did what we all do. I googled “why aren’t I happy?”

Was it helpful? Nope! Not at all!

So I dug a little deeper.

I knew there were things from my past that I hadn’t dealt with, but it didn’t seem “that bad.” 

I’d dabbled in therapy ten years before, and it’d been the opposite of helpful. After telling my therapist about my troubled childhood, he said: “don’t you think it’s time to get over it?” All I wanted to do was feel better but I ended up feeling like a scolded little kid.

 So I did what we women are taught to do – I buried things deeper. I stuffed MORE unhappiness into my emotional junk drawer.

I kept thinking, “Other people have had it worse. Look at everything I have. I should be grateful. People would give anything for my life.” 

This became my excuse to stay away from therapy. It was the story I told myself over and over again, hoping everything would just magically get better.

Fast forward a decade…

I’d checked even more boxes. My life looked even better from the outside. But sadness still followed me. I could tuck it away from moment to moment but it was always there in the background.

And then I had my enough-is-enough moment…and all that minimizing came to a screeching halt.

The WEIGHT of my emotions became too much. 

After a lifetime of chasing happiness (without actually knowing what made ME happy)

And AVOIDING all the pain and bad memories…

My junk drawer exploded

And everything came flooding back.

I felt so overwhelmed and alone. I knew I needed to seek out support. That family and friends wouldn’t cut it anymore. 

Something had to change. I just couldn’t keep waking up every day feeling like hot garbage. 

I NEEDED to lighten the load. To stop feeling like there was something wrong with me.

I KNEW in my guts that I HAD to try therapy again. 

I was scared, BUT I was able to muster up the courage to find a new therapist. 

If you’re in the same place, I want you to know how much bravery and strength it takes to reach out and ask for help. And that no matter how long it’s taken you to get here all that matters is that you’re here now.

Up until I started therapy, my whole life had centered on what I “SHOULD” do, as opposed to what I actually WANTED to do.

In therapy, my big feelings were WELCOME. I discovered that I wasn’t just this overly sensitive crybaby and an entirely new world opened up before my eyes.

I learned how to ask for what I needed, and I figured out what made me happy.

Therapy changed my life. 

It made me realize that I wanted to help other women heal and find their path to happiness. 

And funny enough, do you know what my therapist asked me one day? “Why aren’t YOU a therapist?”

I’m a Licensed therapist and registered social service worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers

(which means I’ll probably be covered by your insurance, yay!)

And a Certified Somatic EMDR Practitioner (through the Embody Lab)

I integrate both Western and Eastern Modalities, including:

• Relational, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, solutions-focused, Trauma-informed, Behavioral activation, Narrative, EMDR; and
• Mindfulness, Grounding, Journaling, Meditation, and somatic practices.

I’ve been a lifelong learner and have studied:

• Psychology, Sociology, Spirituality, Human Design, Chalkra Systems, Reiki…and also business administration, e-commerce, and aethsetics.
• Currently, I’m learning IFS Therapy (aka parts work) through the Internal Family Systems Institute, founded by Dr. Richard Schwartz.  

I’ve worn a lot of different hats and worked in many different industries in my 40 plus years on this earth. But the fact that I haven’t always been a therapist, makes me a better therapist! It helps me relate more deeply to my clients and their experiences.

Why do I share all of this you ask?

To be honest, I want you to know that things haven’t always been perfect, I had to do the healing work myself.

I have sat where you have sat right now, wondering if therapy might help, knowing that something had to change but terrified of not showing up for myself.

It is this story that makes me so passionate about the work I do, this story that allows me to be the relatable therapist I am today.

Most of all, it is this story that allowed me to find my own happiness, on my terms.

I want the same for you, more than anything.

If you have read this far and feel intuitively pulled to connect, I invite you to do so.

Therapy is about fit, you have to feel safe and secure to be your most vulnerable self.

It all starts with that first, baby step.

Even though it’s scary.

Even though what’s coming next is unknown.

You deserve to take a chance on you, to work with someone who will have your back and best interest top of mind.

If this is speaking to you, simply leave a comment below and I will connect with you.

You don’t have to do this alone anymore, I’m here for you.