getting started
It has been my experience that people are doing the best they can to cope using the tools they have. I approach therapy as an active process where we work collaboratively to understand your feelings and needs, build on your coping strategies, and improve your overall mental health and well-being.
If you have questions or think my approach might fit for you, I encourage you to contact me to book a free mini phone session (about 30min).
I am committed to principles of equity, anti-oppressive practice, intersectional feminism, and Health At Every Size. My intention is to create an inclusive space that is experienced as safe, supportive, non-judgmental, pro-choice, sex-positive, poly-positive, and body-affirming. I attempt to be conscious of ways that my social location, educational and positional privilege might impact your experience of therapy. You can expect that we will regularly discuss how I can best support you and that I will welcome feedback about your experience of therapy, and about felt power differentials including those related to race, cultural background, and gender identity.
training
I graduated from the Master of Social Work (MSW) program at University of Toronto in 2008. I am a Registered Social Worker in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. I am also a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers.
Prior to my MSW, I completed the three-year Expressive Arts Therapy (EXAT) training program at CREATE Institute in Toronto. Expressive Arts is about connecting to your innate creativity through writing, visual arts or other artistic forms to support increased self-awareness and growth. Though I don’t tend to incorporate the arts in sessions, this training informs the ways I work with people and shows up in my use of metaphors and visuals in sessions.
models of therapy
Some of the mental health and well-being theories that inform my practice include aspects of: social work theories, narrative therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), trauma-informed and trauma-focused therapies (including the neurobiological impacts of trauma, cognitive processing therapy and trauma-focused CBT), Health At Every Size (body-affirming approaches), mindfulness approaches, harm-reduction, family systems theories, tobacco counselling, expressive arts therapy, and positive psychology.
if it’s not a fit
If at any point in counselling you or I find that your needs are not a fit with my approach and my scope of practice, I will support you by providing referrals to other private practice therapists, group supports, or other support services that might better meet your needs. For example, I do not have training in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), or in Addictions counselling, so needs in either of these areas require me to refer you to supports that can better meet your needs. Please note that as a Social Worker, I cannot diagnose mental health issues or disorders.
practice limitations
I do not have capacity to provide crisis support outside of sessions. My phone and email are only checked during regular business hours. You can expect that my response times to messages will vary depending on my availability. In general, my intention is to try to reply to messages within 1-2 business days and I make every effort to reply within that time period. On occasion if I am in training or on vacation, my response time might be longer. See the distress lines and crisis support page of this website for resources and further information.
Visit my contact page and get in touch to find out more or to book a session.
katarina maatta-hebdon 