Welcome!
I Acknowledge the strength that it takes to seek out therapy and hope to ease any concerns and guide you through the process of coming to therapy. Services are available in person or via teletherapy (online/phone) for Ontario Residents.
Taking the first step toward therapy can feel overwhelming, and I want to acknowledge the courage and strength it takes to reach out for support. My goal is to help create a space where you feel comfortable, understood, and supported throughout the therapeutic process. Whether you are beginning therapy for the first time or returning after previous experiences, I strive to make the process feel approachable, collaborative, and grounded in compassion.
I offer therapy services for teens and adults across Ontario through both in-person sessions and secure virtual therapy (online). Together, we work at a pace that feels safe and manageable while exploring the challenges that may be impacting your well-being and daily life.
I support individuals experiencing anxiety, stress, burnout, depression, trauma and PTSD, phobias, relationship difficulties, emotional overwhelm, and a variety of life transitions and stressors. My approach is client-centred, trauma-informed, and tailored to your unique needs, helping you build insight, coping strategies, and lasting emotional resilience.
You do not have to navigate difficult experiences alone. Therapy can be a place to reconnect with yourself, strengthen coping skills, and move toward healing and meaningful change.
Mindfulness in therapy involves cultivating awareness of thoughts and feelings in the present moment, without judgment, to gain greater control over your reactions.
Solution-focused therapy emphasizes building on a client's strengths to find practical solutions for the future.
Learn more about me as well as the various methods we can utilize to assist you in your journey of mental well-being
Emily is a Registered Social Worker and trauma-focused therapist with extensive experience supporting individuals navigating trauma, anxiety, addiction, relationship challenges, emotional dysregulation, and complex nervous system responses. Her work is grounded in evidence-based, trauma-informed care and shaped through both extensive clinical experience and ongoing professional development.
Emily completed her Master’s of Social Work at the University of Windsor in 2019 and is registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. She is also a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers, EMDR Canada, and EMDR International Association (EMDRIA).
Emily has completed advanced training in EMDR therapy and is EMDRIA Certified, with specialized education in complex trauma, dissociation, ego states/parts work, attachment, polyvagal theory, addictions, suicidality, and nervous system regulation. Her therapeutic approach is integrative and individualized, drawing from EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS)-informed work, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and somatic and trauma-informed approaches.
She is deeply committed to lifelong learning and regularly engages in advanced training and clinical consultation to continue strengthening the care she provides to clients.
Emily’s professional background includes individual therapy, crisis intervention, domestic violence counselling, addictions work, trauma treatment, group facilitation, and program development across both community and private practice settings. She has also contributed to research and initiatives related to trauma, addiction, and domestic violence.
At the core of Emily’s work is a warm, compassionate, and collaborative approach. She strives to create a space where clients feel safe, understood, and genuinely supported as they navigate healing, self-understanding, and meaningful change at a pace that feels manageable and empowering.
- EMDR with Substance Use & Co-Occurring Addictive Behaviours (2026)
- EMDR Distancing Technique for Anxiety & OCD (2025)
- EMDR Treatment for Adult Survivors of Sexual Abuse (2025)
- Internal Family Systems (IFS)-Informed Trauma & Addiction Treatment (2024)
- Mental Health, Suicide & Crisis Management (2024)
- Anxiety Certification: CBT & Exposure Response Prevention for OCD, Panic & Anxiety Disorders (2024)
- Polyvagal & Felt Sense Approaches for Couples and Families (2024)
- EMDR & Complex Disorders Training (2024)
- EMDRIA Certified Therapist (2023)
- Dissociation & Parts Work with EMDR (2023)
- Ego States Therapy Training (2023)
- EMDR for Dissociative Clients (2022)
- Advanced Stabilization Skills for Complex Dissociation (2022)
- Polyvagal Approaches to Trauma & Addiction Treatment (2022)
- Advanced Flash Technique & Flash Technique for Trauma Processing (2022)
- DeTUR Protocol for Addictions & Urge Reduction (2021)
- EMDR Basic Training (2021)
- DBT for Suicidality, Self-Harm & Addictions (2021)
- Traumatic Incident Reduction – Intensive Training (2020)
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Certification (2020)
- Compassionate Inquiry Training (2020)
- Addictions Certificate (2019)
- Traumatology Certificate (2019)
- CBT for Couples, Families & Children (2019)
- Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) (2018)
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) Certificate (2017)
- Healing Complex Trauma Through Indigenous Teachings (2016)
- Working with High-Risk Domestic Violence Offenders (2015)
- Caring Dads Facilitator Training (2015)
- Partner Assault Response Group Facilitator Training (2014)
When first sitting down with clients, I strive to create a space where you feel comfortable, supported, and genuinely heard. I am here to listen to whatever you feel ready and comfortable sharing, at your own pace.
The first couple of sessions are often focused on getting to know you — your history, your experiences, and what has brought you to therapy. From there, we begin discussing your goals and exploring how therapy may best support you. Together, we create a plan that feels collaborative and tailored to your unique needs, determining which therapeutic approaches and modalities may be the best fit.
For clients who have attended therapy before, I am also interested in learning what has felt helpful in the past, as well as what may not have worked as well for you. This helps us shape our work together in a way that feels effective, safe, and meaningful. We move at a pace that feels manageable while gently exploring the areas that may be keeping you feeling stuck.
As a clinician, I deeply value creating an environment free from judgment — one where clients feel safe enough to explore difficult emotions, experiences, and parts of themselves with compassion and curiosity.
Trauma treatment is the primary focus of my practice and has naturally become a specialty area over time. I feel very grounded and comfortable working within this space. I welcome individuals with sensitive nervous systems, disconnected or overwhelmed nervous systems, and everything in between. My goal is to help you better understand what is happening within you, allowing you to make sense of your experiences rather than feel controlled by them.
I believe that understanding ourselves can be deeply empowering. I aim to help clients stay in the driver’s seat of their healing journey, while I act as a compassionate guide and co-facilitator — offering support, direction, and tools when needed along the way.
While some parts of the work may feel serious and deeply reflective, there are also moments where the work feels lighter. I believe humor, warmth, and genuine connection all have an important place in the therapeutic process. I strive to ensure my clients feel supported, understood, and accepted as they navigate their healing journey.
My approach has been shaped through both personal and professional experience, allowing me to bring authenticity, compassion, and practicality into the work we do together. I do my best not to overcomplicate the healing process. At its core, therapy is about connection, understanding, and creating meaningful change in a way that feels manageable and grounded. I also bring a strong memory and genuine heart for this work, which helps me hold onto the important details of my clients’ stories and experiences with care.
»| Anxiety | Anger Management | Binge Eating Disorder | Borderline Personality Disorder |
| Body Image | Boundary Setting | Communication Skills | Depression |
| Domestic Abuse | Emotional Regulation | General Stress | Grief |
| Life Skills | Trauma | Parenting Challenges | Perfectionism |
| Self-Esteem | Self-Harm | Sexual Assault | Social Anxiety |
| Substance Use | Suicidal Ideation | Trauma | Work or School Stress |
Teletherapy is offered via OnCall Health a secure and encrypted platform to provide on-line counselling sessions with clients.
Directly after scheduling their first appointment clients will receive an email invite to register with OnCall Health. Clients are also sent email reminders on the day of their scheduled appointment with a link to click on at the scheduled time of their appointment.
Clients simply join the on-line video counselling session by clicking on this link at the time of their scheduled appointment. Sessions are anonymous and are never recorded or stored.
On-line video counselling works well when clients are not available for in-office visits due to scheduling issues, inclement weather, immobilization due medical condition(s), etc. and prefer the visual cues that come with video.
Copyright © 2024 Emily Spagnolo. All Rights Reserved.
