Erica Warder

You are complex and multifaceted; you bring your own unique lived experiences to therapy, and so my approach is based on you. As Sara Fels Usher has written, each one of us is “a dynamic, growing, feeling, changing human being with conflicts, fears, anxieties, and psychological defenses.”
 
Together, we’ll consider the meaning of your symptoms and present frustrations within the larger context of who you are as a person, what you’ve experienced, and how you relate to other people. Our goal is to make connections and discover insights into those aspects of your mind that shape you and your behaviour. This is called psychodynamic psychotherapy, and it is the principle lens through which I see my clients.
 
When we first begin, we’ll talk about what brings you to therapy and what you may be expecting or hoping to gain from the process. I’ll also ask about you, your family, and your early life. Importantly, I’ll listen to you with compassion and without judgment. As you become more comfortable and we build trust, I’ll encourage you to begin each session with what is foremost on your mind, and in our sessions we’ll follow your thoughts and feelings to discover where they lead. I’ll be there not only to listen and hear you, but also to help you pay attention to the thoughts, feelings, frustrations, and even the dreams that are affecting your current actions and behaviours.
 
I typically see clients for 50-minute sessions once per week. Due to COVID-19, I am currently only seeing clients virtually or by phone.

I graduated from the Centre for Training in Psychotherapy after eight years of study and currently live in Newmarket. I am a member of the Canadian Association for Psychodynamic Therapists.
 
I’ve lived and worked in both small towns and major cities around Ontario. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Queen’s University and an Artist Diploma from The Glenn Gould School of Music in Toronto. Indeed, it was because of one of my mentors there that I began my own transformational journey in psychotherapy; the process helped me understand myself better, and this in turn helped me deepen my relationships with others.