Isla Craig
(she/her)- Availability:
- Waitlisting New Clients
- Session Format:
In-Person Sessions- Office Hours:
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
- Clientele:
- Adults
Contact Information
- Email:
- isla.m.craig@gmail.com
- Address:
- 21 Randolph Ave | Toronto | M6P 4G4
Wheelchair Accessible
Here is my conception of how psychodynamic psychotherapy functions: two individuals come together for the purpose of deepening an understanding of both the self and the other in a reflective, relational space that holds at its core a curiosity towards how we experience inner life and what influences have shaped our sense of identity. For the one seeking therapy, there has often been an encounter or experience that has threatened, altered, or overwhelmed a sense of integrity and stability.
There are also less articulated experiences that drive a person towards seeking therapy. I would describe the latter as a kind of subtle stirring within the self to move towards the unknown, to seek understanding beyond one’s current predicament. No matter the happening that moves someone towards therapy, I believe there is a deep-seated momentum within the psyche that strives towards wholeness often despite our rational framings or intellectualizations.
When we are with another, we are acted upon in ways that may struggle to reach the worded dimension and yet, these articulations of unconscious and somatic life are present without effort or labour. Without reflection or consideration, these states of being may pass from our conscious awareness and find expression through more circuitous routes. Over time, these habituated, calcified remnants of our past may inhibit our ability to grow or cultivate new ways of being in our lives. In inquiring into inner life, we discover the multitudes contained within—a matrix of relationships, varying hotspots of developmental triumphs and misattunements, creative expanse and mythic realms, as well as a myriad of somatic instincts, all rising and falling, emboldened and stymied by our habituated patterns and methods of relating. Like a probiotic, psychotherapy works to metabolize life experiences so that we may have more conscious choice around what consumes us.
I meet with clients on a weekly basis. Psychotherapy works over-time and because of time. This is an important aspect of psychodynamic work as it cultivates an internalized rhythm that allows us to stay close to your inner life with intention and focus. Psychodynamic psychotherapy seeks to uncover the parts of ourselves that are less known, acceptable, and accessible to our conscious awareness. The work is client-led, meaning we move from what you bring in each session. There is no homework assigned.
I lean towards a relational, intersubjective approach to psychotherapeutic practice, exploring and making use of my own impressions, images, and feeling states in response to what you bring into session. The relationship we cultivate together is a central focus and point of return that helps illuminate the roles we assume in relationship. Often, this is informed by the ways that we have adjusted our own desires to fit the demands or expectations of others.
The work of Carl Jung has been integral to my own psychotherapeutic explorations and I work with a deep appreciation of the symbolic realms and their expressions within the human psyche. At the heart of this approach to practice is a recognition of the innate creative capacity within each of us to make meaning out of our suffering. Dream work is but one aspect of creativity at play within the psyche that can stimulate imagination and vitality, and support a development of mind that is flexible and adaptable, infusing our lives with meaning and connection.
The spaces I have reserved in my practice for sliding scale are currently filled. I am committed to providing an anti-oppressive therapeutic framework and continue to seek conversation and learning to engage a deeper awareness of power structures, their influence in our society, and how we internalize and relate to these systems.
I am a graduate of the Centre for Training in Psychotherapy, an experiential psychodynamic psychotherapy training program in Toronto, ON. The unique training of the CTP program ensures that I have undergone intensive study that synthesizes practical knowledge with transformative depth work. I welcome you, with a deep respect for the bravery it takes to open oneself to another in such an intimate and revealing manner.
Alongside my psychotherapy practice, I am a musician and a graduate of the Ontario College of Art & Design (BFA). Cultivating creative community and practice informs nearly everything I do. I am guided by a desire to connect to my inner life as a source of inspiration and expression of my authentic self and to share in this experience with others.
I offer free, 20-minute phone consultations to discuss any questions you may have about my practice and to get a feel for whether we may be a good fit for working together. I respond to all inquiries within 24-48 hours. I currently offer in person and remote video sessions, seeing in-person clients on Mondays and Wednesdays in Toronto’s west end.
Please email me if you are interested in connecting further: isla.m.craig@gmail.com
If you would like more information or to schedule an initial consultation, please contact me at isla.m.craig@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you.