Melissa Emerson (She /Her)

• Abuse (childhood/familial)
• Abuse (intimate partner violence)
• Addiction
• Adoption
• Anger
• Anxiety
• BIPOC/Racial Issues
• Body Image
• Depression
• Dissociation and Dissociative Identity
• Dreamwork and Dream Interpretation
• Gender Identity
• Impulsive Behaviour
• LGBTQ2SIA+
• Life Crisis and Transitions
• Loneliness and Isolation
• Loss and Grief
• Masochism and Self-Defeating Behaviours
• Obsessive and Compulsive Thoughts and Behaviours
• Personality Disorders
• Polyamory and Non-traditional Relationships
• Sadistic Tendencies
• Self-Destructive Patterns
• Self-Esteem
• Stress
• Trauma

• Anti-Racist, Anti-Oppressive, and Intersectional Psychotherapy
• Mindfulness
• Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Working at your pace, I offer a co-created conversation in which we discuss whatever is on your mind allows the dynamic of our relationship – including thoughts, ideas, values, and sensations – to be used for the discovery, acceptance, and understanding of your life and inner world.

My office is a confidential, comfortable, and LGBTQ-positive space. I see individuals for psychodynamic psychotherapy on a secure online platform or over the phone. On average, I see clients once or twice a week, as per your preference. Each psychotherapy session lasts 50 minutes. The office itself was thoughtfully designed, with mindfulness given to elements that are colourful and tactile, to engage even the busiest mind. Creating an inviting space for your work is my priority.

Prior to becoming a therapist, I worked in an artistic field. I was driven to succeed, and my entire identity was about my career and what society defined as success. Today, I view success as something very different: now, my success is derived from an inner state of being, rather than from external validation.

Over a decade ago, it was suggested to me by my own therapist that a career in psychotherapy might be my true calling. After dismissing this idea for two years, I finally listened and attended the Centre for Training in Psychotherapy. I would not have been able to make this choice without the many years of individual therapy that came before, which shed light on the anxiety of being alone that drove me. Over time, I came to an understanding of how events in my life shaped my decisions and who I believed I was in the world.

The total experience of seeking therapy and subsequently becoming a therapist has taught me to slow down, to be reflective, and to consider my actions before taking them. Listening to our own selves can allow us all to become who we would really love to be.

If any of my words resonate with you, let us see if we could work well together. I offer a 30-minute complimentary intake conversation in which we can decide if we are a good match. If so, an appointment for your first one-on-one therapy session can be made at your convenience.

You may contact me by phone at 416-738-6471 or by email at therapy@melissaemerson.ca.

I accept e-transfers as payment. My fees are covered by many benefit plans: check with your employer or insurance provider to see if psychotherapy is covered.