Hi! I’m Elyse.

Choosing a therapist can feel vulnerable. You may be wondering whether you'll feel understood, whether therapy can actually help, or whether you'll have to tell your whole story before you're ready. My hope is that from our very first conversation, you'll feel a little less alone. Therapy with me is about creating enough safety so that together we can begin to meet what your mind, body, and nervous system have been carrying.

You may find that I do things a little differently than other talk-oriented therapists. Rather than focusing only on managing symptoms, we'll become curious about what's underneath them. Together, we'll explore the roots of what you're experiencing at a pace that honours both your story and your nervous system. My approach to this is grounded in trauma-informed care and informed by LGBTQ2S+ and neurodiversity-affirming perspectives.

I believe healing happens not only through insight, but through experiences of safety, connection, and relationship. My work is guided primarily by Internal Family Systems (IFS), Relational Intelligence (RI), and Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR) - approaches that help us work with the deeper organizing systems of the brain, body, and nervous system, where many longstanding patterns tend to begin.

We are all hardwired for healing and connection, even when our internal world seems chaotic, and a sense of peace seems out of reach. I believe each of us possesses an innate capacity for healing and wellbeing when the conditions are right for that process to unfold. However this journey is not something we should undertake alone, we need safe, attuned relationships that allow us to experience something different along the path back home to ourselves - that is where I hope to walk alongside you.

Over the years, I've had the privilege of supporting people from many different walks of life, each carrying their own unique story. Together, we'll make sense of your experiences in a way that feels meaningful to you and your process.

My practice is grounded in extensive training and clinical experience. I am a Master of Social Work (MSW), Registered Social Worker (RSW), psychotherapist, and Certified IFS Therapist. I've worked in community agencies, university settings, outpatient hospitals, and have consulted with organizations implementing trauma-informed care. My commitment to ongoing learning reflects my desire to offer you care that is both compassionate and informed by the latest developments in trauma treatment.

One of the ways I continue to deepen my own practice is by supporting other therapists in learning Internal Family Systems. I have served as support staff for IFSCA’s Skills and Competency and Stepping Stone courses, facilitated supervised practice groups, co-authored the course manual, and continue to serve as a Program Assistant with the IFS Institute. Teaching keeps me growing. Supporting other therapists continually challenges me to deepen my own understanding, which ultimately benefits the people who entrust me with their care.

Outside of the therapy room, I'm also a mom to a spirited four-year-old daughter and two energetic dogs, all of whom keep life wonderfully full. You'll also find me moving my body in ways that help me feel grounded - whether that's lifting weights, taking a Pilates class, or biking around my neighborhood. I'm an avid reader and rarely have just one book on the go (see the ‘bookshelf’ tab). I also want you to know that I believe deeply in doing my own inner work and value the ongoing process of growth, reflection, and healing.

Certifications & Trainings

Ongoing consultation, supervision, and advanced training are an important part of how I care for my clients.

Relational Intelligence: Management of Attachment Trauma (Marie Allain, Self Therapie Formation, July 2026).

Deep Brain Reorienting Level 1: Healing of the Shock at the Core of Traumatic Experiences (Trainer: Jessica Christie-Sands, June 2026).

Program Assistant, IFSI Level 1: Cascading Falls (Lead Trainer: Ann Sinko, Internal Family Systems Institute, January - May 2026).

Program Assistant, IFSI Level 2: Deepening and Expanding (Lead Trainer: Ann Sinko, Internal Family Systems Institute, November 2025).

Relational Intelligence: Advanced Level - Trauma, Dissociation, and Attachment (Francois Le Doze, Self Therapie Formation, April 2025).

Waking up and Growing Up with Effortless Mindfulness + IFS (Loch Kelly, Effortless Mindfulness Institute, February 2025).

Program Assistant, IFSI Level 2: IFS, Addictions and Eating Disorders (Lead Trainer: Cece Sykes, Internal Family Systems Institute, November 2024).

Program Assistant, IFSI Level 1: Veil Falls (Lead Trainer: Gwen Hurd, Internal Family Systems Institute, May-September 2024).

Relational Intelligence: Basic Level (Francois Le Doze, Self Thérapie Formation, April 2024).

Somatic IFS Practice Series (Susan McConnell, September 2021)

Internal Family Systems Level 3 Training (The IFS Institute, Lead Trainer: Richard Schwartz, August 2020)

Internal Family Systems Level 2 Training: Trauma & Neuroscience (The IFS Institute, Lead Trainer: Frank Anderson, May 2020)

Internal Family Systems Level 1 Training (The IFS Institute, Lead Trainer: Chris Burris, February 2019)

Accessing & Living from the Self: Meditation, Mindfulness, and IFS Psychotherapy (Richard Schwartz & Loch Kelly, The Center for Self Leadership, March-April 2018)

Internal Family Systems Skills and Competencies Training (IFSCA, April 2018)

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Skills Online Training (The Linehan Institute, June 2017)

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Fundamental Skills (University of Toronto, OISE Continuing and Professional Education, January 2017)

EMDR Basic Training Certification (Buffalo EMDR Training Institute, Spring 2016)

Cognitive Processing Therapy: 2-day workshop (University at Buffalo, 2015)