Before pursuing a career in psychotherapy, I worked in the non-profit sector servicing at-risk youth, youth living with HIV and the LGBTQ+ community. This is where I found my passion for connection and importance of relationships in the process of healing. During this time I also went on my own therapeutic journey which taught me first hand that therapy has the potential to change lives and save lives (YES Therapists have Therapists too!). 

I have worked in the field of mental health and wellness for over 10 years, working with adolescents, adults, couples and families across Durham Region.  I have supported clients with intense and rapidly changing emotions and long held beliefs trapping them in unhelpful patterns of behaviour. I have weathered the storm with individuals that experienced a sense of hopelessness and feelings of emptiness, fears of abandonment or failure. My clients have laughed and cried in my office as we explored issues ranging from how we show up in our relationships and have our needs met to sex, trauma and suicidal-self injury. No matter what brings you to therapy at this time, together we can go on a therapeutic exploration towards healing, where you feel safe, heard, understood and validated.

I believe the client-therapist relationship is the most essential piece of the therapeutic experience, the connection between us matters, so I operate from a place of genuity and realism, with a healthy dose of humour.

My approach to therapy is eclectic and mixes traditional psychotherapeutic theories with modern day evidenced-based therapies including cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behavioural therapy and emotion focused therapy, to name a few. Treatment will always be tailored to the unique individual as I believe therapy is not a one-size-fits-all service.  Most importantly, I work through a trauma-informed lens and your sense of safety while on the path to healing remains top priority.

I aim to assist my clients to gain a deeper self awareness through exploration of one’s thoughts, feelings, behaviours and experiences.  From a place of non-judgment we can process one’s emotions, explore past life experiences, build healthy coping strategies and bring balance to one’s life. My practice aims to develop an empathetic and authentic therapeutic relationship in order to foster growth and healing and assist those in reaching their goals.

– Lindsay Cook, M.A, R.P