Transforming Emotions

Michelle Harrison,

M.A. (she/her)

Psychological Associate (Supervised Practice)

My journey into this career was inspired by my own mental health challenges during adolescence and early adulthood. I understand what it’s like to be the “client” and how difficult it can be to engage in the work of therapy. Yet, I also know how profoundly rewarding it can be. Taking time out of your busy life to start therapy isn’t easy, but it’s a valuable gift to yourself—an opportunity to reconnect with who you are, make sense of your experiences, develop essential skills, and discover your resilience.

Often, when we face difficult emotions in response to life’s challenges, our instinct is to push them away, avoid them, or try to control them. However, as a therapist, I view emotions as messages that provide valuable insights into our needs, values, and challenges. Together, we’ll work to harness the wisdom within your emotional experiences, empowering you to make thoughtful choices about how to respond to life’s obstacles.

My therapeutic style is highly collaborative, integrative, and tailored to your unique needs. I draw from various approaches, including Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), mindfulness-based techniques (such as acceptance and commitment therapy and self-compassion), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). I also tend to work from an action-oriented framework that emphasizes practical strategies to empower you in achieving your goals and facilitating meaningful change.

Together, we will clarify what brings you to therapy— whether its navigating consuming anxiety, depression, or stress, seeking a more values-congruent life amongst competing daily demands, processing unresolved trauma through EMDR, or ADHD and executive functioning coaching. Ultimately, my goal is to help you cultivate the tools and insights you need so that you can look back on our work together with confidence, knowing you’re able to navigate life’s challenges independently.

I earned my honours degree in psychology from York University and completed my master’s degree in counselling psychology at McGill University. With a decade of experience, I have had the privilege of working with diverse clients in various settings, including the school board, private practice, an ADHD clinic, and a university counselling centre.

I am authorized for supervised practice as a psychological associate under Dr. Sarah Thompson.