Our Team

Tressa Porter

Hi, I’m Tressa

I’m glad you’re here. When life becomes so difficult we explore getting help and it’s usually because we’re at the cusp of growth. Growth can be so painful and often completely unwanted. When we’re in pain something within ourselves or our lives must change, transform and grow. It is as if all we currently know and all the tools we’ve used in the past no longer work, not because we are failing, but because we are growing! The situation requires us to grow in ways that can be very uncomfortable and even in ways we may not have realized is possible.

Let’s take this opportunity to lean into growth. Growth is uncomfortable because it’s unknown territory. I’m here to guide you through.

Despite what it looks like on the surface, we’re all truly amazing beings when we discover the brilliance and wisdom of our own minds.

My Approach

For almost, 20 years I’ve had the privilege of working with hundreds of people, just like you, to support them to understand their inner world and learn how to navigate their life from the inside out. It’s possible, through the most intense emotional storms we discover our empowerment. When we come through the other side we can feel more of who we are, rather than shredded. I can help you get through to the other side and grow from whatever you’re up against!

“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” A. Camus.

I’ve grown a unique approach to helping you sort yourself out. Together we explore what past is still present, so you understand what is going on from the inside out. This is balanced by helping you identify ways to make significant changes to increase your empowerment and agency in your life. I have the pleasure of watching people actually fall in love with themselves and enjoy being in their own skin.

Experience and Training

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Areas of Speciality

Anger, Depression, Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Childhood Trauma, Attachment Issues, Parenting; Individual Therapy, Couples, Relationships of all kinds, Self Psychology and Psychoanalytically informed; IFS informed and Parts work.

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Credentials

M.A. in Expressive Arts Therapy and Psychotherapy, College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (Registered Psychotherapist, RP), 4 Year Diploma in Relational Psychotherapy; NLP Practitioner; Circle of Security Faciliator and an evidence-based trauma treatment.

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Insurance

Registered Psychotherapist Registration #002229 **Insurance is not guaranteed, please verify with your insurance company to make sure you are covered for Psychotherapy by a Registered Psychotherapist.

Beyond therapy…

I’ve overcome some significant storms in my life, many of which capsized my ship or caught me in the riptide for years! All of these experiences taught me, actually forced me, to grow and required me to live with greater freedom and empowerment in my mind or else I might not be here. Was it easy? NO. But it spurred me on and now I’m passionate about helping people understand and liberate their minds and feelings.

I’m continually learning, growing and investing in the study of the mind and heart. Call it an obsession but I love this work! There’s nothing better than discovering new ways to increase our inner sailing skills so we can recover quicker when we capsize and get back into life again. It’s a constant, unfolding, life long learn and I draw from all of this in the work I do. I like to think of myself as a psychonaut. Willing to dive into the depth of the psyche and the universe.

I delight in my family, my two children who continue to push me to my growing edges, my golden friends, many of whom are four-footed or have branches.

One more thing…

My favourite quote is by Louisa May Alcott. “I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.”

I used to hold my breath waiting for life to settle down, for some calm sailing to start living. It took a number of brutal storms before I realized that the joy and satisfaction of living is in navigating through the storms. It’s only when we truly know how to sail our ship that we can enjoy the calm times, and not live in anticipation of the next storm.

Most of us aren’t taught how to sail or how to navigate our inner worlds. We can spend years caught in an endless cycle of capsizing, drowning, and then beating ourselves because we haven’t left the harbor. Together, we can help you get your ship sailing, grow your confidence to navigate the emotional storms so you can feel the satisfaction of sailing your ship. It can be done.