Our Practice Beliefs

It’s important to us that we offer insight into what values guide our work in psychotherapy.

Every mental health professional, whether they are a researcher, doctor, counsellor, or consultant, approaches their work with their own unique worldviews, biases, values, and perspectives.

We hope that by reading about these values we hold, it can help to guide your decision around whether Workshop is a good fit for you.

These principles are guided by the work of Dr. Sandra Collins.

01 — RELATIONSHIPS

Humans are relational beings. We come to exist in environments and relationships with others, which shape our ways of being. This includes both healthy and less useful patterns. Relationships impact our values; we are capable of holding strong beliefs about ourselves and about others.

02 — PERSONAL IDENTITY

We all have a unique identity that influences how we relate to ourselves and others. Our identities are shaped by a series of internal and external forces including our gender, gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, ability, socioeconomic status, religion and spirituality, and beyond. We acknowledge and respect the unique identities of each client, regardless of its relation to any concerns brought into the therapy room.

03 — LOCUS OF CONTROL

We cannot ignore that symptoms which challenge us, or emotions that overwhelm us are deeply impacted by the context of our lives, and the environments we are in. This includes micro environments such as our family or cultural community, meso environments such as schools, clubs, or jobs, and macro environments such as sociocultural, economic, and political systems that affect our day-to-day. All of these determinants influence how we are. And sometimes, these external contexts become a barrier to feeling well. We acknowledge there are systems that we reside within, that context is important, and that acknowledging this locus of control or making broader environmental changes can be greatly impactful for wellbeing.

04 — COLLABORATION

Therapy is not a transactional experience where we hope to get answers from a professional. At Workshop, therapy is a collaborative process where both client and counsellor bring expertise to the table, uncover shared meaning, and work towards aligned goals. Clients, you are the expert in your own experiences. You contain the capacity, skills, and resources to help you seek your desired outcomes. As your therapists, we bring experience in facilitating change and creating safe spaces to foster transformation.

05 — REST

One of the environments we are all surrounded by is an economic one, that of the “hustle and grind.” Capitalism, as a system, expects us to operate with machine-like efficiency and a betrayal to our needs as living, feeling, human beings. We reject this discourse, choosing to acknowledge that our needs are communication and wisdom from within, and we come most alive when we are living in sustainable alignment to them. At the same time, we acknowledge that economic, political, and social realities make a sustainable pace difficult and sometimes inaccessible to achieve, and this requires more work and advocacy to increase the prevalence and appreciation for rest.

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 Frequently Asked Questions

  • Yes. Many women we work with describe feeling lost, disconnected, or unsure of who they are — especially after big transitions like becoming a mother, making changes in your career, or when you’re on the brink of burnout. Therapy offers a safe space to process what you’re going through, reconnect with your identity, and rebuild confidence. Whether you're navigating postpartum challenges, workplace stress, or feeling stuck in perfectionism or people-pleasing patterns, we would be honoured to help support you in coming home to yourself.

  • Absolutely. Whether you’re focused on still establishing your career, you’re just starting your journey in trying to conceive (TTC), or you are experiencing fertility challenges, we specialize in therapy for women in the pre-conception stages of motherhood. Our sense of identity, our self-worth, and our search for purpose and meaning isn’t just impacted once a baby is born. This is an innate part of being a female, especially in today’s modern society, and we are especially honoured to walk alongside you during this stage.

  • Yes. Whether you're returning to work after mat leave, shifting careers, or building a business with little ones in your arms, we provide career-focused therapy that acknowledges the emotional and practical challenges of these transitions and a dual identity as mother and [x]. We support you in navigating identity shifts, mom guilt, work-life balance, and building a sustainable path forward in both your personal and professional life.

  • We specialize in helping high-achieving women break free from self-doubt, perfectionism, and imposter syndrome so they can lead with confidence and authenticity. In therapy, we explore the root causes of these patterns, build tools to set better boundaries, own your unique strengths and value, and stop over-functioning at work and home.

  • At this time, our services are limited to virtual therapy sessions. We hope this makes therapy feel more accessible and convenient for you! We also appreciate how important it is to feel a strong connection to our therapists, and for some of us, in-person formats accomplish that best. We hope to offer in-person therapy in the future in Kitchener-Waterloo. In the meantime, we do our best to build trust remotely.

  • When it comes to integrating personal and professional identities in a way that supports mental wellbeing, we believe that 1:1 therapy for individuals is only one half of the equation.

    The other half is having leaders, workplaces, and work cultures that foster an environment of acceptance, growth, support, sustainability, and thriving.

    Our consulting services are aimed at equipping company owners, senior leaders, and HR teams with cutting edge research and resources on how to facilitate a thriving work culture. This protects and promote workplace mental health for women and non-binary employees while increasing retention, employee productivity, and team collaboration. 

    Our topics of expertise that we would be happy to provide workshops or training on include:

    • Creating a Successful “Return to Work” for New Moms

    • Identifying & Mitigating Signs of Burnout in Our Teams

    • Creating a Culture for Mental Wellbeing

    For more information on our consulting services, please contact sarah@workshop-tc.com.