*Serena is currently accepting new clients.*
If you are a new client and want to set up a consultation with Serena, you can email the clinic at: info@torontoemotionalhealth.ca
or select your time slot below:
Serena Laverty
Life is a journey that none of us are meant to take on our own. I am a registered social worker, writer, and sensitive human being, grateful for the opportunity to walk alongside you through life's complexities. I believe that our physical, emotional, and spiritual health are deeply intertwined and shaped by our social contexts. With this holistic understanding of wellbeing, I aim to provide compassionate, anti-oppressive care that recognizes the whole of your experience.
Education and Training
I hold a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Toronto and an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology & Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Waterloo. In my previous roles, I have worked with unhoused community members and adults accessing outpatient psychiatry, working particularly closely with women experiencing marginalization. Through these experiences, I have co-facilitated therapeutic groups and individually supported adults struggling with a variety of concerns, including anxiety, depression, and trauma.
As a woman living with chronic illness, I also bring personal understanding of the mind-body connection and have a special interest in working with others navigating health challenges and the grief that so often accompanies them.
Theoretical Approach
I believe that every client is unique and therapy is not a one-size-fits-all. I take an integrative approach to my practice, pulling from various modalities as they fit with you. My overarching lens is attachment-based and emotionally focused. I believe significant healing can come from developing secure relationships with self and others, responding to our embodied emotional experiences with compassion, and orienting towards our most deeply held values. I also pay attention to how systems of oppression impact our wellbeing and aim to take an intersectional feminist, decolonial approach to our work.
My hope is that together we can co-create a space of relational safety where you feel empowered in navigating life’s challenges as your most authentic self. I believe that you already carry the wisdom within you to heal–I am merely a guide and witness. I feel deeply honoured to be a part of your journey.
Personal Background
Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated by people and their stories. Since then, I have held a desire to connect with others and help foster equity and healing, eventually leading me down the path of social work. I have a passion for social justice and care deeply about issues that impact our Earth and collective humanity. Outside of my work, I enjoy writing, reading, songwriting, connecting with friends, exploring my faith and Celtic roots, and collecting my favourite albums on vinyl! I have a wide array of interests across the arts, humanities, and social sciences, and am a lover of all things that fulfill this thirst for knowledge, inspire me creatively, or encourage me to envision and advocate for a more hopeful world.
Toronto, ON - Canada
Toronto Centre for Emotional Health© copyright © 2021