Catherine Crea
Catherine Crea, MSW, RSW
Registered Social Worker/Psychotherapist
Specialties: Couples, relationships, ADHD, workplace issues, life stressors, anxiety, depression, women 40+.
Clients like: I’m always giving takeaways so that you’re integrating new skills and learnings into your day to day life. I’m very aware of how I show up in the therapy room, I’m honest and have a lot of empathy - what you see is what you get.
Modalities: Gottman Couples Method, Emotion Focused Therapy for Couples, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), grief counselling, mindfulness, attachment based trauma informed.
Availability: In person, virtual.
Schedule: Afternoons and evenings.
Languages spoken: English
More About Me
My own life experiences with marriage, raising children, grief and loss, and working in different helping settings are what lead me to being a therapist. These things are what show up in my practice - with me what you see is what you get.
I’ve met many people over my years doing this work, and I’ve often heard that sometimes in therapy people feel like they’re just repeating their same story over and over and not going anywhere. Therapy with me has a purpose. I take pride in moving people toward whatever is important to them. Clients who work best with me like that I give them things to think about or work on between sessions so they can integrate the new skills and tools they’ve learned into their daily lives.
Through couples counselling I offer people a new way to understand and relate to each other. We build connection and intimacy through developing new skills for attention, conversation, and emotional awareness. Couples counselling lets me use all of my skills in one place, it’s an important and special experience where I get to help bring people together - or support them in their vision to move apart, if that’s what they need.
I am a certified Prepare Enrich facilitator - an evidence based assessment tool and treatment program designed to prepare couples for marriage by improving skills like communication and conflict resolution. I am also trained in both the Gottman Method and Emotion Focused Therapy for Couples, meaning I have a broad range of skills to draw from to support couples with differing needs and backgrounds.
I am also passionate about working with individuals who are experiencing stress in the workplace and relationships, and who may be struggling with feelings of anxiety and depression, and/or who have ADHD. I’ve seen great success supporting “adult children” who are working to repair, or heal from, relationships with their parents. I can relate to the experiences of women aged 40+, and am skilled at building long lasting relationships that lead to transformative change. I see the strength and ability to grow in all of my clients. I don’t see you as a problem or having something wrong, and instead work from a place of assuming that skills and knowledge can always be learned, empowering you with practical ways to lean into managing anxiety, depression, and whatever else may have you feeling stuck.
Education & Certifications
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Master of Social Work, University of Windsor, 2016
Bachelor of Social Work, York University, 1996
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The Gottman Method
Prepare-Enrich Couples Facilitation
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
Gabor Mate’s Compassionate Inquiry
Collaborative and Proactive Solutions With the Explosive Child
Supporting Children with ADHD
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
Mindfulness Based CBT
DBT Chain Reaction Support
Trauma Counselling with EMDR Strategues
Polyvagal Theory
Suicide Intervention Prevention
SAFE Home Assessment
Critical Incident Stress Debriefing
