Michelle Labine

Hello & Welcome!

     My name is Michelle (she/her), I’m a Registered Counselling Therapist, licensed with Nova Scotia College of Counselling Therapists.

     I work with individuals, partners, and adult families. My areas of focus are relational health, chronic and complex trauma recovery, and sex therapy. I am a neurodiverse-affirming therapist with lived experience, clinical experience, and training in supporting Autistic and ADHD adults.

     At its core, my therapy sessions are focused on individual and relational possibilities, the power of encouragement, the impact of personal responsibility, and the significance of the therapeutic alliance.

     Our work is collaborative, you are the expert in your life, and I hold expertise regarding the therapeutic relationship. Together we will distinguish what is important to you; your needs, your desires, your hopes, your dreams, and what you imagine is possible for yourself.

     As an Existential-Narrative Therapist, I believe people are unique, have many skills, competencies, strengths, and abilities to create and author their own lives. I am interested in joining with you, exploring the stories that have shaped and continued to influence your life and relationships, their effects, their meanings, and the context in which they were authored. I view adversity and challenges that people face as problems that are separate from the person. I believe every person has the freedom to explore ways in which to re-author plots that are keeping them stuck, unfulfilled, and problem saturated. I believe every person has the freedom to make decisions that are central to the direction of what their life will take, including  the means to reduce the influence of problems in their life.  

     Together, using curiosity, we will develop our therapeutic plan and goals for our work by identifying areas of narrow awareness; implicit patterns that are running in the background; strengths and adaptive strategies; maladaptive strategies; areas equipped for healing and trauma recovery; and areas ready to be expanded upon.

     We will always go at your pace in sessions. I will regularly check in with you on what is helpful and what is not helpful in our work, so that I may adjust as needed to best support you. I am trained in multiple modalities, from which I will intentionally draw upon to craft our sessions, tailoring them specifically to you and your process.

     In our therapeutic relationship, you are met with unconditional positive regard, you are valued as an individual and received with immense compassion. In supporting you to live your most meaningful life, I listen deeply and work with you to uncover parts of yourself, tap into your strengths, and access your internal resources.

     I hold a Master of Arts degree in Counselling Psychology. I am a licensed Registered Psychotherapist (RP) with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. I am a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) registered with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. I am a Certified Sex Therapist with the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counsellors, and Therapists (AASECT). For more information about my qualifications, credentials, professional experience, and continued education click on the mint-coloured boxes on the left side of this page.

     The field of counselling psychology is constantly evolving, I am committed to keeping up with the latest research through continued studying and training with leaders in the areas of my specialization. As I focus on my personal and professional development, I continue to see the benefits clinically, in my therapy room.

     I’m glad you’ve found your way to my page; I look forward to connecting with you to explore possibilities!

Warmest,

Michelle

My Advocacy Statement on Mental Health Stigma

I want to highlight that getting support is not a sign of weakness. It takes an enormous amount of strength and courage to insist on taking care of yourself in a world that continues to push distraction and avoidance. To my clients: You are bad ass! Thank you for doing the heavy lifting and inviting me to be a part of your journey, it is my honour. You amaze me, surprise me and inspire me over and over again.