Amanda Ross

She/Her

MSW

Registered Social Worker

English

Amanda's

Warm video welcome

“Hi,I’m Amanda. I’m a queer, white and cis settler. I work with folks navigating substance use (alcohol or drugs), addiction, navigating someone else's addiction, underlying trauma and grief. Challenges with substance use Is a spectrum. Maybe you’re using substances to cope with stress, anxiety or past trauma. Maybe it has become a daily ritual, or something you don’t feel fully in control of anymore. Perhaps a part of you wants to stop and another part doesn’t or somewhere in between.

Background

Therapy is a space where you can slow down, listen inward and begin to make sense of what’s going on — with compassion, curiosity and humour. We’ll explore the patterns, stories, body cues, and strategies that shape your day-to-day. Including people pleasing, struggles with substances and relationship conflicts. Together, we’ll gently uncover what you might be ready to let go of, and what you’re ready to reclaim or grow into.Sessions are always collaborative where we will work together to find what is going to be helpful for you.

Your therapeutic experience with me

I use a trauma-informed and harm reduction approach — which means I’m not here to fix you. I’m here to understand the strategies that have helped you get through, even if they’re not working the same way now. I'll support you with strategies to manage everyday stress, while also gently exploring deeper patterns to support lasting change. We will gently sift through what’s holding you back and move towards more clarity, a sense of calm and life feeling more manageable. My clinical approach is holistic and I use regular check-ins to make sure we’re on the right path and at your comfortable pace. As a 2SLGBTQIA+ and sex-positive therapist, I hold space that welcomes all of who you are.

Areas of expertise

These are the areas I commonly work with, and they form a big part of the support I offer in my practice:

Substance Use/misuse?

Addiction?

Somatic And Trauma Focused?

Anxiety & Worry?

Relational Attachment Oriented Approach?

Nervous System Regulation?

I also support you in these additional areas and welcome you to reach out if any of them speak to what you are going through:

2SLGBTQIA+?

Self-esteem & Self-worth?

Therapeutic approaches

These are the approaches at the heart of my work, and I use them often because they help create meaningful change:

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy/body-centered Approach

This approach supports clients to notice what is happening to them as they tell their story. This includes information such as gestures, posture and movements that are often held in the nervous system. It supports bringing the unconscious or what lies beneath to the surface.

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

IFS explores inner conflicts. Eg- one part of you wants change but another part feels hesitant. IFS helps make sense of these inner tensions. With curiosity we can explore the different beliefs/assumptions of each part and move away from inner conflict towards self understanding and balance.

I also draw on other evidence based approaches that can gently support you when they align with what you need:

Mindfulness

Polyvagal-informed Therapy

Trauma-informed Therapy

Focused populations and cultural backgrounds

These are the communities and cultural backgrounds I focus on, and I bring a sincere commitment to supporting you in a way that feels respectful and genuine: