Background

I am a learner and a helper, curious to understand the why and the how of living and healing. I have spent all my working life in health care, including long-term care, spinal cord injury, palliative care, and primary care. For a brief stint, I dabbled in a variety of roles in post-secondary education working with a cross-section of academics and researchers. I'm grateful to have been able to hone my skills in all my roles. I thrive in this helping vocation and bring my authentic self to the therapy space.

Your therapeutic experience with me

In my professional role, some of the issues that individuals seek support for include depression, anxiety, self-esteem, grief and bereavement, chronic pain, stress management, and life transitions. I am also very interested in supporting individuals who are experiencing the outcomes of menopause transition, from perimenopause through to post-menopause. Helping individuals along this transition is very important; many health care providers are unable to spend the time with you to fully educate you on this transition - I can help fill in the gaps and empower you to advocate for your health. Using an eclectic approach, I also offer EMDR, PRT, and outdoor therapy.

Areas of expertise

These represent my core areas of expertise, backed by specialized training and extensive clinical experience.

Trauma And Intergenerational Trauma

Mindfulness

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Outdoor Therapy

Chronic Pain

Menopause Transition

I also provide skilled support in these additional areas and welcome clients seeking help with these concerns.

Anxiety

Stress & Burnout

Work/life Balance

Low Mood

Perfectionsim

Therapeutic approaches

These are my primary therapeutic approaches, backed by specialized training and extensive clinical experience.

Outdoor Therapy

Exposure to nature has been proven to reduce the fight or flight response in the human experience. Using the outdoor setting as a therapy space is a powerful way to find grounding and regulation. Walking or sitting in nature is my favourite way to offer sessions, especially for those in burnout.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT is effective for teaching individuals how to recognize thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, and how to choose appropriate strategies to manage those 'symptoms', be it with anxiety or depression.

Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT)

Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) is a system of psychological techniques that retrains the brain to interpret and respond to signals from the body properly, subsequently breaking the cycle of chronic pain. See www.painreprocessingtherapy.com for more in-depth details.

Eye Movement Desensitization And Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)

Often referred to as the “gold standard” for trauma therapy, EMDR is a fast-acting, accessible therapy option that can work for people of all ages, languages, cultural backgrounds, and needs. (excerpt from emdrcanada.ca)

Client communities & cultural expertise

These are the client communities and cultural backgrounds I have specialized experience supporting.

Client populations I serve

Adults

Menopausal Individuals

C-suite Executives

Professional credentials

Registered Social Worker
- No.819059

Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers

Educational background

Master of Social Work

Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada

Bachelor of Arts

The University of Western Ontario, Canada

Specialized training

EMDR Basic Training

Niagara Stress & Trauma Clinic

PRT Basic Training

Pain Reprocessing Therapy Centre

Practice locations & services

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FAQ

What does an initial session look like?

First things first: breathe. Meeting a stranger to open up about challenges can be a lot. Having you feel situated in a place of 'it's ok to be here', whether that's in person or virtually, is key to our conversation. I'm curious to know what brings you to the session and how you want to use our time together, so you have 'the floor'. An inital session is a time for me to understand you as a human being in all the ways that you wish to share.

What are your rates?

Rates vary based on length and type of session. Please see my website for details https://www.monicapease.com/fees

Do you bill directly to my insurance provider?

I don't bill directly to insurance providers. I will provide you with a receipt upon payment which you can submit for reimbursement from your insurance provider.

What platform do you use for virtual sessions?

For video sessions, I use the Jane App. It is fully compliant with health care legislation in Ontario so you can be assured of its security.

Where do you offer outdoor therapy?

I offer outdoor sessions through all seasons. In Guelph, outdoor locations are agreed upon by each client, but I offer 2-3 options of meeting spots located throughout the city in park settings. Walking sessions are held in well-lit locations. For those who prefer sitting for their outdoor sessions, I always bring an extra chair with me if you need one.

How can you help me with my perimenopause?

Oh, wow, I know the struggle. As someone who experienced extreme symptoms, I've read and researched, hired and fired doctors and specialists, and spent several years working really hard to get to a place of calm. I will help to educate you on the current guidelines and clinical practices and then help you create a plan that will empower you to pursue optimal support. Hormones change everything. You're worthy of support, so please, don't do this alone.