Emotional Dysregulation Therapists in Ontario

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Megan Gauthier

Megan Gauthier

Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist

Virtual In-Person

*Accepting new client in-person in Guelph and virtually across Ontario* Therapy for people who struggle with self-doubt, overthinking, and repeating painful relationship patterns.

Jenn Cardoso

Jenn Cardoso

Registered Psychotherapist & Relationship Coach

Virtual

Navigating the complexities of relationships can be challenging and feel exhausting, but you don’t have to face them alone. Recognizing that you need support is a courageous and essential step toward deeper connection and a more meaningful life. As a therapist who specializes in relational issues, I'll skillfully guide you through each stage of the process, honoring the uniqueness of your backgro…

Vanessa Fingland

Vanessa Fingland

Master Practitioner In Clinical Counselling-Prov

Virtual

Counselling for Women. I know how tired you are of feeling overwhelmed, stressed and not being able to get your needs met. Imagine how life could be if you could control your emotions, ask for what you want, and not feel guilty! I help women who struggle with: relationships, setting boundaries, confidence, communicating their feelings, stress, burnout, anxiety, anger/resentment.

Mackenzie Fournier

Mackenzie Fournier

Registered Psychotherapist

Virtual

Hi, I’m Mackenzie! I’m a Psychotherapist who loves keeping therapy real, down-to-earth, and practical. I help people untangle patterns around anxiety, food, and self-trust using tools grounded in science. In sessions, I bring my authentic self—you can expect a mix of support, guidance, and maybe a little humour when it feels right—so we can tackle challenges together without the extra pressure.

Erin Rehmann

Erin Rehmann

Therapist

Virtual

It takes strength to recognize when you need support and even more courage to take action. Choosing to enroll in therapy is a significant step toward nurturing your well-being and investing in your own growth and happiness. I aim to provide the guidance and unwavering support that you deserve as you navigate the challenges and obstacles that life throws at you.

Masood Suliman

Masood Suliman

Registered Psychotherapist

In-Person

As a Registered Psychotherapist and the founder of Ripple Effect Counselling & Psychotherapy in Hintonburg, Ottawa, I provide a safe space for healing and growth. I hold an MA in Counselling Psychology and utilize trauma-informed approaches, including Somatic Experiencing and EMDR. Together, we can work through life's challenges and create meaningful, lasting change.

Erika Szabo

Erika Szabo

Registered Social Service Worker, Psychotherapist

Virtual In-Person

My name is Erika. I'm a white, cis-gender queer woman with lived experience of complex trauma. I work from a person-centered, relational, and anti-oppressive lens and embody this in the work I do! Whether you're interested in meditation, art making, somatics, or simply an empathic ear, I will hold space for you in whatever way you need. BOOKING OPEN in-person and online across Ontario.

Stephanie Campoli

Stephanie Campoli

MSW, RSW

Virtual In-Person

Stephanie Campoli Psychotherapy is a trauma-focused practice in Oshawa, Ontario, offering in-person therapy and virtual psychotherapy across Ontario and Nova Scotia. The practice specializes in comprehensive Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), trauma therapy, and addictions treatment, with particular expertise in supporting people living with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and trauma.

Yaroslav Grechkin

Yaroslav Grechkin

Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), Registered Counselling Therapist (Candidate)

Virtual

You may look like you have it all together, yet quietly struggle with feeling “not good enough.” I help thoughtful, sensitive adults and couples navigate shame, self-doubt, anxiety, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and emotional overwhelm. Together, we’ll uncover the patterns keeping you stuck and build a kinder, more authentic relationship with yourself.

Rebecca Steele

Rebecca Steele

Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist

Virtual

Hello, I'm Rebecca. I help adults heal attachment wounds and rebuild a sense of inner safety through Insight-Driven Depth Therapy. If you're struggling with anxiety, intrusive thoughts, self-worth, people-pleasing, relationship patterns, or feeling disconnected from yourself, I offer a warm, collaborative space to explore lasting change beyond symptom management.

Stephanie Myles

Stephanie Myles

Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

In-Person

Most of us will encounter a difficulty at some point in our lives that we cannot overcome alone. It may come as a sudden, life changing event that transforms the way we see our lives into a Before and After. In any case, we all endure some type of pain from which we must heal. Healing does not always mean going back to what we were; rather, it can involve becoming something new.

Lila Z. Hakim

Lila Z. Hakim

Psychologist

In-Person

I feel honoured to support individuals and couples from all walks of life in achieving their greatest life potentials. If you are unsure about therapy, I would be happy to meet for an introductory consultation to assure that you are connecting to a therapist who will be a good fit with your needs.

Aida Retta

Aida Retta

Registered Psychotherapist

Virtual

You’ve always been the one others count on—the thoughtful one, the steady one. But under the surface, you might feel anxious, resentful, or quietly overwhelmed. You say yes when you want to say no. You shrink your needs to keep the peace. You care deeply, but sometimes feel like you’re disappearing in the process. These patterns often begin in relationships where love felt conditional, conflict w…

Renée Taylor

Renée Taylor

Psychologist

In-Person

Seeking help is not easy. But you are here., and that tells me that you are motivated to live your best life. I want to help you make that happen. In my work I have helped individuals and couples understand themselves better, improve themselves, and improve their lives.

Laura Lockhart

Laura Lockhart

Registered Psychotherapist and Hypnotherapist

Virtual In-Person

Laura is a trauma-focused psychotherapist using an integrative approach blending psychodynamic, somatic, experiential, hypnosis and parts work. She supports anxiety, depression, and attachment trauma, offering direct, compassionate therapy. Neurodivergent-affirming and 2SLGBTQIA+ allied, she also offers psychedelic-informed care and equine-assisted psychotherapy.

Julia Guerra

Julia Guerra

Therapist

In-Person

Life can delight us with the most unexpected gifts and offer some rather challenging situations. These burdens of life do not need to be carried alone, and therapy may offer a supportive journey to create, nourish and maintain the values which you hold dear. I feel privileged to accompany you on a path of self-discovery and healing, and I thank you for entrusting me with your wellbeing.

Allison Clayton

Allison Clayton

Registered Psychotherapist

Virtual In-Person

Are you tired of the 'sunshine, butterflies and rainbows' idea of therapy? You aren't here for surface-level advice, trying to “just think positive,” or having to worry about judgment. I am here to provide you with tools that work individually for you and conversations that matter - on both a human level and from an evidence-based approach.

Alison Kuiack

Alison Kuiack

Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

Virtual

If you are here now, you recognize something in your life is not working and you need to try something different. My hope is to offer you a safe and compassionate place to explore your life from a new perspective. I am here to learn more about your journey and work collaboratively with you to find new and effective ways of addressing the challenges you face.

Dino Zuccarini

Dino Zuccarini

Psychologist

In-Person

It takes a lot of courage to face our most distressing thoughts, emotional reactions and behaviours, so from the outset, I’d like to applaud you for taking this first, important step to feeling better—choosing an appropriate therapist for you. For the past 15 years, I have been privileged to accompany numerous individuals and couples on a journey of growth and renewal.

Abby Tait

Abby Tait

Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

Virtual

You might come to therapy feeling stuck in familiar patterns - ways of coping, thinking, or relating that once made sense but now feel hard to shift. You may be thoughtful and self-aware, yet find yourself overthinking, avoiding certain emotions, or feeling disconnected from who you are or where you’re headed. Questions about identity, values, and purpose often sit quietly underneath these experi…

How do therapists in Ontario compare?

Number of therapists listed

98

Average years in practice

6.8 Years

Currently accepting new clients

97 %

Therapists in Ontario who prioritize treating:

100% Emotional Dysregulation
73% Anxiety
64% Trauma and PTSD
45% Depression
44% Relationship Issues
43% Self Esteem
26% Stress
21% Grief

How therapists see their clients

26% In Person & Online
50% Online Only
24% In Person Only

Top therapy approaches used in Ontario:

38% Trauma Focused
33% Attachment-based
33% Cognitive Behavioural (CBT)
32% Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
31% Dialectical Behaviour (DBT)
30% Internal Family Systems (IFS)
30% Person-Centered
24% Strength-Based

Frequently Asked Questions About Emotional Dysregulation

What is emotional dysregulation?

Emotional dysregulation refers to difficulty managing the intensity, duration, or expression of emotions in ways that are appropriate to the situation. This may look like emotions that feel overwhelming or unpredictable, rapid shifts in mood, explosive anger, prolonged despair, difficulty calming down after being upset, or the use of harmful coping strategies (such as self-harm or substance use) to manage emotional pain. It is not a character flaw but a learnable skill — the nervous system's ability to regulate can be developed at any age.

What conditions are associated with emotional dysregulation?

Emotional dysregulation is a central feature of several conditions: Borderline Personality Disorder (where it is often most intense), PTSD and complex trauma (where the nervous system is chronically dysregulated), ADHD (where impulsivity and emotional reactivity are core features), autism spectrum conditions, mood disorders, and anxiety. It also occurs independently of a diagnosable condition — many people with significant early adverse experiences develop dysregulation without meeting criteria for any formal diagnosis.

What therapy approaches help with emotional dysregulation?

DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy) is the most specialized and evidence-based approach for emotional dysregulation — it explicitly teaches four modules of skills: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. ACT builds psychological flexibility — the ability to experience difficult emotions without being ruled by them. Trauma-focused therapies address the dysregulation that stems from unresolved trauma. Somatic approaches work with the body's role in emotional regulation. Many therapists integrate elements of all of these.

What is the connection between early trauma and emotional dysregulation?

Children develop the capacity to regulate emotions in large part through co-regulation with attuned caregivers — being soothed when distressed, having emotions named and validated, and experiencing a predictable, safe environment. When early caregiving was inconsistent, frightening, or absent, the nervous system does not fully develop these self-regulation capacities. This is not a permanent deficit: trauma-informed therapy, skills training, and the regulatory experience of a consistent therapeutic relationship can build regulatory capacity even decades after childhood.

How long does treatment for emotional dysregulation take?

Building emotional regulation capacity is often longer-term work, particularly when dysregulation is rooted in early trauma or characterizes a personality pattern. A full DBT program typically runs 6 months to a year with weekly individual therapy and a weekly skills group. More focused DBT-informed skills work can be shorter. Many people notice meaningful improvement within the first few months as they begin applying concrete skills, with deeper stabilization occurring over the following year or more.