Compassion Focused Therapists in Mississauga, ON
Martha Li
Registered Psychotherapist
I am a Registered Psychotherapist based in Oakville, Ontario. I help you feel understood and supported as we explore what's weighing on you. Together, we uncover patterns, build coping strategies, and nurture the skills you need to thrive. My goal is to create a safe space where you can grow, heal, and feel more connected.
Cierra DoCouto
Registered Psychotherapist
Helping adults in Burlington, Ontario navigate anxiety, self-esteem challenges, relationship concerns, and attachment patterns. Offering in-person and virtual psychotherapy that is collaborative, evidence-informed, and tailored to support personal growth, emotional well-being, and resilience.
Anna Marson
Registered Psychotherapist
Anna Marson is a registered psychotherapist specializing in ADHD, trauma, neurodiversity, attachment, stress, and emotion regulation. She integrates evidence-based therapies, mindfulness, and ADHD coaching to help clients build resilience, regulate emotions, and develop practical skills for lasting, positive change. Her approach is compassionate, brain/body-informed, and strength-based.
Katelyn Matias
Registered Psychotherapist
Hi, I’m Katelyn Matias, a Registered Psychotherapist and the Founder of Anchor & Bloom Psychotherapy. My approach to therapy is trauma-informed, relational, and grounded in attachment theory. I believe that our experiences, relationships, and nervous system responses shape how we understand ourselves, navigate emotions, and connect with others.
Grace Gao
Registered Social Worker
Grace is passionate about creating accessible and culturally responsive mental health support, particularly for individuals who may feel hesitant to seek formal counseling services. As a bilingual professional fluent in English and Mandarin, she values creating a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment where clients feel heard and respected.
Heather Andrew
Registered Clinical Social Worker MSW RCSW
Heather Andrew is the founder of Aspen Wellness Centre. Heather has been a Mental Health Therapist for over eight years, supporting clients with a variety of needs including complex trauma, ADHD, PTSD, grief, anxiety, depression, family conflict and more. Heather is passionate about providing trauma informed care to her clients and is a fierce advocate for mental health awareness.
Megan Gauthier
Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist
*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.
Laura Shaw
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Do you struggle with anxiety, depression, or finding meaning in life? If you feel overwhelmed, sad, or confused, you’re not alone. I specialize in helping adults navigate life's challenges, heal from trauma, and build up their self-esteem. I work from a trauma-informed neuro-affirming lens and integrate mind-body practices to help you feel more resilient. You don’t have to do this alone.
Rachelle Trudel, RP / PA, CCC - *Psychothérapeute bilingue*
Registered Psychotherapist / Psychothérapeute autorisée
Welcome! I support my clients in addressing the effects of their childhood wounds on their lives in order to improve their self-esteem and relationships. I use my knowledge in CBT, SFBT, attachment theory and mindfulness to support my clients in a collaborative, pragmatic, goal-oriented, compassionate and trauma-informed way. I look forward to meeting you!
Navkiran Bajwa
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Hi! My name is Nav and I am a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) in Ontario! I currently practice in Vaughan and offer in-person & virtual sessions! Feel free to contact me for a free 15 minute consultation to see if I'd be a good fit for your needs!
River Page
Registered Psychotherapist
I offer a warm, non-judgmental space for individuals and relationships to explore life’s challenges and deepen self-understanding. My work supports those navigating religious or relational trauma, 2SLGBTQIA+ identities, non-monogamy, neurodivergence, gender and sexuality, suicide and self-harm, and environmental anxiety. All with compassion, curiosity, and care.
Katharine De Santos
Registered Psychotherapist
Healthy Minds Psychotherapy was founded in 2018 with the mission of providing psychotherapeutic care to individuals from diverse backgrounds, fostering resilience in each person and our community as a whole.
Tracey Ropp
Registered Psychotherapist
Hello! I get that reaching out for support can be difficult, particularly when you’re already feeling busy with work, family, school, or just the overall demands of life in general. I can help to figure out what’s creating stress or unease for you, and then together we’ll develop practical, realistic strategies that fit for you in your current circumstances.
Ukasha Malik
Registered Psychotherapist
Ukasha Psychotherapy is a private therapy practice focused on trauma-informed care, self-awareness, and empowerment. It offers a safe, supportive space for clients to work through challenges like anxiety, depression, and relationship issues. The practice emphasizes accessible mental health education, coping tools, and personal growth.
Allison Mundle
Registered Psychotherapist, Sandalwood Psychotherapy
Online therapy for women in Ontario navigating anxiety, relationships, and emotional overwhelm. You may look like you are holding everything together, while inside you feel anxious, emotionally drained, or disconnected from yourself. Maybe you are used to keeping the peace, carrying too much, or saying yes when something inside you is saying no.
Varshini Skantharajah
Registered Psychotherapist
Amanda Rout
Registered Psychotherapist
Have you been struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, or self-esteem? Have you been feeling tired, overwhelmed, or stuck? You are not alone. I offer a safe, supportive, and non-judgemental space for you to show up as your authentic self and feel heard and understood. Working from a client-centred and collaborative approach, I strive to meet you where you are and support you in navigating th…
Cassandra Tennriello
Registered Psychotherapist
Hi! I'm a Registered Psychotherapist and Canadian Certified Counsellor with 11 years of experience. I walk alongside my clients as they heal, whether supporting emotional regulation, processing trauma, or navigating life transitions. I use an integrative approach, drawing from different theories, modalities, and approaches that fit their unique needs!
Annie Szalkai
Registered Psychotherapist
I work with adults from diverse backgrounds, supporting those navigating anxiety, stress, and self-esteem challenges. My approach is client-centred and integrative, drawing from CBT, ACT, EFIT, Solution-Focused Therapy, and more to meet each person’s unique needs.
Katie Whiteley
Registered Psychotherapist
I offer individual therapy in a warm, supportive environment where you can explore your experiences, build insight, and work toward meaningful change. My approach is compassionate, collaborative, and tailored to your unique needs, drawing from a variety of evidence-based modalities. I’m here to support you with care, respect, and practical tools for growth.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Compassion Focused
What is Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT)?
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) is a form of psychotherapy developed by Paul Gilbert that integrates evolutionary psychology, neuroscience, cognitive therapy, and Buddhist psychology. CFT targets what Gilbert identified as a core feature of many people's psychological suffering: intense, chronic shame and self-criticism. It aims to cultivate compassion — for oneself and others — as a means of reducing shame-based suffering, regulating threat-based emotional systems, and activating the soothing-affiliation system associated with warmth, care, and psychological security.
What does CFT treat?
CFT is particularly suited to people with high levels of self-criticism and shame — which are common across depression, anxiety, eating disorders, personality disorders, trauma, and addictions. It was originally developed for people with severe, complex presentations who had not responded adequately to CBT. Research supports its effectiveness for depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and borderline personality disorder. CFT is also used in oncology settings, chronic pain, and with people experiencing psychosis, where self-compassion is an important resource.
What does a CFT session look like?
CFT sessions involve psychoeducation about the evolved nature of our emotional systems (threat, drive, and soothing/affiliation), exploration of how early experiences shaped the person's particular patterns of self-criticism and shame, and practices specifically designed to cultivate the compassionate self — including compassionate imagery (imagining a deeply wise and compassionate figure), compassionate letter writing, and mindfulness practice focused on warmth and care. The emphasis is on experiential rather than purely cognitive work.
Why is self-compassion so important in CFT?
Gilbert's research showed that changing the content of self-critical thoughts (as in CBT) was often insufficient for people with deep shame — because the problem was not just the thoughts but the hostile, contemptuous tone in which they were delivered to oneself. Cultivating a warm, compassionate inner voice — one that responds to one's own pain the way a deeply caring person would — produces psychological change that thought-challenging alone does not. Many people initially find self-compassion very difficult, which is itself part of the therapeutic work.
How long does CFT take?
CFT is typically delivered over 12–20 sessions for focused presentations, but longer-term work is common for complex trauma or personality difficulties. The time needed to establish a compassionate self-relationship and overcome resistance to self-compassion (which is often strong) varies significantly between individuals. CFT can also be integrated into longer-term psychodynamic or CBT work as a specific intervention for shame and self-criticism rather than used as a complete standalone therapy.