Motivational Interviewing Therapists in Peterborough, ON

Amanda Rout

Amanda Rout

Registered Psychotherapist

Virtual

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…

Sarah Perone

Sarah Perone

Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

Virtual

I help individuals and couples break painful relationship cycles so they can feel more connected, secure, and confident. I support concerns like recurrent conflict, relationship anxiety (and ROCD), limerence, and resentment. Using an attachment- and evidence-based approach, I offer warm, non-judgmental virtual therapy across Ontario. Book a free 15-minute consultation to get started.

Mahum Ahmed

Mahum Ahmed

Registered Social Worker

Virtual

Struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, or PTSD? You may feel overwhelmed or stuck and want deeper understanding—not just symptom relief. I offer compassionate, tailored therapy using evidence-based approaches like CBT. Together, we’ll build emotional regulation, stronger relationships, and a more fulfilling, empowered future.

Mara Behan

Mara Behan

Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

Virtual

I help couples and individuals find growth, healing, and stronger connections. Using evidence-based and individualized approaches, I support those struggling with women's health concerns (e.g., pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, menopause), relationship concerns (e.g., resentment, infidelity), and life transitions (e.g., separation/divorce, parenting). I offer a free 15-minute consultation!

Horace Spence

Horace Spence

RSSW, Psychotherapist

Virtual

Coach Spence Wellness & Therapy Services provides trusted, culturally grounded therapy and holistic coaching for individuals, couples, and families. We support healing from stress, anxiety, and conflict while strengthening communication, resilience, and self-care. Through counseling, workshops, and wellness tools, we help clients build balance across mind, body, and spirit.

Christina Hong

Christina Hong

Registered Provisional Psychologist

Virtual

Hello there! I am Christina, I have a genuine love and care for connecting with people. I’m here to support you if anxiety has been making life feel heavy or overwhelming. I believe that, counselling at its core is the genuine collaborative connection of individuals coming together to navigate this wonderfully bizarrely life of ours. In my role, my mission is to create a warm, supportive, and j…

Caitlin Kemmett

Caitlin Kemmett

Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

Virtual

I’m Caitlin, a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) offering individual and couples therapy in Ottawa and virtually across Ontario. I support adults facing anxiety, burnout, ADHD, relationship challenges, and life transitions. My warm, collaborative approach blends CBT, ACT, and the Gottman Method to help you feel grounded, connected, and confident moving forward.

Arianne Nicole Palmares

Arianne Nicole Palmares

Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

Virtual

Hi, I’m Arianne. I’m glad you’re here. I believe everyone deserves therapy access, regardless of background or identity. As a first-generation immigrant, I combine lived experience with clinical training to create a safe and brave space where you can be seen, heard, and take meaningful steps toward the life you want.

Siobhan McCarthy, MSW, RSW

Siobhan McCarthy, MSW, RSW

Registered Individual and Family Therapist , Clinical Consultant

Virtual

If you feel that you are not living your best life, your relationships are not what you hoped they would be, or the conflict in your life is not going away, perhaps it is time to talk to someone about it. Starting counselling is a brave first step and I will be there to support you through this process. Additionally, I provide supervision to Social Workers in Private Practice.

Laila Crawford

Laila Crawford

Registered Psychotherapist

Virtual

I am a warm, friendly and non-judgemental therapist who believes in moving with you rather than trying to move you. I practice from an Existential therapy lens, and utilise ACT, CBT, EMDR for trauma, and EFT for couples therapy. I help clients with any and all presenting concerns - often seeing folks with AuDHD, anxiety, addictions, intimacy issues, trauma, couples, and career/life transitions.

Johanna Benoit

Johanna Benoit

Registered Psychotherapist

Virtual

NIHB provider, specializing in CPTSD and trauma, perinatal grief and loss, PTSD, anxiety, depression and borderline personality disorder.

Delia Bagi

Delia Bagi

EMDR Therapist

Virtual

Délia Bagi, RP(Q) is a warm, intuitive EMDR therapist who specializes in helping self-aware people finally feel the change they've long understood. With expertise in anxiety, trauma, and relationships, she blends EMDR, CBT, and mindfulness into a thoughtful, unhurried approach - creating real, lasting shifts between sessions, not just during them.

Lylla Goheen

Lylla Goheen

Registered Psychotherapist RP (Qualifying), Certified Canadian Counsellor (CCC)

Virtual

Do you and your partner speak different languages? Whether it’s the silence of a "roommate phase," sexual dysfunction, or the weight of chronic illness, you don't have to navigate it alone. I provide inclusive Sex Therapy, Gottman Couples Counselling, and Chronic Pain support in Etobicoke & Toronto. My practice is judgment-free and not "one-size-fits-all." Let's start your new era.

Grace Gao

Grace Gao

Registered Social Worker

Virtual

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.

Amanda Rennick-Hazen

Amanda Rennick-Hazen

Registered Psychotherapist

Virtual

I enjoy using a variety of techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused Strategies, Mindfulness Meditation, Trauma Informed, Compassion Focused, & Emotion Focused. Depression & Sadness Anxiety & Worry Work , Home, & School Stress ​Grief & Loss Divorce & Separation Unexpected life transitions, unexpected change, lost opportunities

Feel Your Way Therapy

Feel Your Way Therapy

Registered Psychotherapist

Virtual

Feel Your Way Therapy is a Toronto-based psychotherapy clinic offering individual, couples, child, and family therapy. Our diverse team of therapists provides support for anxiety, trauma, ADHD, depression, stress, and relationship issues, using evidence-based approaches in a compassionate and client-centered way.

Nikki Ward

Nikki Ward

Registered Psychotherapist

Virtual In-Person

Therapist & Clinic Owner at Electric City Wellness Accepting new clients both In-Person in Peterborough & Virtually throughout Ontario! Offering FREE 20-minute consultations!

Dylan Walker

Dylan Walker

RP(Q)

Virtual

I strive to create a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental space where you feel respected and heard. My goal is to work collaboratively with you to build resilience, deepen self-awareness, and foster meaningful growth. Whether you are navigating a difficult time in your life or seeking personal development, I am committed to walking alongside you on your journey toward healing and clarity.

Connie Coda

Connie Coda

Registered Nurse Psychotherapist, Certified Nurse Psychotherapist

Virtual

Connie is a Registered Nurse Psychotherapist and Certified Nurse Psychotherapist offering virtual therapy to individuals aged 16 and up across Ontario. She supports clients coping with chronic illness, anxiety, grief (including pet loss), stress, and life transitions, using a compassionate and collaborative approach.

Mandeep Lalli

Mandeep Lalli

Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

Virtual

Are you feeling anxious, overwhelmed or stuck? Maybe something feels wrong? I help people navigate anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, and relationship struggles, with culturally sensitive care that honours your full background, including pressures others may miss. As a South Asian therapist who spent 15 years in the corporate world, I bring lived experience and real-world context to therapy.

How do therapists in Peterborough, ON compare?

Number of therapists listed

53

Average years in practice

6.6 Years

Currently accepting new clients

100 %

Therapists in Peterborough, ON who prioritize treating:

75% Anxiety
55% Depression
55% Relationship Issues
34% Self Esteem
32% Trauma and PTSD
30% ADHD
28% Emotional Dysregulation
25% Grief

How therapists see their clients

2% In Person & Online
98% Online Only

Top therapy approaches used in Peterborough, ON:

100% Motivational Interviewing
96% Cognitive Behavioural (CBT)
72% Strength-Based
70% Acceptance and Commitment (ACT)
66% Trauma Focused
64% Dialectical Behaviour (DBT)
60% Solution Focused Brief (SFBT)
58% Person-Centered

Frequently Asked Questions About Motivational Interviewing

What is motivational interviewing?

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative, goal-oriented communication style developed by William Miller and Stephen Rollnick to strengthen a person's own motivation and commitment to change. MI is based on the premise that ambivalence about change is normal — people simultaneously want to change and want to stay the same — and that the therapist's role is to help the person explore and resolve this ambivalence in the direction of their own values and goals, rather than imposing change or providing advice. It is person-centred, evidence-based, and widely used in addiction treatment, health behaviour change, and mental health.

What are the core skills of motivational interviewing?

The core MI skills (OARS) are Open-ended questions (inviting exploration), Affirmations (recognizing strengths and efforts), Reflections (reflecting back what the person has said to deepen understanding), and Summaries (pulling together what has been discussed). The spirit of MI is as important as the skills: a collaborative, evocative, honouring approach that respects the person's autonomy. MI involves selectively attending to and amplifying "change talk" (the person's own arguments for change) while avoiding the righting reflex (the urge to argue for change or give advice).

What does motivational interviewing treat or help with?

MI has strong evidence for substance use disorders (alcohol, opioids, cannabis), smoking cessation, medication adherence, diet and exercise change, weight management, and engaging people who are ambivalent about treatment. It is used as a standalone treatment and as a pre-treatment "engagement" phase before other evidence-based therapies (CBT, community reinforcement approach). MI is also widely used in healthcare settings for health behaviour change.

What is the difference between motivational interviewing and advice-giving?

MI deliberately avoids advice-giving, confrontation, and persuasion — approaches that tend to increase resistance in ambivalent people. When a practitioner argues for change or lists the reasons someone should stop drinking (for example), the person often responds by articulating the reasons they shouldn't — and convincing themselves to stay the same. MI flips this: it evokes the person's own reasons for change and their own arguments, which are far more persuasive to them than arguments from an external authority.

How many sessions of motivational interviewing are needed?

MI has demonstrated efficacy in as few as 1–4 sessions. In many studies, brief MI interventions (even a single 45-minute session) produce significant effects on substance use and behaviour change. MI is often used as an engagement or pre-treatment phase before longer therapy rather than as a prolonged standalone treatment. The brevity makes it particularly valuable in primary care, emergency departments, and settings where extended contact is limited.