Emotional Dysregulation Therapists in Toronto, ON
Taylor van der Deen
Registered Social Worker
I can work with you to help you uncover your innate curiosity, compassion and clarity, in order to feel a greater sense of peace, presence and purpose in your life. I support individuals who are experiencing emotional/relational challenges, perinatal mental health challenges, students, ADHD, anxiety, low self-esteem/identity, trauma and grief. You don't have to navigate this alone!
Erika Szabo
Registered Social Service Worker, Psychotherapist
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.
Serena Welsh
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Hi, I'm Serena! I'm a Masters-level therapist in Ottawa working with teens, adults, and couples. I specialize in relationship concerns, emotion regulation, trauma, BPD, and Bipolar Disorder. My approach is warm, flexible, and judgment-free. Reach out for a free, 15-minute consult to see if we could be a good fit.
Tanja Ivic
Registered Social Worker
*Accepting new virtual clients across Ontario, supporting teens and adults navigating anxiety, trauma, addiction patterns, identity and life transitions.
Arianne Nicole Palmares
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
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.
Alli Ewacha
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Erin Tatarnic
Registered Psychotherapist
Deciding to seek therapy is a courageous first step, and takes a level of vulnerability and commitment that I don’t take for granted. This decision likely means that despite how hard doing the work in therapy can be… whatever challenge you’ve been facing has become even harder. It has been a privilege of mine to collaborate with clients in their journey towards feeling better.
Mackenzie Howard
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
I provide psychotherapy to adults across Ontario who are navigating concerns such as anxiety, stress, burnout, perfectionism, relationship concerns, self-esteem, and life transitions. My approach is collaborative and individualized, with sessions focused on understanding your experiences and working toward goals that are meaningful to you.
Audrey Kao
Registered Social Worker
I help people in their 20s and 30s who keep running into the same painful patterns in dating and relationships, whether that's anxious attachment, recurring conflict, or trouble moving on from an ex. Using an attachment lens, we trace where these patterns began and build the security to change them. In-person in Toronto (St. Lawrence & St. Andrew-Windfields) or online across Ontario.
Dr. Ashley Mlotek
Clinical Psychologist
I work with adult clients with a variety of presenting concerns including but not limited to anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, perfectionism, life transitions, and difficulties in interpersonal relationships. I approach therapy within the context of a safe therapeutic relationship based on empathy and compassion. My therapeutic approach draws on several evidence-based modalities...
Laura Clarke
Registered Psychotherapist
I’m a registered psychotherapist supporting individuals who feel stuck in patterns of self-doubt, emotional overwhelm, or disconnection in their relationships. My approach is warm, grounded, and conversational - integrating Narrative Therapy, EFT, Somatic, and Trauma-Informed practices to nurture safety, awareness, and sustainable change. Complimentary consultations available.
Riley Cheskes
Registered Psychotherapist
I admire the courage and resilience it takes to begin your therapeutic journey. For over half of a decade, I have provided psychotherapy to adults and couples with a variety of presenting issues. You do not have to go through this alone. I hope to be an empathetic and transparent support for you as you embark on your therapeutic journey. Let’s get to the root of what you are experiencing.
Michael Peddle
Registered Psychotherapist (RP), Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC), Certified IFS Therapist
Since 2011, I’ve supported clients through trauma and attachment wounds using IFS as my core approach. I integrate EMDR, SFBT, and evidence-based techniques to help people heal burdens, strengthen inner safety, and reconnect with their most grounded, empowered selves.
Michelle Bilodeau
registered psychotherapist
I specialize in grief and loss, including the death of a loved one, working through a life transition, & more. I also work with anxiety-related challenges, as well as trauma and the body. I work to build a supportive and trusting therapeutic relationship with all clients.
Cayla Townes
Registered Psychotherapist
After years of working in a variety of settings with clients struggling with different life challenges, there's not much I haven't seen. My goal is for clients to walk away from therapy with me feeling validated, supported, and confident using the skills and knowledge they've learned in sessions. I look forward to learning more about how I can support you. Schedule a free consult today!
David Mibashan
Psychologist
We cannot lie to ourselves: realizing that something is bothering us is the first step towards understanding our present situation. Coming to therapy is a positive second step. It allows us to see where we come from, where we are now and where we would like to be. We should also keep in mind that once we know something, we cannot unknow it.
Kristy Brosz, MSW, RCSW
Registered Clinical Social Worker/Mental Health Therapist
*Chronic Illness/Rare Disease Therapist & Trauma/Grief Specialist* Kristy's practice focuses on the intersection between trauma and grief/loss. Kristy has a special interest in the areas of trauma, grief/loss, rare/chronic illness, palliative care, and adoption/foster/kinship care.
Aida Retta
Registered Psychotherapist
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…
Catherine Sullivan
MSW, RSW
Trauma and EMDR therapy in the West End of Ottawa.
The Growth and Wellness Therapy Centre
Health and Wellness Clinic
We are a Toronto-based health and wellness centre providing services in-office, online, and by phone with remote therapy offered across Ontario. We have pratitioners from various disciplines, including Registered Psychotherapist and Registered Social Workers.
How do therapists in Toronto, ON compare?
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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.
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