Hi I’m Michelle Brans

With a diverse background in both healthcare and education, I began formally working in the field in 2007 as a Special Education Consultant and Parent Coach for Erinoakkids Treatment Center in partnership with Halton/Waterloo District School Boards. In 2012 I founded a child and family group psychotherapy practice, Counting Butterflies Child & Family Therapy (2012-2022), and in 2021 I co-founded a trauma-informed group practice, The Therapy Collective, where I am currently the Clinical Director. I hold a Bachelor’s in Psychology (2006) and a Master’s in Counselling Psychology (2014). I am a Clinical Supervisor for Qualifying Psychotherapists with the College of Registered Psychotherapists and Masters-Level Graduate Interns from several Canadian universities. I take a contemporary approach to psychotherapy, and my practice is client-centred, trauma-informed, holistic, and integrative. My formal psychotherapy certification and training includes Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Solution Focused Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Individual Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT-I) and Trauma-Informed EFT, Couples Emotional Focused Therapy externship with Sue Johnson, Family Emotion Focused Therapy, Interpersonal Neurobiology with Daniel Siegel, Satir Transformational Systemic Therapy (Level 1 & 2), Psychodynamic and EFT Supervision Model, Restorative and Hatha Yoga Training (300hr), Somatic and Embodied Trauma Work (Level 1), and Mindfulness Meditation Training. I live with my husband, daughter, and dogs on our homestead in the forest in the Greater Toronto Area.