welcome
We arrive at therapy in many ways. Maybe you're feeling alone, overwhelmed or stuck in a cycle of worry or indecision. Maybe an unexpected life change has left you reeling. Maybe your relationships aren't feeling satisfying, or past experiences have been resurfacing. Perhaps you are returning to therapy after some time away. Those are a few possibilities.
However you've arrived here, I welcome you. I am committed to providing a space for you to be seen, heard and known. A space to share and sift through your experiences in an empathic, judgment-free environment where, together with curiosity, we can make sense of the ways they might be impacting your present and future.
My Approach
Relational therapy is an exploratory conversation. Carefully and collaboratively, we attempt to make sense of whatever you choose to bring forward. I will help you feel what needs to be felt, give language to your experiences, share thoughts and impressions, and see where, how and why things might be getting stuck. It's a process that helps strengthen our capacity to be in healthy relationship with others and with ourselves so that we may move through the world more authentically.
Many of us don't have a consistent opportunity to share our experiences with an attuned, curious, non-judgmental witness. If those experiences only live inside us, they can be hard to integrate and move through. They can get a grip on us. Through curious exploration, that grip might lessen its hold.
My approach is feminist, anti-oppressive, anti-racist, LGBTQ+-positive, sex-positive, nervous-system informed and client centred.
Areas of particular interest:
attachment issues
shame and guilt
grief and loss
family/relationship difficulties
anxiety and depression
life transitions
ADHD and neurodivergency
trauma
precarious employment/careers
sexual and gender identities
communication and conflict
self-concept and body image
performance anxiety/stage fright
creative blocks
Rate & Availability
Rates: Currently, sessions happen by phone or video. My rate is $130 for a 50-minute session. Payment is due on the day of the session. Initial consultations are 15 to 20 minutes and available for free.
Cancellation policy: Please note that 24 hours' notice is required to cancel appointments without charge. I have limited sliding scale spots, but if you are in need of one and none are available, I do keep a waiting list.
Frequency: I recommend committing to weekly or bi-weekly sessions, especially at the beginning of therapy. We will discuss your needs and expectations, and assess frequency as we go.
Insurance: Therapy services are sometimes covered by private insurance plans. If you have benefits, I recommend checking to see if your plan covers registered counselling therapists (NS) or registered psychotherapists (ON).
I am taking appointments on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. To book, send an email to carlagillistherapy@gmail.com.
Photo by Samuel Engelking
About Me
I am a Registered Psychotherapist as a member of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO), and a Registered Counselling Therapist as a member of the Nova Scotia College of Counselling Therapists. I am governed by CRPO’s and Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association’s code of ethics, and I comply with their professional practice standards.
I am also a musician, writer and editor with experience as a touring musician, recording artist and arts journalist. My interest in therapy began as a teenager living in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and became more focused over the last decade through intensive work in personal psychoanalytic and somatic experiencing therapy.
I have a BA in English and an MFA in creative writing. I studied relational psychotherapy at the Toronto Institute for Relational Psychotherapy, and am committed to life-long self-work and professional development. I see clients by video or phone primarily in Nova Scotia, where I am currently based, and Ontario. I am also able to see clients in other parts of Canada depending on provincial regulations. Feel free to ask about that.
To book an appointment, send an email to carlagillistherapy@gmail.com.
Also find me on Psychology Today.