HI! I'M OLIVIA
My goal is to provide individual counselling and therapy services that help you navigate through the challenges of life transitions, stress, anxiety, and performance issues.
I'm a licensed therapist and founder of my own practice. Whether you're dealing with trauma or seeking to enhance your sports performance, I'm here to guide you towards gaining confidence, setting healthy boundaries, and deepening your understanding of yourself.
My commitment to this work is deeply personal. After health challenges altered my original career path in adventure guiding, I discovered the transformative power of therapy combined with the healing qualities of nature. This led me on a path to becoming a therapist myself, with a mission to provide refreshing, empowering, and accessible mental health support. My vision is to grow my practice into a thriving clinic that provides enduring support and mentorship.
Intrigued? Read on to learn more about how we can work together towards your peace, calm, and self-understanding.
MISSION, VISION, & VALUES
Why I Started My Practice:
My journey into therapy started when I faced health challenges that took me off my initial career path in adventure guiding. This unexpected turn of events led me to discover the transformative power of therapy and the outdoors in supporting mental health. The experience was so profound that it inspired me to change careers and become a therapist. My mission became clear: to provide refreshing, empowering, and accessible mental health support for those who need it.
My Values:
I value authenticity, empathy, resilience, and personal growth. These values guide every aspect of my work as a therapist. They inspire me to approach each session with an open heart and mind, ready to meet my clients where they are in their personal development process.
My mission is to empower adults and athletes to find peace, calm, and self-understanding. I believe that everyone deserves the chance to explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a safe space where they feel heard and understood. I'm committed to providing this space for my clients.
Looking ahead, my vision is to grow my practice into a thriving clinic that offers long-term support and mentorship. I want to create an environment where individuals can continue to grow and learn about themselves throughout their lives.
My Mission & Vision:
CREDENTIALS
My Experience & Qualifications:
My professional path has been rich with diverse experiences - from pursuing adventure therapy, obtaining outdoor adventure guiding certification, working with at-risk youth transitioning to frontline outreach work - all before completing my Master's in Counseling Psychology. I've also obtained additional certifications, including an Mental Health and Addictions Studies Certificate, and an Environmental Leadership and Sustainability Certificate. These experiences and qualifications have shaped my unique approach to therapy, blending the outdoors with traditional therapeutic practices.
Through these experiences, I know that therapy is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Each individual's experience is unique, and I'm committed to helping my clients find the strategies that work best to help them reach their therapeutic goals. Together, we can navigate through life's challenges and transitions to find a sense of peace, confidence, and self-understanding.
Training
Current -
Gottman Method Couple Therapy: Level 2 - Assessment, Interventions & Co Morbidities
2024 -
Gottman Method Couples Therapy: Level 1- Bridging the Couple Chasm
2024 -
EMDR Basic Training
2023 -
Integrative Somatic Therapy: Level 1- Trauma, Brain and the Body Fundamentals of Trauma Recovery
2023 -
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional
2023 -
Essentials of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: Level 1- Learning CBT
2023 -
First Aid for Opioid Poisoning Emergencies
2021 -
Assisted Suicide Prevention Training (ASIST)
Memberships:
Education
Current - Toronto Metropolitan University // Indigenous Knowledges and Experiences Certificate
Indigenous Peoples persistently encounter challenges in crucial areas like healthcare, social services, employment, and education. This certificate program emphasizes the importance of practical, real-world experience; to help manage projects that contribute to positive change and engage with community agencies and organizations, with preparation for the challenges and complexities of working with Indigenous communities.
2024 - Yorkville University // Master of Arts Counselling Psychology
A graduate level program that prepares students for counselling and psychotherapy practice. This is done through a comprehensive curriculum coving a variety of topics including but not limited to counselling methodologies and psychotherapeutic interventions, crisis and trauma in counselling, and addiction counselling.
2024 - Toronto Metropolitan University // Mental Health and Addictions Studies Certificate
Designed to enhance the foundational knowledge in psychology, mental-health and addictions. Teaches comprehensive strategies in assessment, treatment and self-help within individual, group, family and community contexts.
2020 - Algonquin College // Outdoor Adventure Diploma
This program prepares students for working in the outdoors, leading adventure trips and teaching outdoor skills. Complete technical training in various land-based activities from mountain biking and rock climbing to skiing and ice climbing. As well as guiding abilities in sea kayaking, canoe tripping and white water rafting.
2018 - Thompson Rivers University // Bachelor's Interdisciplinary Studies - Adventure Therapy
The BIS-Adventure Studies degree is designed to allow the study of specific adventure-related topic from the perspectives of a variety of different areas of study (disciplines). The path of study must include a multiple academic disciplines.
2018 - Thompson Rivers University // Environmental Leadership and Sustainability Certificate
The Leadership in Environmental Sustainability Certificate allows students to earn formal recognition for their knowledge, skills, awareness, and attitudes that contribute to environmental sustainability competency.
MY STORY
From Adventure Guide to Therapist: My Professional Evolution
Hello there! I'm Olivia Smith, a licensed therapist and the founder of my own private practice. But I wasn't always on this path. I started out as an adventure guide, immersing myself in the great outdoors and helping others discover its healing potential. However, when health challenges abruptly ended this initial career, I was faced with a transition that felt both daunting and uncertain.
During this period, I discovered firsthand the transformative power of therapy. This experience ignited a new passion within me: to provide refreshing, empowering, and accessible mental health support to those who need it.
I work mainly with adults and athletes, who are navigating life transitions, anxiety, performance-related challenges and processing trauma stress. (Read about my Sports Story Here). The goal is to help them develop confidence, set healthy boundaries, and gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their experiences. Whether that involves trauma or sports performance issues or general life stressors, my approach aims at addressing these aspects holistically.
Outside my professional life, I am an avid outdoor enthusiast! I also participate in triathlons and advocate for environmental sustainability. And let's not forget about therapy dog handling - our furry friends can offer such beautiful support!
Timeline:
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Transition from Adventure Therapy to Outdoor Adventure Guiding - 2016-2020
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Certification in Outdoor Adventure Guiding- 2018-2020
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Experience working with At-Risk Youth -2020-2022
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Shift to Frontline Outreach Work- 2023
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Completion of Master's in Counselling Psychology - 2024
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Acquisition of Additional Certifications- yearly
How True Life Therapy
Got It's Name
When we want to confirm that something is amazing we often ask 'really?'. But as a little kid I used to ask if it was 'for true life?'.
Now as an adult I like to think that the therapeutic care you deserve and the therapy I can provide is just that amazing.
For True Life.
My Approach and Style
As a licensed therapist and founder of my own private practice, I am dedicated to providing individual counseling and therapy services. My focus is on adults, particularly those living with trauma, stress, anxiety, and performance-related challenges. Drawing from personal experiences and academic training, I aim to help clients develop confidence, set healthy boundaries, and gain a deeper understanding of themselves.
My approach is grounded in empathy and understanding. Whether dealing with trauma, sports performance issues or general life stressors, my goal is to help you reach your goals. I believe in the power of therapy and outdoor activities in supporting mental health - an insight I gained from my personal health challenges that shifted my career path from adventure guiding to therapy.
My vision for the future is to grow my practice into a thriving clinic that provides long-term support and mentorship. My mission is to make mental health support refreshing, empowering, and accessible for those who need it most.
Who I Work With
As a licensed therapist, I work primarily with adults between the ages of 20 and 40 who are navigating various life transitions. These transitions can range from graduating college and starting a new job to moving to a new city or even dealing with the ending or beginning of significant relationships. These individuals often grapple with stress and anxiety related to these changes, and I'm here to guide them through these challenging times. My goal is to assist them in developing confidence, setting healthy boundaries, and gaining a deeper understanding of themselves and their experiences.
In addition to adults, I also work with athletes who are facing performance-related challenges. The pressures of competing can be immense and lead to significant stress and anxiety. I work with these individuals to help them manage their stress and anxiety, and ultimately improve their performance. Using evidence-based therapeutic techniques like integrative somatic therapy, mindfulness, and EMDR, I aim to empower athletes, support their growth, and improve their overall well-being. Whether in-person or virtually, through one-on-one therapy sessions or workshops, I'm here to provide the support they need.
Areas of Expertise:
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Anxiety
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PTSD
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Trauma
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Stress management
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Sports Performance
The Process of Therapy
01.
Initial Consultation
Understand client's needs and expectations.
02.
Individualized Plan
Create a unique treatment plan based on each client's goals.
03.
Regular Sessions
Conduct regular therapy sessions to facilitate growth and development.
04.
Progress Monitoring
Assess progress regularly and adjust the treatment plan as necessary.
05.
Long-Term Support
Provide ongoing support and mentorship to ensure long-lasting results.
Therapy Types & Modalities
Eye Movement Desenitization Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) is a technique that uses bilateral stimulation of the body to process traumatic and unsettling memories.
Aims to create small changes in your life through thoughts and behaviour to create positive and lasting impacts.
Identifies the multitude of parts within our personality (ex. happy part, angry part) and aims to restore balance within oneself.
Builds on the principals of cognitive therapy to teach people to be consciously aware and non-judgemental of their thoughts and feelings.
Focuses on how emotions and memories appear in the body and present themselves. The goal is to release maladaptive emotions through mind-body techniques.
Focuses on providing practical and effective skills to help manage relationships and communication while exploring how relationship dynamics were developed.