AboUt MAXI, trauMa AND EMDR THERAPIST
The Story behind the Space I hold for Others
Hi, I’m Maxi
I believe change begins when we feel safe, seen, and understood.
Before becoming a counsellor, I worked as an osteopath, where I saw again and again how trauma and emotional pain live in the body. Over time, I came to understand that while touch can be powerful, there are places it can’t always reach. Some pain sits deeper, waiting to be met in a different way.
Counselling offered me that way. Not as a means to fix or resolve, but as a way of being with others — walking alongside them as insight, and growth unfold. I do this work because I’m drawn to meaning — and to the sacred process of transformation. To witness this process feels like a gift, every time.
I believe that when trauma is met in a space of safety and respect, something fundamental begins to shift. We don’t just change how we feel — we change how we relate to ourselves and to others — and from there reconnect with who we truly are. This is how cycles soften and slowly break, not only for us, but for those who come after us. This work is my way of contributing to that change.
Being a therapist shapes me as much as it supports others. It continually invites me to meet my own perfectly imperfect parts with gentleness, curiosity, and humility. It reminds me that beneath every strategy, every defense, is pain that once needed protection — and still longs to be seen and understood.
My Approach: Rooted in Safety, Guided by connection
I believe healing happens in relationship - not just with others, but within ourselves
My work is grounded in attachment theory, somatic awareness, parts work, and brain-based trauma approaches like EMDR and CRM. That might sound clinical, but what it really means is that I pay close attention to what feels safe, how your body carries experience, how your nervous system has adapted to overwhelm, and how different parts of you may be working hard to protect you — even when those strategies are no longer serving you.
Together, we create a space where all of you is welcome. The overwhelmed parts. The avoidant parts. The fierce protector. The younger parts that learned to survive early on. We don’t rush or push. We listen carefully. We build trust over time. We move at your pace.
In my work, I bring presence, softness, and steadiness. My role isn’t to give you answers, but to walk alongside you as you begin to hear your own voice more clearly and reconnect with what you already know inside.
Whether we’re working with complex trauma, burnout, grief, or a general sense of disconnection, my goal is to offer a space that feels grounding, relational, and real.
My Values
Authenticity
I show up as I am — grounded, human, and present. Therapy is a space where you are welcomed as you are, without pressure to perform, explain perfectly, or be anyone else.
Safety
Emotional safety is foundational. I honor your pace, your boundaries, and the wisdom of your nervous system. You never have to go anywhere you're not ready to go.
Curiosity
I believe that even our most painful patterns make sense when we understand where they come from. Together, we gently explore without blame or shame.
Collaboration
Therapy is a shared process. I listen closely to your experience and work alongside you, adjusting, responding, and shaping the work together as your needs become clearer.
Therapy with me may be right for you if…
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You are ready to explore beneath the surface. You might not know exactly what you need yet — that’s okay. What matters most is your willingness to be curious, even when things feel messy or uncertain.
You're a parent who senses your child or teen is struggling — with big feelings, identity shifts, or the aftershocks of past experiences — and you’re looking for a therapist who can meet them with care, and curiosity.
You feel stuck in patterns that once protected you but now feel heavy, confusing, or isolating. Part of you may be afraid to open up — and part of you is craving the safety to finally be seen and understood.
You want therapy that honors the nervous system, welcomes all parts of you, and makes space for the tender work of unlearning, softening, and becoming more fully yourself — or helping your child do the same.
Tools For Your Healing Journey
Licensures & Memberships
Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC)
Professional Member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) (#)
Osteopath
Member of the General Osteopathic Council (GosC) (#10349)
Nutritional Therapist (NT)
Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner (IFMCP)
Certifications & Trainings
Training modalities
EMDR (Part I and Part II plus group supervision)(44 hours) by EMDR Consulting
Emotion-focussed Individual Therapy (12 hours) by PESI
Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy (60 hours) by Embody Lab
Cultural competency
Indigenous Trauma and Indigenous Ways of Healing (2 hours) by Indigenous Psychological Services
Academic Qualifications
Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MACP) with Distinction, 2025, Yorkville University (Canada)
Master of Osteopathy (MOst) with Distinction, 2019, Health Sciences University (UK)
Diploma in Nutritional Therapy, 2018, College of Naturopathic Medicine (UK)
Functional Medicine certification training, 2021, Institute of Functional Medicine (USA)
LGBTQ+
Transaffirming care (1 hour) by Skipping Stone
Suicide Awareness
Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk (8 hours) by Psychwire
When you're ready to begin, I'm here.
You don’t have to have it all figured out. Every journey starts with the first step — and yours can begin by simply reaching out.