Marina Louis is a registered Social Worker (MSW, RSW). She has worked at educational institutions with students, as well as at a family health team with a variety of diverse populations and in private practice. She is certified in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), as well as trained in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT). She has also completed training in Mindfulness Based and Emotion-Focused Therapy. She takes an integrated approach, combining the best aspects of each of these methods, to create client-centred and tailor-made counselling.

Marina deals with a variety of presenting problems including abuse, trauma, suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety/panic, OCD, emotion regulation, loss, grief, life transitions, self-esteem, and boundary issues.

Marina is passionate about family counselling. Using Family Systems and Emotions Focused approaches, she works to create a shared and safe space for families to communicate their thoughts, feelings, and needs more effectively to one another.

Additionally, Marina often uses her Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Skills training to help clients work through managing intense emotions and emotional reactions. From her work, she has identified a clear deficit in how we are taught about emotions – their purpose, function, and how to express them in healthy and helpful ways. To target this, Marina uses a practical and skills-based approach, which helps both to validate and bring a greater sense of control and understanding to such experiences.

Finally, transparency, honesty, kindness, patience and warmth are important components of Marina’s practice as a therapist. She looks forward to meeting with you soon!