Maria Geleynse

“I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.”   (Carl Jung)

Do you feel disconnected from yourself or the life you really want to be living?  Do you feel at the mercy of your mind, emotions, or past, while wishing you could choose a different path?

I’ve been to some of these places too, and I found myself dissatisfied with a lot of the “conventional wisdom” solutions out there, even in therapy.  I was drawn to my work as a therapist by my love for human beings, a fascination with how we work, and a desire to find better ways to help both myself and others heal, thrive, and restore our inner wellbeing.

After almost 10 years of providing psychotherapy, as well as working in refugee resettlement, and in education settings, I’ve gained extensive experience working with a diverse array of people and mental health/life concerns. I have lived in Haiti, USA, South Korea, and have studied in Ghana and run youth programs in Hong Kong. These experiences have opened me up to different perspectives from a young age, and so I’ve developed a capacity to relate to the effects of cultural adjustment and displacement on our mental health and wellbeing.

I have a Masters degree in Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University and I’m a registered social worker (OCSWSSW #829544).  My professional training has included training in ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), Mindful Self-Compassion, Chairwork, CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention), and EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy).  I’m currently taking a certificate program in Somatic EMDR therapy, and am excited to be adding this to my work with clients. I’m also a member of a professional network of OCD and anxiety therapists, and I train other therapists in ACT and Self-Compassion.

It has become clear to me that real healing and change comes through relational and embodied experience – through attention to the mind-body-emotion connection, and with the right support so we can connect with and transform our pain.  I know that we all have the inner wisdom and capacity to grow and heal and I am grateful for the chance to provide that support in this work.

If you are looking to open the next chapter of your growth with a holistic approach, then I would be honoured to work with you.  Please feel free to book a free initial consultation to see if we might be a good fit.

Outside of being a therapist, I love making and listening to music, writing, reading, tending my plants, fostering dogs, enjoying the outdoors, running, practicing yoga, and soaking up time with friends and family.

Areas of focus: Anxiety, OCD, Panic, Depression, Stress and Burnout, Relationship concerns, Trauma/PTSD, Emotion Regulation, Anger, Life transitions, Perfectionism, Motivation and Procrastination, Sleep concerns, Compassion Fatigue, Grief and Loss

Approaches: ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), Compassion-Focused, Mindfulness-based, ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention), Chairwork, IFS-informed, Somatic/body-based approaches, Polyvagal-informed, Emotion-Focused, Gottman Method

Age: Adults and teens (16+)

Availability: Online and in person (Thursdays)

Recent Training:

Somatic EMDR: The Embody Lab –  Arielle Schwartz, PhD, Scott Lyons, PhD, Bessel van der Kolk, MD, etc. (in progress)

IFS Immersion: Integrating Internal Family Systems (IFS) Across Clinical Applications – Frank Anderson,  MD, Richard Schwartz, PhD, and assorted faculty.  (In progress)

Linda Thai’s Advanced Somatic Trauma Treatment Method: Practical Tools for Clinicians – Linda Thai LMSW, ERYT-200, CLYL . September 18-19, 2025

2-Day Psychological Flexibility for a Traumatizing World: How to Foster the Most Important Skill in All of Psychotherapy – Steven C. Hayes, PhD . September 4-5, 2025

Janina Fisher’s Trauma Treatment Certification Training (CCTP): The Latest Advances and Proven Techniques to Resolve Deeply Held Trauma – Janina Fisher, PhD. August 21-22, 2025

Psychopharmacology: Essential Information for Mental Health Professionals – Kenneth Carter, PhD, ABPP .August 14, 2025

Trauma-Focused ACT – Dr. Russ Harris, in-person training hosted by Contextual Psychology Institute. Toronto, Ontario. July 3-4, 2025

4-Day Intensive Workshop: Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy for OCD – Alissa Jerud, PhD, Cognitive Behavior Institute (live online training). December 5-6 & 19-20, 2024