Hello and Welcome!
If you are reading this, you may be considering therapy for the first time, returning to it after some time away, or simply exploring whether I might be the right fit for your journey. Whatever brings you here, I am glad you have taken this step.
My work is grounded in trauma-informed counselling and shaped by both professional training and lived experience. Together, we gently explore the experiences that have shaped you, how they may continue to influence your thoughts, emotions, relationships, and behaviours, and how you can develop new ways of relating to yourself and the world around you. I approach each client with kindness, authenticity, cultural awareness, and deep respect for the unique experiences that shape who they are.
I am especially passionate about working with individuals healing from childhood trauma, adults navigating the lasting effects of difficult early experiences, those struggling with challenging relationships, grief and loss, burnout in helping professions, and people seeking a deeper understanding of themselves. I am also drawn to working with individuals who feel they have had to be strong for a very long time and are ready to put some of that weight down.
My path into psychotherapy has been long, eventful, and deeply rewarding. I immigrated to Canada from Eastern Europe at the age of thirteen and have lived in multiple countries and provinces before ultimately finding home in St. Thomas. Those experiences taught me something profound: sometimes we must travel far to discover where we truly belong.
Before becoming a therapist, I worked with youth and adults in community and correctional settings. Those experiences deepened my understanding of resilience, adversity, and the human capacity for change. I later completed my Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology and pursued specialized trauma training through Wilfrid Laurier University. I have also completed EMDR training and recent Event Protocol training, further strengthening my ability to support individuals processing trauma and distressing life experiences.
My lived experiences, including childhood trauma and vicarious trauma encountered in professional roles, have shaped the therapist I am today. They have given me a deep respect for the courage, persistence, and vulnerability required to heal. I know that healing is not easy work. I also know that meaningful change is possible.
Outside of my work, I am a wife and mother to two very cool kids. Family life continually reminds me of the importance of connection, flexibility, patience, growth, and showing up for one another through life's challenges and joys. These values naturally inform the way I approach my work with clients.
Above all, I believe you are the expert on your own life. Your experiences matter. Your story matters. And you deserve a space where you can be seen, heard, and understood without judgment.
If you feel that I may be the right therapist for you, I would be honored to be part of your journey.
Warmly,
Ivana Marjanovic-Mavretic, Registered Psychotherapist, BA, MACP
