As clinical director at North Shore Center for Attachment, I am driven by an enduring commitment to providing heart-centered, effective, change-oriented services to youth, individuals, and families.

Specializing in family, relationship, and adolescent wellness, I have over eighteen years of clinical experience in both private, public, and international settings, extensive supervisory experience for counselling students and therapists.

My years in public and private practice contribute to my ability to identify root sources of problems and to apply practical, effective interventions to reduce suffering and promote optimal wellness and healing.

Please contact info@northshoreattachment.com to be added to Melissa’s waitlist or to discuss being matched with another NSCA associate. We look forward to hearing from you.

As clinical director at North Shore Center for Attachment, I am driven by an enduring commitment ... Read More

Having extensive experience working with children, I believe in cultivating a therapeutic space in which children feel seen, heard and respected. Approaching my work with children from a child-centered play therapy lens, I specialize in supporting children in the early years and middle childhood. I believe children can heal through the power of play via sensory regulation techniques, dramatic play, storytelling and expressive art inspired activities.

My approach will help children process and gain the tools to move through their challenging moments in a safe, validating environment which encourages them to thrive. In addition to my individual work with children I believe that caregiver work is pivotal for the child’s therapeutic success. I believe in the importance of advocating for the needs of the child, while advocating for caregivers as well. Through psychoeducation and parent support, I strive to support caregivers so they feel equipped with the tools to effectively connect with and meet the needs of their child.

Having extensive experience working with children, I believe in cultivating a therapeutic space i... Read More

I believe deeply in the power of connection and the core value it holds in the human experience. Connection to self, to others and to anything that leaves us feeling a sense of belonging. Fundamental to the quality of our day-to-day experiences, these connections are how we navigate changes within and around us.

Connections are foundational for young people, and they are pivotal during the adolescent and young adult years. The immense growth that occurs during these stages of life brings chaos and uncertainty to both their internal and external worlds, and this can feel confusing, daunting and lonely. They don’t yet have the brain capacity nor the emotional literacy to navigate this chaos alone so understanding, support and guidance are crucial during these most transformative years. Their wellness and their futures depend on it.

With 20 years of experience working with youth and families with complex mental health concerns, I’ve seen again and again how easily relationships become fraught with conflict and misunderstanding. Often this is due to the miscommunication of unmet needs. With compassionate support, we can become aware of our needs and learn how to protect and communicate them. This, in turn, can lead to healing and repair in our relationships.

Through a person-centered and trauma-informed approach, Brooke integrates evidence-based practices, including emotion-focused therapy and dialectal behaviour therapy, to support and guide clients through emotional learning and making sense of their inner experience and relationships.

I believe deeply in the power of connection and the core value it holds in the human experience. ... Read More

Nadja is an experienced and compassionate counsellor with over 15 years of experience working with youth, families, and individuals with ADHD. She offers a unique and comprehensive approach to treating ADHD, recognizing that it affects various aspects of an individual’s life, including relationships, education, and vocation. Nadja combines executive functioning coaching and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) counseling to provide effective and personalized support for individuals facing ADHD challenges.

Nadja is an experienced and compassionate counsellor with over 15 years of experience working wit... Read More

I started my professional career as the art teacher at an alternative school. The students were sharing their stories with me both through their art and language. I went to the school counsellor, not sure if I was saying the right things, giving the right advice and she said, “It’s not about what you say, it’s about how you listen”.

This is the singular statement that shifted my career, as well as my relationships moving forward. When you know how to truly listen you can be in relationships in connected meaningful ways. When you know what to listen for, and develop a quality of listening, you know how to attune, connect and love. Not only to others, but to ourselves as well. This is a practice we can all develop when we understand our neurobiology, attachment history, and personal barriers and blocks.

For the past twenty years I have been working with individuals, families, couples, and co-workers on their most important relationships, and how they want to show up as the best version of themselves for their own experience, and for the people they love. I have been so honoured to work in this way, to help people cultivate their character, to create a practice that helps them become who they really are, and how they want to connect to themselves and the people around them.

I started my professional career as the art teacher at an alternative school. The students were s... Read More

I believe our quality of life is directly linked to the quality of our relationships. Loving is innate. When we infuse it with emotional literacy and vulnerable communication it becomes a conscious way of life that can transform how we move through the world.

Our most cherished relationships can often feel the most challenging. Most of us don’t take the time to truly look at how we function in relationships and evaluate whether or not it is congruent with our core values. We can become so entrenched in our own belief systems and patterns of behaviour that we are unable to see how it impacts our loved ones. We find ourselves in conflict we are unsure how to navigate. Distanced from those we wish to be closest to, we recognize these behaviours are no longer serving us yet feel stuck and unable to do things differently. Conflict and change are two things we can always count on. Learning to move through these often difficult transitory times with grace and security creates a safe space to bring our authentic selves and experience the true intimacy we seek in relationship.

I believe our quality of life is directly linked to the quality of our relationships. Loving is ... Read More