My Qualifications

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I’m Natasha Wakefield, a Registered Psychotherapist (College of Registered Psychotherapists Ontario) with a Master’s degree in Counselling and 20 years of clinical experience working with couples, families, individuals and groups. I am also a member in good standing of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association and the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy. I work hard to ensure that all of my clients feel safe and heard to help them heal themselves and their relationships.  In my practice, I am deliberate and genuine in my creation of a safe, judgement free zone.

 

My therapeutic approach is primarily influenced by Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) where, “connection is everything”. I have deep gratitude for Sue Johnson and Emotionally Focused Therapy for not only catapulting my therapeutic skills but changing the trajectory of my life.  It fundamentally changed the way I practice therapy, but also changed how I approach relationships in my personal life, delivering deeper, more lasting connections and love.  

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I have also been heavily influenced and find a lot of solace and power in Brene Brown's work.  She started off studying Happiness, which led her to study shame and shame resilience.  It turns out, those who are able to share their vulnerability with those who have earned the right to hear their story live the most wholehearted lives.  Brene can be found all over the web, has done inspirational Ted Talks, has numerous segments with Oprah, has published numerous books, and has 2 weekly podcasts.  Brene literally reminds me daily to stay awkward, brave, and kind.

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I have also been heavily influenced by Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy.  This model is complex and simple at the same time.  It helps make sense of behaviour that at times seems unsensible.  Extremely simplified, it uses a Playful, Accepting, Curious and Empathic approach to explore and help understand challenging behaviours in children and parents, and create a different, lasting bond between family members.

 

Who I am

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When I am not working with clients,  you can probably find me enjoying the company of my various animals or family.  I  live on a small horse farm outside of Toronto with my husband of 22 years, two teenage daughters and 3 horses, 3 dogs and 2 cats all of whom I adore!   My human and animal family are the most important things in the world to me, and I love learning with them, working with them, or just hanging out.  

I love to laugh and have fun.  I love playing games-both indoors and out.  I enjoy challenging myself to do things that make me uncomfortable; like Brene Brown says, "Choose courage over comfort".  In the last year alone, I have learned to use a jigsaw to cut patterns in wood, operate a chainsaw, and chop wood with an axe, just to name a few!
 

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Matatoa

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Matatoa is the name of my beloved horse farm that my family and I call home.  This farm was a dream in the making for a decade before we managed to make it a reality, to be honest it is still very much a work in progress.  The word Matatoa is a Maori word that means fearless, courageous or unafraid which are all qualities we needed to take the chance to move here, leave my position as Clinical Manager of a large Children's Mental Health Organization, and build our lives.  The Maoris are native New Zealanders, the original inhabitants of the country where I was born and to which I hold a deep affinity. Welcome to Matatoa!