Meet Chelsea
Chelsea Gay (she/her)
Registered Psychotherapist, Clinical Traumatologist. M.A, B.A, TITC-CT
Hello!
Welcome! My name is Chelsea and I am a Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario and a Certified Trauma Specialist (TITC-CT).
For almost a decade, I've had the biggest privilege of working with people of all ages dealing with various mental health issues, addictions, and trauma. Before my journey as a psychotherapist began, I held various roles in community mental health in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
Having navigated my own journey through trauma and anxiety, I’ve spent lots of time as a therapy client. These experiences provided me with invaluable skills, hope and relief, as well as insights into the challenges of therapy. Like many, I often found myself struggling to find someone who truly understood me, and this has always motivated me to to prioritize my relationship with clients.
My Approach
I believe that progress made in therapy is built on a strong therapeutic relationship. I prioritize rapport building and getting to know you before treatment. The therapy process with me starts with an intake assessment, identifying goals, and working towards those goals using reflection and evidence-based strategies. Our treatment together is flexible and can always change. If something isn’t working, I always want you to let me know, so that we can find alternative strategies to help.
The modalities I use are cognitive-behavioural, dialectical-behavioural, attachment-focused, polyvagal, IFS and ACT.
Who I work With
I work with teens (13+), adults, and couples through a variety of mental health struggles, relationship issues, and life challenges. I will always meet you where you are at. Some people come to therapy seeking a safe space to talk, to heal from a break-up, to explore their identities, to address past traumas, or to alleviate anxiety and depression that affects daily life. Often, clients have multiple concerns they want to address in sessions. In our time together, I encourage you to bring your whole self to each session and feel free to discuss anything on your mind—no topic is off-limits
Outside the Therapy Room
When I am not in session, I am often camping in Ontario parks, grabbing coffee and coming home to read or garden, and endlessly starting crafts I never finish! I also have a cat named Chess that appears in session from time to time!
Education & Qualifications
Registered Psychotherapist, College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO)
Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association Professional Member
Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, Yorkville University, 2022
Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, 2020
Certified Clinical Traumatologist, TITC-CT Clinical Traumatology Institute, 2023
Assessments & Interventions in Trauma
Clinical Standards of Trauma Care: Attachment Systems
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Trauma
Clinical Group Approaches with Trauma Survivors
Compassion Fatigue Specialist
Early Intervention Field Traumatologist
Clinical Supervision in Trauma
Gottman Couples Therapy Level 1, 2022
Exposure Therapy for OCD & Anxiety Disorders, 2024
Treating Childhood OCD, 2024
Adverse Childhood Experiences & Healing Childhood Trauma, 2024
De-escalating Violent Situations, 2024
2SLGBTQIA+ Foundations Level I & II, 2022
Vicarious Trauma, 2023
Solution Focused Therapy, 2022
Suicide Prevention, 2022
Indigenous Canada (2020)
NCVI & ASSIST (2024)