About
Me
My name is Cynthia Forrest (she/her)
I am a Survivor and a Neurodivergent Provider and I believe in 'the work'. I believe in the healing that comes from doing 'the work'. I believe in Recovery. I also believe that your work looks different from my work and the work that Harry or Sally from down the street, did or are doing. There is no cookie-cutter approach to therapy and no one-size, fits all.​​
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I am easy to talk to, casual and often use humor in my approach, and I am understanding. If you are in danger... I will let you know that I think that, and then we will come up with a plan for you to become safer. I have been in practice for close to 30 years and my job, is to help you.
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Get to Know More
Healing is an individual process. It is a unique path that each of us follows in order to live our lives in a better, happier healthier way. So, while you are the expert in you, I see myself as a guide who will gently, yet firmly, help you navigate the rougher terrain that you are experiencing now.
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My approach to therapy is eclectic. I primarily practice CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and Solution-Focused Therapy, but I will pull-in components of different therapies to match your needs. I am trained in Motivational Interviewing, Harm Reduction and many more areas. I generally have a 'lead from behind' approach. To you, this should sound like we are just having a conversation.
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I am also a RN-Non-Practicing (Ontario) and my background in nursing has helped me focus on short to medium length therapy interventions. My additional training in psychotherapy has helped me to focus on longer lengths and more types of depth therapy. All therapy has a goal and a plan and we will develop that, together.
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People are individual and therapy needs to be individual and tailored to you. It should never be an expectation that you try to fit a therapy in order to get help.
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At this time, all my appointments are virtual. I use a secure Canadian video platform and Electronic Medical Record. Your information is safely stored in Canada and there is no recording of our virtual sessions.
How Do You Know if We're a Match?
I provide a safe space to work with individual adults (age 18+) having difficulty or identifying with:
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Anxiety
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Trauma - PTSD and C-PTSD
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Survivors of Narcissistic Abuse
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Emotional Dysregulation
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Grief and Loss
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ADHD and neurodivergence
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Chronic Clutter
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Depression
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OCD
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Chronic Illness
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Alcohol and Cannabis Misuse
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Adjusting to life changes
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Coping with difficult people
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Healthcare Worker Burnout
...But this is not a complete list.​​
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At this time, all my appointments are virtual. That means we meet over video instead of in-person.
Did you know?
You don't have to have a medical diagnosis to begin psychotherapy!
What to Expect Next?
This is what you can expect if you want to investigate more...
Initial Telephone Call
When you contact me by telephone or email, I will contact you back by that same method so we can talk briefly about what you are looking for, and to see if we are a match. This will last about 15 min and is free of charge. You should be in a private place for this telephone call.
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If you are worried about affording private psychotherapy, talk with me about my adjusted rates.
Initial Therapy Appointment
If we are a good match, then I will email you some forms to complete. Some will be basic information and some are consent forms, so that we can work together. I will set you up in our electronic medical record. That means your information will be private and confidential. Once you have been set up, you can schedule your first appointment. It will be 90 minutes.
Don't worry - we can start anywhere
Follow-Up Appointments
In your first 1-2 appointments, we will talk about what you want to see come out of therapy. Then we will create a plan to help you to get there. We do this together and you are not expected to arrive with this answer. Sometimes this is a short-term goal and sometimes it is longer. There is no set number of therapy appointments that will work or is mandatory. Follow up appointments are usually 60 min in length. You book them the same way that you scheduled your initial appointment.
My Qualifications
I have been trained in Individual, Couple, Family, and Group Therapy. Some of my certificates are listed here, but these are not all of the areas I have been trained to work in. If you are wondering if I have additional specific training, please contact me and ask!
Certificates
2002
McMaster University
Canada
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2017
University of Toronto
Canada​​
Certificate in Case Management
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Solution-Focused Therapy
Factor-Inwentash School of Graduate Social Work​​​​
2019
McMaster University
Canada
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2019
Daybreak Therapy
& Training
Additional Certifications
(some pending
administrative completion)
Certificate in Cannabis (in progress)
Clinical Counselling Hypnotherapy Practioner (CHyp) (in progress)
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Certified Advanced Grief Counselling Specialist (CAGCS)
Certified Grief-Informed Professional
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP)
Certified Shame-Informed Treatment Specialist
Certified Personality Disorders Treatment Provider
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