• Shanen Smith, Registered Psychotherapist

    Hi, I’m Shanen and my pronouns are she/her!

    I’m a Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario and a Certified Trauma Integration Clinician. I have a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University and a BA (Honours) in Psychology from Brock University.

    I enjoy helping my clients improve their overall wellbeing and supporting them while they achieve their goals. I love seeing the spark of hope, strength, and self-compassion that happens when clients start prioritizing their mental health and wellness. In my work, I strive to go above and beyond traditional talk therapy to help you meet your goals. I take a holistic, integrative approach to providing therapy because I strongly believe that there is no one-size-fits-all therapeutic solution. I enjoy engaging in the trial-and-error process with each of my clients to find the right combination of approaches, tools and resources for them.

    I am also very passionate about using bottom-up approaches in my work – this means focusing on our bodies, physical sensations and emotions before our thoughts. My personal and professional experiences have taught me the importance of finding calm and safety in the body so that we can achieve the same with our mental health. When we are experiencing stress, anxiety or trauma, the rational part of our brain often goes offline, leaving our emotions to call the shots. By learning how to ground and soothe ourselves we can find safety in our body again, which allows us to intentionally attend to our mental and emotional health.

    I provide psychotherapy in English and French.

    "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better."

    – Maya Angelou

    My Practice and Credentials

    My favorite therapeutic modalities

    • Somatic Psychotherapy
    • Solution-Focused Therapy
    • Mindfulness
    • Expressive Arts Therapy
    • Sensimotor Psychotherapy
    • Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy
    • Integrative Trauma and Attachment Model

    My areas of expertise

    • Adults 18+
    • Trauma, PTSD, and complex PTSD
    • Anxiety
    • Stress and burnout
    • Emotion regulation difficulties

    Professional associations that I belong to:

    • College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario
    • Ontario Society of Registered Psychotherapists

    Ready to get started? Reach out today!

    Call, text, or email using the information/form below. Our administrative team will answer any questions you might have and learn how we can help you. If you’re interested in working with me, please let them know at this time.

    Prefer to book on your own? Don’t want to wait for the office to open? Click the link below to schedule a consultation.

    You will then be connected with me for a free 15-minute consultation.

    This is a chance for us to meet, for you to ask me any questions, and for you to tell you a bit about my approach so that you can determine if I’m the right fit for you.

    Schedule your first therapy appointment and begin your healing journey!

    By submitting this form via this web portal, you acknowledge and accept the risks of communicating your health information via this unencrypted email and electronic messaging and wish to continue despite those risks. By clicking "Yes, I want to submit this form" you agree to hold Brighter Vision harmless for unauthorized use, disclosure, or access of your protected health information sent via this electronic means.