Vanessa Garofalo | M.S.W., R.S.W Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist

As a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist, I bring over a decade of experience in the mental health field supporting adults across hospital, primary care, and private practice settings. My clinical foundation includes a specialized two-year psychotherapy internship in the Department of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai Hospital. I hold a Master of Social Work from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Toronto Metropolitan University. In my practice, I am committed to creating a therapeutic space for my clients to navigate difficult transitions, manage distress, and foster meaningful, sustainable change.

Who I Help

I provide individual therapy for adults (18+), offering support for a range of concerns, including:

Anxiety and stress
Depression
ADHD
Emotional regulation
Relationship difficulties
Stress and burnout
Life transitions
Low self-esteem or harsh self-criticism
Difficulty with decision-making or motivation
Loneliness and isolation
Grief and loss

Complex trauma
Boundary setting and coping skills
ASD support
Caregiver stress/burnout
Chronic illness
Health anxiety
Panic attacks/panic disorders
Postpartum
Relationship difficulties
Sleep difficulties
Social anxiety

Therapeutic Techniques

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)
Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT)
Mindfulness
Polyvagal Theory
Trauma-Informed Approach
Attachment-Based Approach

What You Can Expect from Therapy with Me

Therapy with me is rooted in the belief that meaningful change happens when you feel truly seen, supported, and understood. I bring warmth and curiosity to each session, creating a collaborative space where you can explore what’s been weighing on you without fear of judgment. Whether you are working through anxiety, navigating a difficult relationship, healing from past experiences, or trying to break free from cycles of overwhelm, I will meet you where you are and tailor our work to your unique needs and pace.

Here’s what you can expect from our sessions:

A Collaborative, Welcoming Space: I work at a pace that honors your unique needs. You bring the expertise of your lived experience, and I provide the compassionate clinical framework to help you navigate it.
Emotion-Focused Exploration: I will help you safely lean into difficult emotions rather than avoiding them. Together, we will use your feelings as reliable cues to build self-understanding and reduce emotional overwhelm. You can learn to experience and regulate your emotions effectively.
Holistic Mind-Body Awareness: I will guide you to explore how stress and emotion show up in your body, building practical skills to help you feel more grounded and present in your daily life.
Trauma-Informed Care: I will ensure that we explore past experiences at a pace that feels safe and manageable, so that healing feels empowering rather than overwhelming.

My Approach: Warm, Holistic, and Emotion-Focused

My approach centers on helping you develop a more compassionate relationship with yourself and your emotions. I work from a trauma-informed approach, ensuring our sessions address not only present concerns but also the underlying patterns and experiences that may be keeping you feeling stuck. My role is to walk alongside you as you build clarity, confidence, and new ways of coping that feel lasting and authentic.

Through our work together, you can expect to:

Gain emotional insight by tuning into your emotions and using them as a reliable source of clarity, empowering you to better understand yourself and what you need.
Build personalized coping skills with practical, evidence-based strategies for managing anxiety, stress, depression, and emotional overwhelm in your daily life.
Connect past experiences to present patterns, making sense of how earlier experiences shape your current behaviors and developing healthier ways of responding.
Strengthen boundaries and relationships, and cultivating more secure, fulfilling connections with the people in your life.
Cultivate self-compassion and resilience, shifting away from harsh self-criticism toward a kinder, more grounded relationship with yourself and the confidence to face challenges with greater ease.

What Makes My Approach Unique

Warmth, curiosity, and non-judgment are at the heart of how I work, and I find these create the conditions where meaningful change can take place. What sets my approach apart is the balance between emotional depth and practical support. I help you make sense of your experiences and patterns while also equipping you with real tools to regulate, cope, and feel more grounded. I pay close attention to the mind-body connection, noticing how emotions show up physically, especially when working with stress or anxiety. My goal is for you to leave our work together not only with greater self-understanding, but with a felt sense of confidence and resilience that carries into your everyday life.

Languages Spoken

English

Currently Serving Clients in:

Ontario