I’ve had more than one life. This is the one I choose.

I'm Emily — a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) and the human behind 9 Lives Counselling. I work with individuals and couples navigating life's big questions, hard transitions, and the kind of quiet unraveling that doesn't always have a name yet.

Before this, I spent almost a decade in law enforcement. This experience, along with my life and training, has taught me more about people than any textbook could — how systems shape us, how roles get handed to us before we're old enough to question them, and how much of what we call "who I am" is actually "who I was told to be." That question — who you are versus who you're expected to be — is still at the center of how I work with people today.

My approach

I draw mainly on existential, narrative, and feminist therapy, with cognitive and emotional-regulation tools mixed in when they're useful. In plain terms: I believe meaning isn't something you find sitting still - it's something you build, through curiosity, honesty, and a willingness to look at the stories you've been carrying and ask whether they're actually yours. I'm not interested in pathologizing your struggles or handing you a script for how to feel better. I'm interested in helping you author a life that reflects what you actually value.

I hold particular care for clients whose identities or experiences have often gone unseen or misunderstood elsewhere — including those exploring queer identity, sex and sexuality, non-traditional relationships, and what it means to belong outside conventional norms.

Training & credentials

  • Master of Counselling, City University of Seattle

  • Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), CRPO (Ontario)

  • Awaiting Certified Canadian Counsellor (CCC) designation, CCPA

  • Gottman Method Couples Therapy (Level 1)

  • Narrative Therapy

  • Training in progress: Complex Trauma Certification, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Outside the counselling room

I run, renovate, hike, coach jiu-jitsu, re-watch the Office, and read. I have a sweet tooth, am a proud member of the queer community, and live with my wife and two very spoiled wiener dogs.