Alison Dunning, Registered Psychotherapist

(She/Her Pronouns)

Welcome.

You may be looking to improve relationships, change behaviours that are no longer serving you, find new ways of dealing with emotions, or make sense of and cope with the effects of traumatic events or circumstances.  Regardless of the reason, I’m glad you’re reaching out.  Finding a good fit with a therapist can be a catalyst for change. 

About me

I’m a Registered Psychotherapist with a Masters in Counselling Psychology from OISE and have worked as a therapist for 11 years.  In the early years, I worked with individuals making changes to their substance use and I have always been drawn to working with trauma and the ways it impacts us.  I work with a range of struggles, including, but not limited to: depression, anxiety, feeling a void, abuse, neglect, suicide, self-harm, difficulties with substance use, body dissatisfaction, the impacts of oppression, difficult family dynamics, interpersonal problems, difficulty dealing with emotions, self-criticism, self-loathing, etc. 

I don’t see anyone as ‘disordered’, but am comfortable working with folks who have received diagnoses such as BPD, bipolar, ADHD, depression, anxiety, PTSD, etc. 

I welcome the opportunity to work with individuals of any culture, religion and ability and am LGBTQQ2SIA+ affirming.

My approach

As I get to know you and your lived experiences, I will develop an understanding of you through a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and intersectional lens.  With this lens, I may be able to help you see yourself with more clarity and compassion and get a better understanding of how the environments you’ve lived in and the experiences you’ve had have shaped you. 

I draw from a number of different types of therapy in my work: Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), and parts work.  With these different ways of working, we can process difficult life experiences, which can result in shifts in how you think, how you feel emotionally, how you feel physically, how you relate to yourself and/or how you relate to others.  

I will work with you to structure enough safety so that you can control the pace, stay focused on what is most important to you, and give me honest feedback as needed.  Guided by the belief that you are an expert in your own life, I will work with you collaboratively to find ways for you to live in the present with more ease, create a more adaptive relationship to the past, and move into the future with increased clarity, meaning and hope.

Availability, Rate and Contact Information

My session fee is $165 and I’m available Mondays, Tuesday, Wednesdays, and Thursdays during daytime hours.  I have a limited number of spots available on a sliding scale fee.  

You can contact me at alisondunningtherapy@gmail.com to book a free 20-minute  video consultation to get a better sense of me and ask any questions that feel important to you.

I am currently offering online therapy with the (optional) possibility of having some in-person sessions.