Isla Craig (she/her)
- Availability:
- Accepting New Clients
- Session Format:
- In-Person
- Office Days:
- MondayTuesdayWednesday
- Clientele:
- Adults (18+)LGBTQ2IA+ Affirming Contact Isla
Here is my conception of how psychodynamic psychotherapy functions: two individuals come together for the purpose of deepening an understanding of both the self and the other in a reflective, relational space that holds at its core a curiosity towards how we experience inner life and what influences have shaped our sense of identity. For the one seeking therapy, there has often been an encounter or experience that has threatened, altered, or overwhelmed a sense of integrity and stability.
There are also less articulated experiences that drive a person towards seeking therapy, something I would describe as a subtle stirring within the self to move towards the unknown and seek understanding beyond one’s current predicament. No matter the happening that moves someone towards therapy, I believe there is a deep-seated momentum within the psyche that strives towards wholeness often despite our rational framings or intellectualizations.
When we are with another, we are acted upon in ways that may struggle to reach the worded dimension and yet, these articulations of life are present without effort or labour. Without reflection or consideration, these states of being may pass from our awareness and find expression through more circuitous routes. I see myself as an aid to make these parts of human experience more explicit and communicable and to hold space for being with the complicated intersections of our shared humanity.
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Dreamwork and Dream Interpretation
- Existential Concerns
- Loneliness and Isolation
- Loss and Grief
- Relationships
- Spirituality and Psychotherapy
- Trauma
I meet with clients on a weekly basis. Psychotherapy works over-time and because of time. This is an important aspect of psychodynamic work as it cultivates an internalized rhythm that allows us to stay close to your inner life with intention and focus. I lean towards a relational, intersubjective approach to psychotherapeutic practice, exploring and making use of my own impressions, images, and feeling states in response to what you bring into session. The relationship we cultivate together is a central focus and point of return that helps illuminate the roles we assume in relationship.
I am committed to providing an anti-oppressive therapeutic framework and continue to seek conversation and learning to engage a deeper awareness of power structures, their influence in our society, and how we internalize and relate to these systems.
I am a graduate of the Centre for Training in Psychotherapy, an experiential psychodynamic psychotherapy training program in Toronto, ON. The unique training of the CTP program ensures that I have undergone intensive study that synthesizes practical knowledge with transformative depth work. I welcome you, with a deep respect for the bravery it takes to open oneself to another in such an intimate and revealing manner.
Alongside my psychotherapy practice, I am a musician and a graduate of the Ontario College of Art & Design (BFA). Cultivating creative community and practice informs nearly everything I do. I am guided by a desire to connect to my inner life as a source of inspiration and expression of my authentic self and to share in this experience with others.
I offer free, 20-minute phone consultations to discuss any questions you may have about my practice and to get a feel for whether we may be a good fit for working together. I respond to all inquiries within 24-48 hours. I currently offer in person and remote video sessions, seeing in-person clients on Mondays and Wednesdays in Toronto’s west end and Tuesday’s in the downtown core.
Please email me if you are interested in connecting further: isla.m.craig@gmail.com
- Address:
- Toronto, ON