Laurie Kolesa
- Availability:
- Not Accepting New Clients
- Session Format:
- OnlinePhone
- Office Days:
- TuesdayWednesdaySaturday
- Clientele:
- Adults (18+)CouplesLGBTQ2IA+ Affirming
About
Many of the challenges we face today are shaped by unresolved early year, family dynamics or past stressful experiences. In therapy, my role is to help you understand how those experiences may still be influencing your emotions, reactions, and relationships—often in ways that are hard to see on your own.
Together, we approach these patterns with compassion and curiosity. Our therapeutic exploration allows us to reach parts of yourself that have long been protecting you, and to develop new insight into how these reactions formed. With this awareness, you can begin to shift old patterns that no longer serve you and create healthier, more empowered ways of relating to yourself and others.
Therapeutic change is a deeply meaningful process. As you grow in understanding and personal agency, you may find yourself feeling more alive and grounded in the present, more connected in your relationships, and less fearful about the future.
Individual & Couples Work
I help clients navigate significant transitions—whether within themselves, their relationships, or their life circumstances. When life feels overwhelming or a moment feels like a “crisis,” it often points to deeper vulnerabilities. Together, we explore these signals with care, uncovering strengths, resources, and resilience that may have been previously overlooked, opening the door to more fulfilling paths forward.
I use an integrated, evidence-based approach, drawing from psychodynamic, attachment-based, and cognitive-behavioural modalities. No single method fits every person or situation, so I tailor therapy to meet you where you are—whether you are seeking deeper insight, emotional regulation, relational support, or goals through a specific challenge. This flexibility ensures therapy is practical, effective, and meaningful.
I also work with couples who feel stuck, disconnected, or in crisis. My approach is grounded in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), developed by Dr. Sue Johnson, which uses attachment theory to strengthen both self-awareness and the emotional bond within the relationship. Together, couples gain insight into negative patterns—or the “dance”—they’ve fallen into and learn to replace this with more supportive, responsive ways of connecting. Creating a safe, respectful space for both partners is central to my work.
If you feel stuck, uncertain, or unhappy with your current situation, I offer a confidential, compassionate, and nonjudgmental space where you can feel supported, heard, and understood.
My formal training includes a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a Master’s in Counselling Psychology, where I graduated with distinction. I have completed additional certifications in couples therapy, the treatment of anxiety and depression, and trauma-informed approaches. My own personal therapy has also shaped the way I work; having been both the therapist and the client, I understand how essential it is to feel heard, supported, encouraged, and safe in the therapeutic space.
Before becoming a psychotherapist, I spent over twenty years in corporate leadership roles, both in Canada and internationally. Working in change management during a major company acquisition was a turning point—it illuminated my desire to support people through profound transitions and ultimately led me to pursue psychotherapy. I also had the privilege of volunteering for several years at Kensington Hospice in Toronto, which led to a certification in Contemplative End of Life Care. This experience deepened my comfort with the full spectrum of human emotion and strengthened my ability to support clients through moments of vulnerability, suffering, uncertainty, and profound personal loss and change.
I am an ally to people from diverse backgrounds. I welcome both individuals and couples to my practice. If you are curious or have questions about my approach, please contact me via email at lakolesa@icloud.com to schedule a phone/video consultation at no charge so we can address any of your questions and determine if we are the right fit for each other. The therapeutic connection has a vital role in the overall impact of healing and change.
Just a reminder, our sessions will be conducted online.
Issues
- Abuse (childhood/familial)
- Abuse (intimate partner violence)
- Aging and Age-Related Concerns
- Anger
- Anxiety
- Body Image
- Career Dissatisfaction or Transition
- Chronic Pain and Disability
- Depression
- Dissociation and Dissociative Identity
- Existential Concerns
- Health and Illness
- Intergenerational Trauma
- Life Crisis and Transitions
- Loneliness and Isolation
- Loss and Grief
- Masochism and Self-Defeating Behaviours
- Personality Disorders
- Relationships
- Self-Destructive Patterns
- Self-Esteem
- Separation and Divorce
- Sleep Difficulties
- Stress
- Trauma
- Underemployment
Approaches
Contact
- Email:
- lakolesa@icloud.com