Hi, I’m Abbey Lee
(they/them)
Counselling Extern, Masters of Social Work
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Neurodivergence (particularly ADHD and Autism)
Relational communication and boundary setting
Exploring sexuality/ies and gender identity/ies
Artistic/creative expression and burnout management
Addictions
Phobias
Kink
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Gottman Relationship Therapy
Narrative Therapy
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Solutions Focused Therapy
Art Therapy
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Individuals over 18 in Ontario
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$100 per 50 minute session
Monday through Wednesday,
5pm - 9pm ET
and Saturday,
8am - 12pm ET
Click here to convert Abbey Lee’s schedule into your time zone.
You can expect a therapy session with me to feel like…
…a place where you don’t have to perform! Therapy sessions are spaces where we get to process and explore as our fully authentic selves - whatever that looks like to you! Expect an equal combination of warmth and exploration, affirmation and encouragement, and - perhaps - a movie/tv/book analogy or two.
Some phrases you may hear me use in sessions:
“Digressions are welcome here!”
“Tell me more about your special interest.”
“Are you really ‘not doing enough’ or is that the capitalism talking?”
“There are no grades in therapy!”
I define my role as…
…the ultimate creative collaborator, paired with consistent gender-affirming, queer-affirming, and neurodivergent-affirming care practices. In my sessions, we recognize that spaces and systems in which we operate are not always built for us, but - with that - how can we find ways for our whole selves to radically thrive? My goal is never to ‘fix’ or ‘solve’; I will aim to be a sounding board and a co-strategist with you as we explore the values, goals, and hopes that matter most to you.
You’ll enjoy working with me if you’re…
...a creative human navigating the ‘label soup’ of life as an intersectional human! Many of my clients are 2SLGBTQIA+ and/or neurodivergent artists, creatives, and/or community-builders who are looking to forge a path against the ‘shoulds’ of oppressive societal systems. If you’re discovering previously unrealized parts of your identity, introspecting about relationships in your life, or looking to have your rage/grief at social systems acknowledged rather than silenced - or if you’re not sure where, exactly, to start - reach out!
I enjoy clients who…
...find healing in creativity, humour, and special interests. We will prioritize support strategies in ways that are meaningful and valuable to you, while also exploring how we can make the therapy space a brave space for trying new things.
Holding a position where we are encouraged to talk about anything and everything in a world that tells us to respond to “How are you?” with “Fine” at every step feels beautifully radical. It’s a great honour for me to connect with clients about topics that they have often never shared before. Also, supporting the 2SLGBTQIA+ community as a therapist from said community is such a gift; meeting so many 2SLGBTQIA+ community members, practitioners, and allies day after day reminds me that we have more people in our corner than we realize.
I aim to be radically honest about what I know and what I don't know - but if I don't know something, I will follow that trail of knowledge to the ends of the Earth to try to have a lead for you the next time we see each other. I also sincerely prioritize the ways in which our systems affect our health - for better or worse - which means we're going to explore ways of moving through the world that work for you. Listening and attunement are essential to me. I want to make sure that I'm with you every step of the way so that you have to repeat yourself as little as possible.
I’m a queer, non-binary, neurodivergent Arab and artist who has had the uphill experience of trying to seek support within healthcare systems that could not understand that I held more than one intersection, and frequently misdiagnosed or misunderstood me as a result. Because of this, my ultimate goal is to be there to support your full self - all of the brilliant kaleidoscopic identities and experiences that make you who you are!
You might hear me using collective terms like ‘our communities’ if something comes up in session that connects with a topic I’ve experienced or witnessed. I may also check in with you and ask if you’re okay with me putting on my ‘peer support hat’ if sharing a lived experience of mine feels relevant to something you’ve shared. You may also notice me acknowledging ‘ADHD moments’ in session - if something you shared gives me a whole bunch of ideas, I may need a couple of extra moments to figure out what thought to start with. My hope in acknowledging those moments of my own is that, whether you’re neurodivergent or neurotypical, you feel more open to communicating with me in the way that feels most in sync with your authentic self!
I knew I wanted to become a therapist when I witnessed a tragedy in my high school that no one was able to discuss, process, or truly heal from; the way shame silenced an entire community is something I will never forget. I knew then that I wanted to become a therapist and learn how I could support those who were previously struggling in silence. Also, as someone with my own lived experience of navigating mental health systems and consistently hearing "you're fine" when I was not, I was further encouraged to become a therapist to truly, meaningfully support those who needed support but were flying under the radar - as I had been for so many years.
I am inspired by…
Witnessing how our communities continue to show up for each other, create art, protest, and love, amid systemic social injustice and oppression constantly gives me the energy to show up myself. Art, as well, is a constant inspiration - one quote from the musical "Hadestown" that continually inspires me is “Some flowers bloom where the green grass grows/Our praise is not for them/But the ones who bloom in the bitter snow/We raise our cups to them.”
I would also be remiss if I didn’t out myself as a Lord of the Rings fan - an additional quote that continually inspires me to retain hope, perseverance, and learning as a therapist is the classic quote from Fellowship:
“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo. "So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”