Carla Barbosa
Hi, I’m Carla (she/her).
Life can be messy, random, and stressful. Yet, it can be breathtaking, fulfilling, and remarkable. The unpredictability of our human experiences can make our lives unravel and destabilize. My great passion is to create space for people who are overwhelmed by life and help them find their way to safety and wellness. One of my main goals is to help individuals expand their emotional vocabulary, so they can recognize their feelings, understand themselves, and communicate and connect with others.
I am available to work with clients residing in Ontario and PEI in both English and Portuguese.
I am a queer, cisgender, woman living in Canada since 2009. I have experienced episodes of mental unwellness throughout my life and I recognize that they were strongly linked to internalized beliefs about gender, sexual orientation, and social status. My personal experiences allow me to connect with others from a place of empathy and profound respect for their strengths. My experiences are also the base for a professional practice that recognizes the many layers that we all have, our privileges and oppressions, our traumas and experiences of healing, our attachments, and the behaviours that we foster.
Some of my areas of interest include sexual orientation and gender identity investigations, assimilation to new cultures and environments, and coping strategies for dealing with mental health challenges, such as depression and anxiety. I am particularly interested in working with people that are going through significant life changes, such as separation, immigration, career change, and coming out processes.
My academic background includes an MSc in Health Studies from the University of Regina, a college Diploma in Social Service Work from George Brown College, and a Master of Social Work from the University of Toronto. I am a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers and am a Registered Social Worker (RSW) in the province of Ontario.
I am an immigrant settler from Brazil living on the unceded land of the Anishinaabe, Mississaugas and Haudenosaunee people, and feel deeply engaged with their concept of The Dish With One Spoon and the idea that we all should have the right to be properly nourished (physically, mentally, and spiritually) so we can be healthy and contribute to the life around us. In my practice as a psychotherapist, I honor The Dish With One Spoon by reminding myself that the work we do during our sessions should always contribute to peace, kindness, and respect for this earth. I strongly value work-life balance and I take my personal life just as seriously as my work.
In my leisure time, I enjoy hanging out with people I love, playing with animals, painting, photographing, hiking, biking, and watching stand-up comedy.
To get to know me more and see if we are a good fit, please book a free 15-minute online consultation using our online booking system or by sending me an email.
Session Fee: $150 per 50-minute session (plus HST)