My name is Maria Sotos BSc, RYT, MA, and RP (she/her).  I am a Registered Psychotherapist who practices somatically and spiritually informed psychodynamic psychotherapy from a humanistic, feminist, anti-oppressive, and client-centred perspective. What this means is that I see clients as the experts in their own experience, recognizing their unique strengths and limitations both personally and systemically. I tailor my approach to suit each individual's needs keeping in mind who they are and what they want to achieve. This can help individuals regain a sense of power, agency, and responsibility for their lives that can be lost from experiences of abuse or marginalization to bring that forth and empower their communities. I aim to create a safe, nonjudgmental space for clients to explore the inner workings of their soul and to guide them on their journey.

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In my practice, I work collaboratively with clients to facilitate the exploratory process of self-discovery and inner transformation. This means clients are in charge of what they want to disclose and achieve in therapy. I understand that the decision to come to therapy can be a challenging for many people and that creating a relationship of trust may take time. My aim is to provide a compassionate, culturally sensitive and socially aware perspective to helping people find more clarity and ease in their lives. Personal experiences of shame caused by traumas big or small can lead to a deep sense of wrongness, isolation, and/or powerlessness in certain individuals because of who they are. Having a sense of belonging and acceptance can be a crucial step towards healing for many individuals. For others, they have learned to hide parts of themselves under a blanket of internalized shame and/or hatred in order to go on with daily life. Eventually that internal separation can become too much to bear and one's ability to cope with daily life becomes tenuous.