Hello,
I'm Mary Mikhail, RSW, BSW, MACP
I'm a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist providing virtual therapy to adults and young adults across Ontario. My passion is helping people navigate life's challenges with greater clarity, self-compassion, and resilience.
Many of the individuals I work with are high-achieving, caring, and capable people who appear to have it all together on the outside while privately struggling with anxiety, emotional overwhelm, trauma, burnout, relationship difficulties, or self-doubt.
Whether you're feeling stuck in old patterns, carrying the weight of painful experiences, or simply looking for a space to better understand yourself, I strive to create an environment where you feel safe, supported, and genuinely understood.
I believe therapy is not about fixing what is "wrong" with you. Rather, it is about helping you reconnect with your strengths, gain insight into your experiences, and build a life that feels more meaningful and aligned with who you are.
My Story
My journey as a therapist has been shaped by years of working in both inpatient and outpatient mental health and addictions settings. Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of supporting individuals through some of the most challenging moments of their lives, including experiences of trauma, addiction, anxiety, depression, emotional dysregulation, and significant life transitions.
These experiences deepened my understanding of the many ways our past experiences, relationships, and environments shape how we think, feel, and relate to ourselves and others. They also reinforced my belief that healing is possible when people are provided with the right support, tools, and therapeutic relationship.
Over the years, I have developed a particular passion for working with trauma and helping individuals understand the patterns that may be keeping them stuck. I support clients experiencing PTSD, Complex PTSD (C-PTSD), childhood trauma, sexual abuse, anxiety, depression, personality disorders, substance use concerns, and difficulties with emotional regulation.
Witnessing the resilience of the people I have worked with continues to inspire me every day and is one of the reasons I feel so grateful to do this work.
My Approach
I believe that therapy should feel collaborative, compassionate, and tailored to your unique needs. No two people are the same, which is why I draw from several evidence-based approaches to create a treatment plan that works for you.
My training includes Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
In our work together, I may help you identify and challenge unhelpful thought patterns through CBT, build emotional regulation and coping skills through DBT, process traumatic experiences using CPT, explore and heal different parts of yourself through IFS, or develop greater psychological flexibility and connection to your values through ACT.
My style is warm, genuine, and non-judgmental, while also being direct when needed. I believe meaningful change happens within the context of a strong therapeutic relationship, and I strive to create a space where you feel comfortable showing up exactly as you are.
My goal is not to tell you what to do or provide quick fixes. Instead, I work alongside you to better understand your experiences, navigate difficult emotions, strengthen your relationships, and create lasting change that aligns with the life you want to live.