Michelle Laxamana

Michelle Laxamana has extensive experience working with adolescents, children and families in Toronto, the GTA, and Internationally. Her professional background for more than 25 years combined, spans from being a teacher; a director and facilitator of programs; child, youth, and family minister, and a professional counsellor for couples, families, and individuals from pre-teens to seniors; a clinical supervisor and clinical manager.

Michelle has the gift of listening and maintains a supportive, non-judgmental stance, fostering connection and open communication. Compassion, insight, and kindness is an integral part of her character.

Areas of counselling experience include couples, family relationships, parenting, teen pregnancy, marital issues, depression and anxiety, life transitions, trauma, violence and abuse, grief and loss, survivors of a death by suicide, self-esteem, self-harm, identity issues, sexuality issues, addictions, life-skills and more.

She works well within various therapeutic approaches that influence an integrative working model favouring brief solution-focus, strength-based cognitive behavioural, emotionally focused couples and family, mindfulness, family systems, focusing, attachment, inner child, and trauma.

Michelle has an Early Childhood Education Diploma in the Montessori Philosophy. She holds a Bachelor of Religious Education, a Bachelor of Arts in Human Services, and a Master of Divinity in Clinical Counselling. She is trained in CBT, ENRICH couples therapy,  EFCT, EMDR, and is a member of CAMFT, CRPO, CCPA, EMDRIA, and ICEEFT