Find a Therapist in Peterborough, Ontario.

I am a registered psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapist of Ontario (CRPO) and a registered social worker with the Ontario College of Social Work and Social Services Worker (OCSWSSW). I have worked many years in an hospital outpatient community mental health clinic and I have decided to divide my time between there and a part time private practice.

Neurodiversity Aware Therapy offers an approach grounded in respect for different ways of thinking, feeling, and communicating. Our approach integrates research, lived experience, and adaptable therapeutic methods to create a clear, collaborative process. Therapy focuses on self-understanding, practical support, and sustainable change, paced to each client’s needs. Clients benefit from a supportive space that prioritizes clarity, consent, and working with strengths rather than pathologizing difference.

I offer psychotherapy that goes beyond symptom relief to help you understand the deeper patterns shaping your thoughts, emotions, and relationships. Together, we’ll explore how past experiences continue to live in the present, often outside of awareness, and how they may be influencing your current struggles. My approach is collaborative, thoughtful, and attuned to your pace, allowing space for both insight and meaningful change. Over time, this work can lead to greater self-understanding, stronger emotional resilience, and a clearer sense of who you are and how you want to live.

Psychotherapy will help you understand yourself and your behaviour. By talking to a trained therapist you will gain insight into yourself and awareness of why you do what you do, and ways to change it. Psychotherapy looks at what you think, believe, and feel, and how that affects the way you live your life. By changing how you think, you can change how you believe, and change how you feel.

Are you feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure of how to move forward? I’m Simona Ilieva, a Registered Psychotherapist, and I’m here to help. Whether you're facing anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, or life transitions, I offer individualized therapy to help you navigate these challenges. Together, we’ll explore your concerns, identify strengths, and develop strategies to create meaningful change. You deserve a life that feels fulfilling and balanced. Therapy is a powerful tool for self-discovery and healing. Let’s take the first step toward a more empowered, peaceful future together. Book a free consultation today.

Psychotherapy is a specialized form of therapy focused on deep, long-term change by exploring the root causes of emotional and psychological issues. Unlike general therapy, which may address immediate concerns or offer practical advice, psychotherapy delves into the complexities of your past experiences and patterns. My approach aims to foster profound personal growth and lasting healing by understanding and transforming the underlying factors affecting your well-being. As a dedicated psychotherapist, I offer a transformative approach to explore and address the root causes of your challenges. Please schedule a free consultation with me to see if we are a good fit.

My approach to psychotherapy extends beyond traditional talk therapy. While dialogue is part of our work, much of the process involves tuning into what your body and nervous system are communicating beneath the words. Using evidence-based, experiential methods informed by neuroscience, polyvagal theory, and somatics, we explore how emotion, memory, and physiology interact. This process helps create safety and awareness in the body, fosters emotional regulation, and supports lasting change in how you think, feel, and behave. Through this therapeutic relationship, you can experience transformation at both the emotional and behavioural levels.

My starting point in any work I do with clients is to build a strong connection between us. This done through listening, respect, creating safety, and really being present with the client when we are together. I believe this is vital to any therapy I do. I provide an atmosphere that the client can feel heard and seen for who they are. Every session may look different because it is based on the clients needs, situation, and goals for therapy.

I use psychotherapy for both long term and short term benefit. During the first session we will set short term achievable goals and over the course of therapy I will encourage you to widen your scope and envision bigger dreams. We will look at past trauma/issues that have created psychological blocks and work on resolving them in order to create healthy change and transformation.

Psychotherapy is primarily a talk-based therapy and is intended to help you improve and maintain positive mental health and well-being. I work with individuals, couples and families in individual and group settings. Psychotherapy occurs when the Registered Psychotherapist (RP) and client enter into a psychotherapeutic relationship where both work together to bring about positive change in the client’s thinking, feeling, behaviour and social functioning. Individuals usually seek psychotherapy when they have thoughts, feelings, moods and behaviours that are adversely affecting their day-to-day lives, relationships and the ability to enjoy life.

Welcome! Psychotherapy is a general term that is used meaning to talk to someone about your life, situation, feelings, thoughts and behaviours either as an individual (child, youth or adult), couple, or family. My approach to psychotherapy is a client centered approach, meaning I put you first. You are the expert of your life and I come along side you to support you, listen to you, and offer help for what you need and you feel fits best with your life. I utilize a variety of modalities or therapies to help you to reach your goals and live the life you want to lead. Some of those therapies include, CBT, DBT, ACT, trauma informed, Psychoanalytic, play therapy etc.