Welcome!
Testimonials:
I was truly amazed at the mastery
that Sharon Purcell possesses in cutting through the fog and confusion and
getting to the real issue at hand. It's like she knows what magic buttons to
press so that I can see the real reason for my anxiety and sadness. She takes
me out of my element and encourages me to explore new ideas and ways of seeing
myself. She gives me techniques to manage my anxiety and relieve the stress
that I feel. After a session, with Sharon, I feel relaxed, focused and I have
hope that the issues I have been dealing with for many years, are dissipating
and becoming less powerful every day.
T.R.
Solicitor, Toronto
I wanted to reach out and say thank you. You have helped me so much, and it becomes more and more evident to me over time. Everything I learned from my sessions with you has helped me unbelievably in my normal life, and during these times of Covid. I had not known what it meant to truly accept myself and be kind to myself until my therapy with you. I am able to sit with difficult emotions. I don't have racing intrusive thoughts, and I experience very little anxiety. When I first met you, you were the only person who told me that I could get well. You changed the course of my life. I can't thank you enough.
I continue to read and learn about trauma, self kindness, mindfulness, feminism and patriarchy. It's so eye opening!
AK
I went to see Sharon at a time when
I really needed some guidance. I found her to be patient, extremely sensitive
to my needs, yet she had a way of guiding me to a place back to myself.
She is a therapist who really cares about the patient and I feel treats every
case with individuality. She looks at the person not just the situation. I didn't feel like I was seeing a
"cookie cutter" therapist. She is honest, caring, and has a way of
looking at the situation to help you bring solutions without compromising
integrity. I may not like or agree with everything but I usually find if
I look closely there is that bit of truth I can't deny. She helps me to
broaden my scope of thinking - not an easy thing for me but I trust in her
process.
She is extremely intuitive,
extremely intuitive. I say it twice because I'm amazed at times how
intuitive she is. I am someone who gets entrenched
in an idea so I need a person who can gently see another light. I would recommend anyone who really wants to
look into who they are and still live life to the fullest to see her.
Sharon has a way of showing you how
to live with life rather than run from it – she inspired me to start painting
when I thought you had to have the "talent" to begin with or what is
the use.
E.W.
Dear Sharon: I would like to thank you for helping me
overcome my personal and emotional challenges. It has been a very difficult
year for me. I was dealing with a lot of issues, financially, professionally
and with my family. This caused me to have many sleepless nights marred by
panic attacks and worry. You have taught me, with your wonderful skillfulness how
to reconnect with my body and how to be in the moment. Now I feel more grounded
and am able to better deal with whatever life throws my way. My experience with
the horses was also amazing. It taught me how trust is built and the power of
intention and persistence. I am glad to say that I have not had even one panic
attack since our last session. I am forever indebted to you for helping me
through my dark moments.
R.P. Financial Advisor
My relationship with my mother has
been such a deep problem for as long as I can remember. It is and was
very complicated and extremely difficult and emotional for me. In therapy
with Sharon, I was able to shift gradually in my thoughts (without my hurt being
minimized) and I am now able most times to understand and work through things
with my Mother, without the pain, anger and hurt I would experience
before. It is still a work in progress, but I have gone much, much
farther than ever before and I am so grateful to Sharon.
W.R.
About My Practise
Locations
and Modes of Practice:
My practice is located in North York, Ontario close to Bathurst St. north of
Sheppard. I also provide counselling by telephone and on online videoconferencing programs, such as Zoom, Skype, Facetime and others. In some cases, I do home visits for family dynamic assessments and counselling for those who cannot travel.
The counselling I provide is geared to
the needs of the individual, couple or family. Respecting the importance of biography, my approach does not
require knowledge of all the facts. Most of the material we work with shows up in the moment in different ways and can take us to its roots through the body, thoughts and the emotions connected to it. Some people are tired of repeating their
story; some are eager to share it. I can
be directive or receptive, depending on a mix of what makes you comfortable and
what will most support the outcome you desire. We make decisions about your therapy journey together.
Hours:
My hours are flexible. I have
early morning, evening and weekend times available.
Payment
and Insurance Plans:
My full fee is $180 for an hourly session. First session is full fee for 90 minutes which includes a 30 minute free consultation. There is no charge for this time if we decide not to work together or if you prefer to interview other therapists. If the session flows into working, we will have our first session. I suggest most clients to come once a week at
first but most important is that going at a pace that is comfortable for you. If you decide to come weekly, I will work with you to set a sessional fee that fits your budget on a monthly basis.
Some Private Health Insurance Plans cover the services for Registered Masters of Social Work (M.S.W. or R.S.W.). You will be able to call your Insurance provider to find out if you have coverage and the amount of annual coverage.
My
Background
The first part of my career was
spent in administrative capacities in diverse industries from marketing to
technical personnel, public relations and finally spent many years in the legal
field. Throughout these experiences, I
was continually learning the power and impact of relationships; often in
unpredictable and unconventional situations.
Throughout those years, I also pursued my dream of helping people,
taking courses and following my interest in human development. In 1995, a tragic event turned my life around
and I found myself returning to University to complete the studies I’d
abandoned more than twenty years earlier.
This experience taught me vividly how even a tragic event can hold a
blessing or gift within its mystery.
Since 1999, I’ve
had the great privilege of helping people to unravel the knots that grow into
their lives. I continue to passionately
search many avenues building my approach, my skill and my understanding toward
my commitment to be the most effective healer I can be.
My
Perspective:
My theoretical approach is
humanistic and holistic. What this means
to me is that you are the expert on you and I support your innate
potential to enhance your sense of autonomy and actualize your dreams and desires.
I meet you as a whole person in a situation rather than
looking into one aspect of you as if it stood alone. We are mind, body, emotions, spirit and
sexuality in relation to everything. If we look at the whole
picture, we see ourselves more clearly.
My interventions are predominantly
intuitive and energy-based. This translates into responses that arise more
from the alliance of our presence with each other rather than looking to theory to drive our time together. All the approaches I have studied are integrated into my style of therapy.
Since 2006, my
studies in Somatic Experiencing have provided insight into how lingering
conditions and struggles are connected to trauma, both developmental and shock trauma. Many of us think of trauma as some huge experience that hasn't occurred in our lives. In fact, any experience, that may have seemed insignificant at the time, can overwhelm our nervous system and become locked or stuck in the body. While some of us recognize
traumatic incidents in our lives, many of us have normalized or underestimated
their impact. Discovering how your body is carrying your experiences and learning to allow your body to release frozen energies and inhibited defences can
be, and usually is, transformative. Many people
who have had years of therapy have turned their lives around in several months through
this work of mind/body connection, leading to coherence and integration.
I see clients from very different
backgrounds with a wide range of hopes and desires. What every client has in common is the desire
to improve the quality of their life.
What I have discovered is that the most reliable ground for improvement
can be described as “relationship”; firstly and most vitally, with
ourselves. If your relationship with
yourself is respectful and loving, your relationships with others and with
everything will begin to reflect more harmony.
I am actively studying and integrating
the power of understanding the cutting edge knowledge of the mechanisms of the
brain and the mind body connection into my work.
Supernanny/Parenting Support
When parenting becomes difficult or when children’s behavior is troubling, I attend at your home. Through observation, I help you to recognize how your children are getting the wrong messages and how to change your relationship with them to one that reduces your the stress your family feels and increases the happiness.
Frequently Asked Questions
How
Long Does it take to see Change:
I feel confident to say that most
people see some change within several sessions.
I suggest 10 sessions as a reasonable time to re-assess where you are in
relation to what brought you in the door.
What
about Medication:
If you are taking medication to
improve your mood and find it helpful, I am happy to work alongside a
medication approach to healing.
If you are hesitant to try medication
and hope to change how you are feeling without using medication, I encourage
you to give therapy a try before beginning medication. I offer many tools to navigate troubling
times and experiences. Simply focusing
on your next inhalation; directing your attention away from your thoughts can
change your brain chemistry. Every
breath you choose to notice contributes to changing your brain chemistry. Regardless of how much complexity you may be
dealing with, internally and/or externally, simple choices, other than the
choice to take medication, can begin to change your experience.
If you are on medication
currently and are not satisfied with the results, I encourage you to begin
therapy while working with your health care provider to change or reduce your
medication.
Education
Master of Social Work, University of
Toronto (1998-1999)
Honours Bachelor of Arts,
Individualized Studies focused on Autonomy and
Creativity is Healing (1995-1998)
Pact Couples Training, Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy (2015-2016)
Somatic Experiencing Trauma
Institute: Somatic Experiencing Practitioner since 2008
Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy:
Coursework completed through EAGALA, Epona,
Horsepower
Institute for Contemporary
Shamanic Studies:
4 Years Longhouse Studies and Shamanic
Coaching
Gestalt Institute of Toronto
: 3 Year Leadership Training
Professional Development
I actively pursue professional
development; attending relevant workshops, seminars and conferences, including:
Internal Family Systems (currently studying)
Integral Somatic Psychology or Embodied Emotion
Somatic Experiencing
PACT: Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy
Emotionally Focussed Couples Therapy
Compassionate Mind Training
Various Energy Healing Modalities
Schema Therapy for Borderline Personality
SE Touch
·
Neurorehabilitation: Ontario Brain Injury Association
·
Matrixworks: Accelerating Group Genius
·
Coaches Training Institute : Leadership Mastery
Program
·
Hakomi Therapy
·
Practical Parenting
Facilitator Training
·
Systems Interactive
Training and Verbal Interaction skills (SAVI)
I am a certified member of the
Ontario
College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
. 
Sarah
