cedarwell therapy offers practical online counselling for parents in ontario
Life doesn’t have to stay this way. There’s help.
Every stage of parenting is a different kind of hard.
And we were never meant to do any of it without all kinds of support.
If you are feeling exhausted, burnt-out, touched-out, resentful, depleted, depressed, overwhelmed, guilty, or hopeless about parenthood some or a lot of the time, it makes sense.
Many of us live in a culture that tells us the only acceptable feelings about parenthood — and especially Motherhood — are joy and gratitude, a culture that tells us our measure of competence as parents is how happy our children are and how much of own identities and desires we have sacrificed, a culture that offers a lot of advice and criticism but very little practical help.
Many of us are carrying the weight of gendered expectations, of invisible mental-emotional labour, of unique parenting challenges we weren’t prepared for, all in bodies that are tired and often shamed.
Many of us suffer alone, with heads secretly full of self-criticism and blame. But my work with parents has taught me two things: we are not alone in these feelings and struggles and, with support, it can be different.
Let’s create some space for your needs, too.
I’m Rachel, and I can help.
As a registered occupational therapist and psychotherapist; survivor of postpartum depression; and mother of three, I have both the professional expertise and personal experience to meet you where you are at on your parenting journey with compassion and understanding.
I provide a safe and non-judgmental space where you can reflect, process difficult feelings, and heal.
Together, we will also explore practical ways to make your life feel more calm, more fulfilling, and more enjoyable. More your own. This is a place for you to be supported.
I take a holistic approach to therapy, because parents are whole people.
Psychotherapy is all about the inner workings of the mind and emotions. And Occupational Therapy — therapy that considers how we occupy our time — looks at the whole person, the life roles that are most meaningful to them, and the interplay with their outer environment. Our physical, environmental, and mental-emotional needs all deserve attention. I bring both of these therapeutic practices to counselling sessions, for those who heal through talking but also through doing.
Services that help caring parents cope with the load of parenthood, so they can feel more calm, confident, and connected.
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When a baby enters your life, your relationships, roles, responsibilities, and body, if you’re a birth parent, undergo significant changes, and you may have feelings of sadness, anxiety, overwhelm, or grief. I'm here to provide support as you navigate this vulnerable time.
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You made it through the newborn phase, perhaps the toddler years, or maybe even the tweens and teens, too, but life as a caregiver hasn’t gotten any easier. You feel like a shell of yourself. Burnt-out or unfulfilled or unhappy. I can help you find your way back to yourself, and create a life that nourishes all parts of you.
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As a cisgender parent of a trans child, I understand the complicated feelings and the intense desire to support them in the most loving, “right” way, but not always being sure what that way is. I can help you navigate this transition and feel confident in your parenting.
How it works
Parenting is hard. Getting the support you need doesn’t have to be.
Get started…
Schedule a free 15-minute call to see if working together would be a good fit
Gain clarity…
The first 1-2 sessions will be spent getting to know you, your history, the issues that have brought you to therapy, and your goals. Together, we will come up with a plan that feels realistic and inspires hope.
Give yourself the gift of change
Most clients meet with me (via a secure, online platform) either weekly or bi-weekly to work towards their goals and broader vision of how they want to show up in the world as caregivers and as individuals.