Meet Dana, Your Online Therapist in Waterloo
From Engineer to Therapist: A Journey of Authentic Connection
I didn’t always know I’d become a therapist. For a long time, I lived by the rules of achievement: work hard, stay strong, be reliable, and don’t let emotions get in the way. As an engineer, I learned to value logic, problem-solving, and keeping everything under control. And for a while, it worked — at least on the outside.
But underneath, I felt a growing sense of disconnection. After losing my father at sixteen, I had become skilled at pushing down the emotions that felt too big to hold. Over time, I realized that the more I ignored my inner world, the more isolated and exhausted I became — even as life looked “successful” on paper.
Choosing to leave my first career and become a therapist wasn’t just about changing what I did. It was about coming home to myself. It was about honoring the parts of me that needed tending, not managing. It was about learning that true resilience doesn’t come from powering through — it comes from letting yourself be fully human.
Today, as an online therapist in Waterloo, I work with helpers, healers, and high achievers who find themselves in a similar place: strong and capable on the outside, but longing for deeper connection, authenticity, and peace within. Through an integrative approach that includes Internal Family Systems (IFS), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), EMDR, and somatic mindfulness, I help clients reconnect with their emotions, heal old wounds, and build a more compassionate relationship with themselves.
I believe you don’t have to choose between being strong and being sensitive. I believe that showing up for yourself — even when it feels messy or hard — is an act of courage. And I believe that healing isn’t about becoming someone new; it’s about reclaiming who you’ve always been.
Beyond the Therapy Room
When I’m not in session, you’ll find me cheering from the sidelines as a proud mom of two competitive athletes (and yes, serving as their part-time chauffeur to practices!). This firsthand experience with youth athletics not only keeps me busy but deeply informs my understanding of performance pressure, family dynamics, and the delicate balance of supporting young athletes’ mental health.
Between driving to practices, I feed my own athletic spirit through CrossFit, finding joy in the balance of physical challenge and mental resilience. I’m powered by good coffee, loved by my cats, and most at peace while hiking mountain trails and exploring local cuisine – because life is about finding those moments of connection, whether with ourselves, others, or a really good meal.
Professional Training – Online Therapist Waterloo
Core Credentials
- • Registered Psychotherapist, CRPO #13238
- • MA in Counselling Psychology, Yorkville University
Specialized Training in Trauma & Emotional Processing
- • Somatic EMDR Therapy Certificate, The Embody Lab
- • Trauma Treatment and Certification Training (CCTP)
- • Applied Polyvagal Theory in Therapeutic Yoga, Level 1, The Embody Lab
Relationship & Couples Expertise
- • Externship in Emotionally Focused Therapy, ICEEFT
- • Integrative Sex and Couples Certification Training
- • Certified Sex Therapy Informed Professional
- • Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Level 1, The Gottman Institute
Internal Work & Family Systems
- • IFS Immersion: Integrating Internal Family Systems (IFS) Across Clinical Applications
- • Online Certificate Program: Treating Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents”
If you’re ready to turn toward yourself with more compassion and courage, I’d be honored to walk alongside you.
Online Therapy Throughout Ontario
In-Person Sessions Available at Upstream Counselling, Waterloo