ABOUT

Mindful Living
Counselling Services

Mindful Living Counselling Services provides virtual counselling and psychotherapy services in Ontario, with a focus on health and wellness counselling. Individual therapy is available for adults (20-70).

ABOUT ME

Shannon Sevigny, M.C., RP, CCC

Registered Psychotherapist

Hi! I'm Shannon (she/her)! I'm honoured that you've taken the time to learn about me and my practice.

I am a Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO). I have a Master's degree in Counselling Psychology and I am also a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC). I have over 15 years of experience working in counselling, with a focus on helping people manage stress and their mental health; adjust to life transitions; and increase their self-awareness, self-efficacy, self-compassion, and ultimately their quality of life.

I am known for my sense of humour and love of cinema and pop culture. My hobbies and interests include reading, painting, photography, cooking, and being around dogs as much as possible. I feel the most grounded and grateful when I am outdoors, surrounded by the trees and water.

What You May Want to Know About Me

I believe strongly in the influence of the person of the therapist and in the importance of therapist and client fit. It's so important that you feel I am someone you can connect with, relate to, and feel safe with. I know what it's like to be a client or patient. I know how it feels to take the leap to ask for help, to vulnerably share our inner world with a stranger, and to be left feeling exposed, invalidated, and dismissed. My own experience with my mental health and chronic illness is what led me to become a therapist. And my experience with inadequate, uncompassionate support is what influences my style and way of being as a counsellor. Everyone deserves to feel truly seen and heard, and I aim to offer empathy, encouragement, transparency, humility, and a sense of comfort or safety.

Here are some parts of my style and approach that may be helpful for you to know:

MY STYLE

My style is warm, approachable, and collaborative. I aim to be non-directive, genuine, affirming, and empathetic. The parts of myself that I bring into sessions are my curiosity, compassion, authenticity, and humour and light-hearted nature. I believe in showing my humanness and I don't try to pretend that I have it all together or all figured out. I don't think I know you better than you know yourself. I also believe that, sometimes, swearing is simply necessary for us to best express ourselves.

My therapeutic approach is described here.

MY VIEW OF COUNSELLING

I provide client-centered services. I view counselling as an equal partnership. I will bring to this some knowledge of strategies for wellness and growth (and you will too!), but you will always be the expert of your own experience and life. We focus on your goals and needs, and I seek feedback about all parts of the process to make sure things actually fit, and are helpful, for you. I frame concepts and strategies as suggestions, and I will always be respectful of your preferences, gut instincts, and experiences. You will always have the ability to say, "You know what? That's just not for me."

MY FRAMEWORK

I am a Feminist therapist and I work with an anti-oppressive framework and a trauma-informed lens. I am mindful of not using concepts or strategies that are harmful, invalidating, and/or patronizing. While I am clearly drawn to aspects of mindfulnesses and a focus on "wellness", please know I am anti-toxic positivity. Part of my approach is calling out toxic wellness culture, sociocultural conditioning and gaslighting, and the patriarchy and other oppressive systems. This also includes having a critical attitude toward practices within the mental health field, and being aware of valid critique of certain therapeutic approaches.

MY VALUES

I aim to provide inclusive, neurodiversity-affirming, disability-affirming, culturally-competent, and culturally-responsive care and services.

I am a sex positive and LGBTQ2S+ affirming therapist. I support Black lives, Indigenous lives, disabled lives, trans rights, and women's rights.

I am a body positive and (HAES) Health at Every Size therapist.

I am always learning.

Information about my services is here

You know, a lot of people come to therapy believing that the therapist is some sort of enlightened being, that he's resolved all his issues, that he's got it all together - but that's not the way it is. It's more like you're climbing your mountain over there, and I'm climbing my mountain over here. And from where I am on my mountain, I can see things on your mountain that you can't see - like there's an avalanche about to happen, or there's an alternative pathway you could take, or you're not using your pickaxe effectively.

But I'd hate for you to think that I've reached the top of my mountain, and I'm sitting back, taking it easy. Fact is, I'm still climbing, still making mistakes, and still learning from them. And basically, we're all the same. We're all climbing our mountain until the day we die. But here's the thing: you can get better and better at climbing, and better and better at learning to appreciate the journey. And that's what the work we do here is all about.