"It's bad enough that our clients lost their childhood; it's unacceptable that they lose their adulthood too" Judith Herman
Welcome to my website!
Finding the right therapist is an important first step in the counselling process. I initially created this website so that readers could gauge whether or not I would be a good match for them. But since I am not accepting new clients I thought I'd give you a list of questions I have used in finding a therapist for myself (yes I am both a therapist and a client and personally would NEVER see a therapist that does not engage in their own therapy).
About Gisèle Harrison MSW, RSW
I am a registered social worker, a certified EMDR therapist and an EMDR Consultant in Training (Welcome to EMDR Canada - EMDR Canada), a certified relational life couples therapist (Home - Terry Real), a sex therapist, a yoga/meditation teacher, a former guest columnist for the Windsor Star, and have completed an extensive family mediation program with internship to follow.
My long and winding path to becoming a highly trained therapist has been fueled by a quest to secure mental health for myself and subsequently for the folks around me. My own healing path has been filled with friendship, laughter, tears, pain, discovery, hard work, adventure, travel to distant lands (even within my own inner landscape) and an unlimited budget (not really, but I do allocate a generous chunk of my income to training, consultation, retreats, and of course my own therapy).
I have been an intersectional feminist activist for over 40 years. My mother introduced me to formal activism in the way of a strike/protest march when I was in elementary school. I have learned over the decades that understanding oppression and my location in it, is an ever evolving undertaking. I work tirelessly to maintain the energy and conviction required to obtain freedom for all folks.
In the last 8 years I have mostly dedicated my energy toward securing dignity and basic human rights for my aging parents that moved into a nursing home in 2015. My father passed away in November 2019 and my 97 year old mother continues to live a life where her care (in an understaffed overpriced for-profit nursing home) is focused on cleaning, feeding, dressing, and toileting her with very little time for meaningful engagement with other folks.
Previous to developing Alzheimer's disease her life was filled with family, friends and visitors that have either passed away or have quietly disappeared from her life. The stress of caring and advocating for her has been a very emotionally taxing endeavor. I have learned over the years that nursing homes are to ageism what the prison industrial complex is to racism. Unfortunately nursing homes are the perfect place to witness the intersection of multiple forms of oppression within both the resident and staff population: ageism, ableism, classism, heterosexism, capitalism, special needs, and of course racism.
I am a thoughtful neighbour, a loyal adventurous fun friend, a committed loyal wife, a dedicated loving daughter, a grateful step-mother, a joyful grand-mother, a privileged dog owner, a lover of nature and nature walks, and a voracious reader/learner passionate about cultivating peace. Hopefully this translates into being an effective guide for the folks that meet with me.
Welcome to my website!
- Unfortunately at this time I am not accepting new counselling clients. Past clients will be put on a wait list but must complete and submit a new contact form. I am accepting EMDR consultees (therapists that have completed EMDR Basic Training).
- I have been an EMDR therapist since 2001 and am currently a Consultant in Training under the direction Jen Savage and Melissa Benintendi of the Beyond Healing Center and hosts of Notice That and Beyond Trauma podcasts. For more information on EMDR please click on the EMDR page on your left.
- Whether or not we work together, I'd like to invite you to go through my website which is filled with helpful resources, calming strategies and information. This website should not be used instead of counselling but as an adjunct to therapy.
- If you are seeking a referral, please note that I have a strong bias toward EMDR trauma therapists with training and experience in structural dissociation, PTSD and C-PTSD, polyvagal theory, somatic psychology, attachment theory, mindfulness and yoga.
- Not all EMDR therapists have this training so please carefully browse thru this list to find someone that would be a good match for you (please note that most of us are not insured to see clients out of Province) Find a therapist - EMDR Canada
- I am an intersectional feminist activist with a solid background in understanding how systemic structures (ie racism, classism, sexism, ableism, ageism, heterosexism) contribute to suffering and trauma.
Finding the right therapist is an important first step in the counselling process. I initially created this website so that readers could gauge whether or not I would be a good match for them. But since I am not accepting new clients I thought I'd give you a list of questions I have used in finding a therapist for myself (yes I am both a therapist and a client and personally would NEVER see a therapist that does not engage in their own therapy).
- How many years of experience do you have?
- How much training and experience did you receive prior to entering into private practice?
- Do you obtain ongoing consultation/mentorship? If yes, with who?
- What kind of training are your currently engaged in?
- What training have you already completed outside of your degree?
- What is your specialty? (Beware of folks with a long list of specialties)
- What is your understanding of structural/systemic issues that contribute to individual traumatic experiences? (ie systemic racism, sexism, ageism, heterosexism, classism...)
- What is your cancellation policy? Do you apply this policy toward yourself?
- Are you a member of a college that regulates your profession? If not, why?
- Have you and do you continue to engage in your own therapy?
- How will we address conflict in our therapist/client relationship?
- How do you provide/receive feedback?
- What do you look for in a client?
- Do you believe therapists need therapy?
- How do you develop treatment plans for your clients?
About Gisèle Harrison MSW, RSW
I am a registered social worker, a certified EMDR therapist and an EMDR Consultant in Training (Welcome to EMDR Canada - EMDR Canada), a certified relational life couples therapist (Home - Terry Real), a sex therapist, a yoga/meditation teacher, a former guest columnist for the Windsor Star, and have completed an extensive family mediation program with internship to follow.
My long and winding path to becoming a highly trained therapist has been fueled by a quest to secure mental health for myself and subsequently for the folks around me. My own healing path has been filled with friendship, laughter, tears, pain, discovery, hard work, adventure, travel to distant lands (even within my own inner landscape) and an unlimited budget (not really, but I do allocate a generous chunk of my income to training, consultation, retreats, and of course my own therapy).
I have been an intersectional feminist activist for over 40 years. My mother introduced me to formal activism in the way of a strike/protest march when I was in elementary school. I have learned over the decades that understanding oppression and my location in it, is an ever evolving undertaking. I work tirelessly to maintain the energy and conviction required to obtain freedom for all folks.
In the last 8 years I have mostly dedicated my energy toward securing dignity and basic human rights for my aging parents that moved into a nursing home in 2015. My father passed away in November 2019 and my 97 year old mother continues to live a life where her care (in an understaffed overpriced for-profit nursing home) is focused on cleaning, feeding, dressing, and toileting her with very little time for meaningful engagement with other folks.
Previous to developing Alzheimer's disease her life was filled with family, friends and visitors that have either passed away or have quietly disappeared from her life. The stress of caring and advocating for her has been a very emotionally taxing endeavor. I have learned over the years that nursing homes are to ageism what the prison industrial complex is to racism. Unfortunately nursing homes are the perfect place to witness the intersection of multiple forms of oppression within both the resident and staff population: ageism, ableism, classism, heterosexism, capitalism, special needs, and of course racism.
I am a thoughtful neighbour, a loyal adventurous fun friend, a committed loyal wife, a dedicated loving daughter, a grateful step-mother, a joyful grand-mother, a privileged dog owner, a lover of nature and nature walks, and a voracious reader/learner passionate about cultivating peace. Hopefully this translates into being an effective guide for the folks that meet with me.
