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Monday 9:30am - 9pm Tuesday 9:30am - 8pm Wednesday 9:30am - 9pm Thursday 9:30am - 9pm Friday 9:30am - 12:30pm Saturday 9:30am - 4pm

Calming Tree Counselling

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Kitchener, ON
Calming Tree Counselling

Calming Tree Counselling is an inclusive and experienced counselling practice in Doon South, Kitchener, Ontario.

Calming Tree Counselling is an experienced social work practice where everyone; regardless of race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender or age, will be met with warmth, empathy and confidentiality. Counsellors employ a personalized, holistic and client-centred approach that ensures clients feel safe, respected and understood.

11/03/2025

When a child’s anxiety builds up, it’s often because they’ve been holding it all in.

Try giving them 10 minutes a day and a safe, predictable space to let their worries out.

They can talk, write, draw, or tuck their thoughts into a “worry box.”

This practice helps them learn containment: the skill of expressing emotions without letting those emotions take over the whole day.

It’s a small shift with a big impact.

Because when children learn they can face their worries instead of hiding them, they begin to cope instead of tolerate.

10/31/2025

Our #1 goal is to create a space where you feel welcome, supported, and truly seen.

Therapy isn’t just about working through what’s hard. It’s about feeling safe enough to do it.

Every step counts (even when it’s 2 steps forward and one step back). Progress looks different for everyone.

And that’s what we’re here for: the journey.

10/29/2025

Your experience is unique, but your thoughts are incredibly common (and human).

Therapy is where you start to see that.

10/27/2025

Hey! Melissa here. I want to talk to you about Anne.

Anne is my therapist. She’s been part of my life, and my story, for three years now.

2024 was a tough year for me, personally, and I needed help to navigate what had bubbled to the surface. And that stuff lingered. A part of me wanted to go to therapy, process it, and let it go, but I wasn’t listening to what I needed.

What Anne really taught me, and what I now teach my team, is “consent” in therapy.

That means we don’t force ourselves (or our clients) to go somewhere our body isn’t ready to go.

✔︎We listen when our body says, “no, not yet.”
✔︎We trust that when it’s time, our body will give us permission.
✔︎We don’t punish ourselves for not being ready.

Anne never tells me something I don’t already know; she just says it in a way I can finally hear.

She’s the person who helps me lower my walls enough to let the truth in.

She’s not just my therapist; she’s part of my story.

And every time I sit with a client, a piece of what she taught me sits there too.

To all the therapists who teach us in ways we deserve to be taught, and to all the patients who allow themselves to be guided, thank you!

Take good care,
Melissa

10/20/2025

Respect is one of those words we (as parents, partners, children, friends) throw around, assuming everyone knows what it means.

But most of us learned “respect” without any real definition, and often, it looked a lot like obedience.

When we tell kids to “be respectful,” what we usually mean is, “do what I say.”

☆☆But respect is about reciprocal value, and obedience is about control.

When we model respect with children (or partners, or anyone), it sounds more like:

→ “Calling me names isn’t respectful. Respect sounds like listening, even when we’re upset.”
→ “I know you’re frustrated, but we can talk about it without yelling.”

Respect doesn’t have to mean authority. It doesn’t even have to mean closeness. It’s simply about recognizing each other’s worth and showing up in ways that reflect it.

Because respect isn’t automatic; it’s modelled, practiced, and built, one interaction at a time.

If you’re looking for support in asking for things like respect, reach out!

10/15/2025

Your first therapist might be exactly that: your first.

Maybe your first therapist is the one who helps you find your footing, teaches you how to open up, and walks you through vulnerable stuff.

Your first therapist is exactly who you need in that season of your life.

Maybe your next therapist supports you through trauma, a relationship breakdown, or a major life change.

Different season, different kind of work.

Therapy isn’t one-size-fits-all, and it isn’t always forever.

Sometimes the work goes stagnant. Sometimes you outgrow each other. And that’s okay. It doesn’t mean the therapy didn’t work; it means it did.

Because growth often looks like realizing it’s time for a new chapter. ♡

10/13/2025

Sometimes what you need in therapy is perspective — someone who helps you see things differently and meet yourself with compassion, and encourages you to challenge old patterns.

For some, that person might be a male therapist.

Erik is kindly curious, patient, and can lean into where his clients are at. He has a great sense of humour, but like a dry wine not a sweet one!! 😁

Working with a male therapist like Erik can offer a unique sense of safety, understanding, and relatability, especially when unpacking topics like identity, relationships, emotional expression, or navigating pressure and expectations.

The right fit matters in therapy and sometimes that means finding a therapist who helps you redefine what strength, vulnerability, and connection can look like.

If you’re exploring therapy and a male therapist makes it feel lighter, book an appointment online with Erik.

10/10/2025

If that fills you with anxiety, we get it.

You’ve spent your whole life trying to make them proud and there’s no shame in that.

But you’re grown now. You still need them, just in a different way.

♡You don’t need their permission to live differently.
♡You’re allowed to grow beyond the version of you they understand.
♡You’re allowed to love them and have boundaries.
♡You’re allowed to stop chasing their approval and start building your own peace.

Their approval can still matter AND not be the compass you live by.

10/06/2025

We’ve turned care into something productive and polished.

But the truth is, care is more basic, more human. Think safety, rest, comfort, compassion.

Right now, su***de rates are the highest they’ve been in decades. It’s a reflection of how many people are carrying pain without the support they need.

So ask yourself seriously: how are you taking care of yourself right now? Not “what have you done lately,” but how have you allowed yourself to matter? And how long has it been since you’ve made yourself the priority?

If your answer is “I’ve waited too long,” know this: there’s no timeline. You don’t have to arrive as a polished version of yourself.

The accomplishment is in still being here. That matters more than you know.

And if you need support navigating who you are, why you’re here, and the ways you may be able to feel better, reach out.

***deprevention

10/01/2025

Every behaviour tells a story. Even the ones that frustrate us, confuse us, or feel impossible to understand.

Behaviour always meets a need. Sometimes that need is safety, sometimes it’s control, and sometimes it’s just surviving the moment.

That’s where acceptance comes in. Not the passive kind, but the kind you have to be intentional about. The kind that lets you pause, step back, and see the human beneath the behaviour.

Acceptance doesn’t excuse harm, and it does NOT mean tolerating abusive behaviour. Acceptance creates space for compassion where it’s safe to give it.

Because the alternative is grim: disconnection, estrangement, cutting people off. It might feel like protection, but it’s also deeply lonely.

We are wired for connection. Even when it’s hard, even when it hurts, we still crave belonging.

The work can feel tough, but it’s worth it: seeing needs, practicing acceptance, and remembering that loneliness isn’t the end of the story.

09/24/2025

As women, we carry impossible demands: be patient, be attuned, be nurturing. But real life? It’s messy.

Your kid comes home, throws their backpack, stomps around. In the moment, you react. You react to the behaviour instead of the feelings underneath. And then the guilt hits. And it hits strong.

Here’s the truth: you don’t suck. Repair is always possible. You can circle back, name what you missed, and show your child they matter.

That’s the work. Not perfection, but repair.

You will mess it up. We all do. What matters is what happens next.

And if repair is new to you or you didn’t experience repair in your relationships, we can help you create a road map and learn the skills you need!

09/22/2025

Have you ever sat with someone who is equal parts calm and compassionate? And when sitting with them, you felt heard, understood and valued. Would you like to?

Rana brings her trauma-informed, integrative approach to her work with her clients. Whether it is with an individual seeking change, clarity or a shift in mindset or a couple wanting to gain communication skills, work on intimacy or end a relationship amicably, Rana could be the therapist for you.

Rana is a registered social worker with her Master in Social Work. She is also fluent in English and Arabic, always providing culturally sensitive services that honour her clients’ unique backgrounds, values, and family dynamics.

If Rana feels aligned with what you are looking for in a therapist feel free to book online or contact us and we can help you book your first session.

Address

10 Pioneer Drive, Unit 109
Kitchener, ON
N2P2A4

Opening Hours

Monday	9:30am - 9pm
Tuesday	9:30am - 8pm
Wednesday	9:30am - 9pm
Thursday	9:30am - 9pm
Friday	9:30am - 12:30pm
Saturday	9:30am - 4pm

Telephone

+15192082256

Website

https://calmingtreecounselling.ca/

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