Counselling & Behaviour Services: Accessible Psychotherapy in Toronto

08/14/2025

Conflict is a normal part of life, but kids are not born knowing how to handle it. They learn by watching us and by practicing.

Here are five simple ways to help your child handle disagreements with confidence and kindness:

Pause and take a breath before reacting.

Use “I feel” statements instead of blaming.

Listen to the other person’s side without interrupting.

Work together to find a fair solution.

Make things right if you hurt someone.

When children have these tools, they can turn conflicts into opportunities for learning and connection.

How do you help your kids work through disagreements?

08/05/2025

Addressing the Shortage of In-Person Psychotherapy in Toronto

Toronto is facing a growing mental health gap — especially for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Long waitlists, limited in-person options, and an overreliance on virtual therapy are leaving families without the care they need.

We've heard from so many parents:
➡️ “Virtual sessions just don’t work for my child.”
➡️ “We’ve been waiting for months for someone to see us in person.”
➡️ “We need someone who understands both behaviour and mental health.”

That’s why we’re expanding our in-person psychotherapy and behaviour services across Toronto and the GTA.

This expansion will offer:
✔️ More in-person availability for children, teens, and adults with complex needs
✔️ Therapists trained in both behaviour analysis and mental health
✔️ Support for anxiety, trauma, transitions, and more

We believe therapy should be accessible, personal, and effective — especially for those who benefit most from face-to-face interaction.

If you’re looking for in-person support or want to join a team making a difference, we’d love to connect.

08/02/2025

Back-to-School Starts Now (Yes, in August!)

For many families, the shift from summer to September can feel like hitting a wall. Sleep schedules are off, routines are rusty, and anxiety—especially for kids—can sneak in fast.

If you want to support your child’s mental health this school year, the work starts now.

💡 Here are a few gentle ways to ease the transition early:

Bring back a bedtime routine: Sleep is the foundation of mental well-being. Start inching back bedtimes and wake-up times now.

Talk about school openly: Ask what your child is excited or nervous about. Normalize mixed feelings.

Rehearse the morning: Practice getting up, getting dressed, and heading out—without the pressure.

Limit last-minute changes: Give your child time to adjust to new schedules, classrooms, or teachers.

At Counselling & Behaviour Services, we often see anxiety peak after school begins—but with small steps now, that stress can be softened.

Your child doesn’t need a “perfect” first day. They just need to know they’re supported, understood, and not alone.

📚💛

07/29/2025

Sabrina Propper, BA, MSW, RSW, brings both professional expertise and personal insight to her work as a therapist. With over 20 years of experience in the developmental and mental health sector, she supports teens, adults, caregivers, and families navigating a wide range of challenges, including neurodiversity, anxiety, trauma, parenting stress, life transitions, and relationship dynamics.

Her approach is warm, collaborative, and grounded in real connection. Sabrina places a strong emphasis on building a therapeutic alliance rooted in trust, authenticity and engagement, recognizing that meaningful change happens when clients feel safe, heard, and genuinely supported.

Sabrina is trained in a number of evidence-based modalities, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Narrative Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and social-focused practices. She draws on these approaches flexibly and thoughtfully, tailoring her work to each individual’s needs and goals. Her practice is deeply strengths-based, helping clients connect with their own values, skills, and inner resources—even when they may not immediately recognize their own strength and resilience.

She holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from Wurzweiler School of Social Work in New York City, and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Toronto. Sabrina began her career in the developmental sector and remains passionate about societal inclusion—not just in theory, but in practice. She brings a well-informed understanding of neurodiversity and the resources available within the Greater Toronto Area, always open to learning and growing alongside the people she supports.

Sabrina understands the vital importance of being surrounded by “your people” and developing a trusted, supportive network. This belief in the power of community and connection remains at the core of her work. Her personal experience growing up with a sibling with a developmental disability shaped her appreciation for inclusion, advocacy, and a deep understanding of how the layered complexities of family life can shape one's perspectives.

07/29/2025

Mental health is not a luxury. It is a necessity, especially for neurodiverse individuals and those living with disabilities.

When I founded Counselling and Behaviour Services, it was with a simple but powerful belief: everyone deserves access to mental health support that truly understands and respects who they are.

Too often, I see the neurodiverse and disability communities left behind by traditional care systems. Their challenges are misunderstood. Their strengths are overlooked. And their potential is underestimated. That needs to change.

At Counselling and Behaviour Services, we are doing that work every day.

Whether we are helping a child with autism learn how to manage big emotions or supporting an adult with a disability through a major life transition, we approach each person with empathy, expertise, and the belief that they deserve the best possible care.

To the clinicians, advocates, families, and most importantly, the individuals themselves — thank you. Your resilience and courage inspire everything we do.

Let’s keep working toward a world where mental health care is equitable, accessible, and personalized for every mind.

07/29/2025

🔍 How to Find a Family Doctor in Ontario

Finding a family doctor can feel overwhelming — but you're not alone, and there are options.

Here’s a quick guide to help you get started:

1️⃣ Use Health Care Connect
Ontario’s official service matches residents without a family doctor to physicians accepting new patients. Register here: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-family-doctor-or-nurse-practitioner

2️⃣ Check with Local Clinics
Walk-in clinics and community health centres often know which local doctors are taking new patients. Call around or visit in person.

3️⃣ Use College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO)
Search the directory to find doctors by location and specialty: https://www.cpso.on.ca

4️⃣ Ask Around
Word of mouth still works. Ask friends, family, or colleagues if their doctor is accepting new patients.

5️⃣ Be Persistent
Waitlists exist — but staying on top of applications and following up can make a difference.

Having a family doctor is vital for long-term health. If you’re still looking, don’t give up.

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Check the Ontario Physicians and Surgeons Discipline Tribunal website for information on upcoming hearings and discipline outcomes.

07/28/2025

Calling all healthcare and mental health professionals: doctors, social workers, BCBAs, OTs, and others in the field.

When it comes to mental health services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), there is still a lot we need to uncover and elevate.

What services currently exist that you believe more people should know about?
What supports do you wish were more accessible for this population?

If you work with individuals with IDD or support them through systems, policy, or care, I want to hear from you. Let’s start a conversation that brings attention to both the resources and the gaps in care.

Please share your experiences, programs, or insights in the comments or send me a message.

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Call now to connect with business.

07/22/2025

Disability and mental health often go hand in hand—but services don’t always reflect that. Let’s change the conversation. When we integrate mental health support into disability care, we create safer, more empowering environments for everyone. "

07/18/2025

Meet our executive team...

Elyse Goody brings over a decade of senior experience in communications, brand strategy, and project leadership to her role as Chief Operating Officer at Counselling & Behaviour Services. With a background spanning journalism, public relations, and executive-level brand partnerships, Elyse now applies her multidisciplinary skillset to build and scale impactful systems within the mental health care sector.
Before stepping into health operations, Elyse held national leadership roles at Apple Canada, UNIQLO Canada, Roots, and TJX (Winners & Marshalls), where she led integrated communications strategies, oversaw cross-functional teams, and executed large-scale campaigns across North America. Her ability to navigate high-stakes environments, manage stakeholder relationships, and implement thoughtful, brand-aligned processes has translated seamlessly into mental health operations.
At Counselling & Behaviour Services, Elyse is responsible for overseeing clinic operations, systems design, team infrastructure, and communications strategy. She plays a key role in expanding access to inclusive, evidence-based care for individuals and families, and is deeply committed to building a practice where therapists are supported, clients feel safe, and organizational values align with client-centred outcomes.
Elyse holds a Bachelor of Journalism with High Honours from Carleton University, and has earned recognition through multiple mentorship and marketing innovation awards. She believes that operational leadership in health care should be as human-focused and purpose-driven as the clinical work it supports.

07/17/2025

📣 Did you know? Your sessions might be covered!

At Counselling and Behaviour Services, we provide professional support for individuals, couples, and families — and many of our services may be covered by your private or workplace insurance plan.

💡 Don’t let cost be a barrier to getting the help you deserve.
Let us help you check your coverage and find a therapist that fits your needs.

📍Serving the community with care, compassion, and clinical expertise.
📞 Contact us today to learn more or book a consultation.

07/16/2025

Loving, gentle, and hypoallergenic, Oliver is our beloved therapy dog who brings warmth and calm to most in-person appointments. Whether he’s offering quiet companionship, accepting belly rubs, or simply snoozing nearby, Oliver has a natural gift for helping clients feel more at ease.

A proud member of Counselling & Behaviour Services since February 2021, Oliver joined the team at just eight weeks old. Since then, he has completed a range of accredited training programs through PetSmart Leaside, including Puppy, Intermediate, Advanced, Brain Games, and Therapy Dog Preparation.

Clients of all ages often find comfort in Oliver’s steady presence—and he never says no to a treat or a walk around the block.

07/14/2025

Counselling & Behaviour Services was founded in 2019 by Michael R. Goldberg, a clinician who found his calling while working in Toronto’s disability community at Reena and Dani. There, Michael discovered a deep passion for connecting with young adults of all abilities—many of whom had been overlooked by traditional mental health systems.

What started as hands-on work in the disability sector quickly evolved into a vision: a psychotherapy practice that bridges the gap between behavioural therapy and mental health care, especially for those facing communication, cognitive, or accessibility barriers.

What started as a small solo practice in 2019 has grown into a trusted mental health resource for individuals and families across Ontario. We now work with clients referred by hospitals, school boards, and community agencies—often when others don’t know where else to turn.