The Healing Collective

The Healing Collective Community based therapeutic collective located at Woodbine & Danforth. Accepting new clients.

05/27/2026

“I’m about to tell my client something they never expected to hear from a therapist: You aren’t angry enough.”

When you live with CPTSD, your brain learns to do some wild acrobatics to keep you safe. One of the most common survival mechanisms? Turning your anger inward.

When we are kids, getting angry at the people who are supposed to take care of us is dangerous. So, to survive, our brilliant, adaptive brains make a subconscious deal: “If I am the problem, then I can fix it. If it’s my fault, I still have control.”

The result? You grow up defaulting to self-blame.

You apologize for things you didn’t do.

You swallow your discomfort to keep the peace.

You experience shame and guilt where righteous anger actually belongs.

But here is the truth: Anger isn’t just a “negative emotion.” Healthy, protective anger is the part of you that knows you deserved better. It’s the emotion that shows up to draw a boundary and say, “That wasn’t okay, and I didn’t deserve that.”

If you have CPTSD, learning to get mad isn’t a step backward. It means you are finally safe enough to stop blaming yourself for things you didn’t cause.

Ready to explore what’s underneath the self-blame? 🔗 Click the link in my bio to book a consultation

Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider.

05/19/2026

The “Aha” moments are great, but these tiny shifts, maybe not so tiny? These are the ones that stay with me.
Therapy isn’t always about the huge mountain-top breakthroughs. Most of the time, it’s found in the quiet moments: the first time you don’t over-explain a “no,” or that Tuesday afternoon when you realize your mind finally feels quiet.
To anyone doing the work: those “small” changes are actually massive milestones. I see you, and I’m so proud of the progress you’re making.
Meet Rosie Bell, our new therapist to join our collective
Link in bio to book a free consultation

Disclaimer: This content is for educational and inspirational purposes only and does not constitute a therapeutic relationship or medical advice. If you are in crisis, please reach out to your local emergency services. To my current or former clients: Please be mindful of your privacy and boundaries when engaging with professional accounts on social media.

04/30/2026

Your brain isn’t broken; it’s just using an old effective map.
In childhood, we don’t just learn facts (like “Mom is busy”); we learn survival truths (like “My needs are a burden”).
Through an attachment lens, these “emotional learnings” are how we stayed safe. If a caregiver was inconsistent, your nervous system learned that love is fragile. If they were distant, you learned that vulnerability is a threat.
The “fact” is in your logic brain, but the “learning” lives in your body today. Healing isn’t about changing what happened- it’s about updating the map to show that you are finally safe.
Save this post as a reminder


Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or a therapeutic relationship. This is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment or medical diagnosis. If you are struggling with disordered eating, please consult a licensed healthcare provider.

04/16/2026

If you’re a woman over 40 and you feel like intimacy and deep connection
Is out of reach, your first instinct might be to ask, “What’s wrong with me?”
But here’s what we see in the therapy room: Often, it isn’t a lack of desire or “effort” holding you back. It’s a nervous system that has been conditioned to prioritize survival over vulnerability.
Here are 5 signs from registered therapists that the struggle isn’t your fault:
1️⃣ Hyper-Independence as a Trauma Response: If you learned early on that “I’ve got it” was the only way to stay safe, your brain now views needing someone else as a threat. You’re not cold; you’re protected.
2️⃣ Chronic Health Issues: When you are navigating Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, or Autoimmune flares, your “social battery” is hijacked by physical survival. Deep connection requires emotional energy your body is currently using just to get through the day.
3️⃣ Externalized Self-Worth: If you were raised to believe your value lies in what you do (your career, your roles, your output) rather than who you are, vulnerability feels like a risk. You struggle to go deep because you’re afraid that without your “achievements,” there’s nothing left for people to love.
4️⃣ The Weight of Chronic Shame: If you grew up feeling like you were “too much” or “never enough,” shame becomes your default setting. Shame thrives in secrecy; it makes you pull away just as things get deep because you’re waiting for the other person to “find out” you’re flawed.
5️⃣ Generational Emotional Silence: You can’t speak a language you weren’t taught. If your family tree is rooted in “we don’t talk about that,” you are essentially trying to build a bridge without a blueprint
You aren’t broken. You are a person who has adapted to your environment. Healing starts when we stop blaming our “personality” and start looking at our patterns with compassion.
Save this post as a reminder

01/12/2026

Menopausal rage isn’t a problem, it’s an invitation.
An invitation to slow down, listen inward, and stop pushing past your limits.

When estrogen drops, our nervous system often loses its “buffer.” What looks like rage is often exhaustion, grief, and years of unmet needs rising to the surface.

3 gentle ways to slow the surge:
1️⃣ Pause the body first. Rage lives in the nervous system. Step away, place a hand on your chest, and take 5 slow exhales before responding.
2️⃣ Lower the load. Menopause asks us to do less, not more. What can be postponed, delegated, or released today?
3️⃣ Name the need beneath the anger. Anger is a messenger. Ask: What boundary, rest, or truth is being ignored right now?

You’re not “too much.”
Your system is asking for care, pacing, and permission to change.
Save this for the next wave. Share if it resonates.

In this season, when there’s so much pressure to make change driven resolutions, about your body, or your habits, your c...
12/31/2024

In this season, when there’s so much pressure to make change driven resolutions, about your body, or your habits, your career, and relationships, we hope you take a minute this week to think about how far you came last year.

Instead of resolving to start 2025 strong, what if we all imagined what starting 2025 supported might look like. Maybe it’s asking a friend for help, or putting habits into place now that support your well-being in medium or long-term. Maybe it’s finding ways to connect with community and create support for others in ways that connect to broader community care.

If support for you might include a new mental health support, we hope you’ll be in touch. Our collective is full of amazing humans with a broad range of professional and lived experiences. They’re ready to help you help yourself in whatever 2025 brings.

You can email us at info@healingcollective.ca for a personalized referral and set up a complimentary, no strings attached consult. Among other specialities, members can support you with:

🍃Anxiety and depression support

🍃Perinatal/postpartum support

🍃Fertility/Infertility and pregnancy loss support

🍃Sleep support for families

🍃ADHD support and coaching

🍃Family therapy

🍃Couples therapy

🍃Naturopathic care

🍃Reiki

🍃Support for adolescents and teens

🍃Children’s therapy

🍃LGBTQ+ support

🍃Migration stress

🍃MAID support

🍃Culturally competent care for people from a range of backgrounds, including services delivered in a range of languages (let us know what you’re looking for)

We have therapists with quick availability, who connect with clients in-person at our 2005 Danforth site, online, and via phone. Many of our services are covered under extended benefits, and many members accept Greenshield for direct billing.

Here’s to all of us finding the support we deserve in 2025.

As we move into the holiday season, our collective may be a little slower responding as we all recharge, but rest assure...
12/22/2024

As we move into the holiday season, our collective may be a little slower responding as we all recharge, but rest assured, we will return your emails.

If you’d like to email over the holidays to schedule a complimentary consultation in the new year, feel welcome to note this in your email and we’ll be back in touch with you in January.

It’s a hard time of year for many. Here are our collective go-tos for immediate support if you or someone you know is in need. This is not a comprehensive list.

🍃211: Toronto Community Crisis Response

🍃988: Su***de Crisis Helpline

🍃The Distress Centre of Toronto at 416-408-4357 or by text at 45645

🍃The Gerstein Crisis Centre, 24 hour Crisis Line (416-929-5200)

🍃ConnexOntario (1-866-531-2600 www.connexontario.ca) for 24/7 information about mental health, addiction and problem gambling

🍃Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868)

🍃Assaulted Women’s Helpline (GTA, 416-863-0511)

🍃Telehealth Ontario (1-866-797-0000)

🍃Kids Helpline for youth (686868 text)

🍃Toronto Seniors Helpline (416) 217-2077

🍃Kids Help Phone - Text “WELLNESS” to 741741 - they cater to anyone of any age

🍃Youthdale: https://www.youthdale.ca/

🍃Trans Lifeline +18773306366

🍃LGBT youth line https://www.youthline.ca/

Indigenous Supports

🍃Hope For Wellness Line +18552423310

🍃Talk 4 Healing Beendigen Talk and text 1-855-554-HEAL

🍃National Indian Residential School Crisis Line 1-866-925-4419

🍃The First Nations and Inuit Hope for Wellness Help Line:1-855-242-3310

🍃Indigenous Mental Health Crisis Line: 416-363-2999 (Serves GTA. Open 2pm-2am)

Address

2005 Danforth Avenue
Toronto, ON
M4C1J7

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