Meet Your Emotion Regulation and Trauma Therapist
Jessica Sawatzky, MSW, RSW
Welcome!
I’ve been working in the field of mental health for over 15 years;
I began volunteering on a crisis and suicide hotline even before that, when I was just starting my undergraduate degree, and knew as soon as I began the training that this was where I was meant to be.
My primary focus has been working with adults who have experienced some form of trauma, especially domestic violence or childhood abuse.
I am also passionate about, and experienced in, working with people with substance use concerns, eating disorders, suicidal ideation, self-harm, and difficulty with either very intense emotions or feeling numbed out/disconnected.
I was inspired to start my own clinic as I wanted the flexibility to integrate a variety of evidence-based practices, targeting different facets of our mental well-being:
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
to learn and implement practical skills to improve our quality of life
Internal Family Systems
to understand and accept the many facets of ourselves that arise in response to stress
Somatic Psychology
to build awareness of bodily sensations and their impact on thoughts and emotions
I see therapy as a consultation where my client is the expert and I have some ideas that can help.
In addition to my experience and extensive training, I bring warmth, enthusiasm, and a sense of humor to my practice.
I’m happy to connect for a 15 minute consultation, either over the phone or virtually, to answer any questions you may have and give a better sense of how it might feel to work together.
Education & Training
I graduated from the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work in 2016 with a Masters of Social Work, during which time I completed my practicum placement delivering Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) to people living with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder.
Before starting my own practice, I provided DBT on an outpatient basis through the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health as well as other private practice clinics.
Additional Post-Graduate Training
Somatic Trauma Therapy Certificate Course
Abi Blakeslee, Ph.D., Clinical and Somatic Psychology (in progress, expected graduation Dec 2024)
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Martin Bohus, MD; Shelley McMain, Ph.D., C.Psych
Certificate in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for Eating Disorders Level 2 – Adults
Anita Federici, PhD, CPsych, FAED
Certificate in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for Eating Disorders Level 1 – Adults/Adolescents
Anita Federici, PhD, CPsych, FAED
Internal Family Systems for Trauma, Anxiety, Depression, Addiction & More: Intensive Online Course
Richard Schwartz, Ph.D.; Frank Anderson, M.D.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Certificate (University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies)
Shelley McMain, Ph.D., C.Psych
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional- Levels 1 and 2
Janina Fisher Ph.D.
Advanced Master Program on the Treatment of Trauma
NICABM online education sessions
Trauma, Attachment, Affect Dysregulation and Shame: Treating the Seeds & Cycles of Self-Destructive Behaviour
Lisa Ferentz, MSW, L-CSW
Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD
EBT3, internal training organized by CAMH