Therapy is a journey back to our own wisdom, and to our physical bodies. Sometimes we can become overwhelmed with emotions, anxiety, and with life. Using a compassionate, relational approach, I can help bring you back in touch with the various parts of yourself, to see what is stuck and what has to fade in order to find your more authentic self.  The work I do with clients is informed by over 20 years of work in the field that encompasses clinical work, teaching and research. 

In individual therapy, I see clients who are feeling depressed, overwhelmed, anxious, or are having difficulties resolving grief or relationship issues.  I also work with those who have experienced emotional and physical trauma, either in adulthood or in childhood.  I have a specialized interest and extensive experience in helping those with creative, existential and spiritual issues (e.g., questions of meaning and purpose), and with psychedelic integration.  I also have extensive experience helping clients heal from and address the psychological components of chronic illnesses such as Fibromyalgia, ME (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), MCAS and autoimmune conditions.  I am very comfortable working with individuals from different socio-cultural identity groups (e.g., gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity). 

My role as a therapist is to provide a safe, confidential relationship marked by empathy, transparency and authentic engagement.  I take a body-centered approach that involves staying in the present so that the wisdom of our bodies can be accessed and unresolved emotions can be processed.  I also incorporate psychodynamic elements to help access and heal the past roots of these emotions.  We adjust to life by creating patterns, including thoughts and behaviours that can be very helpful at the time but can also make us feel stuck later in life.  Together, we will increase our awareness of these patterns so that we have the space to compassionately look at our lives from a new perspective.  This helps put us back in the driver’s seat, enabling us to respond to life rather than react.  I also draw from various other therapeutic approaches such as Jungian approaches, Internal Family Systems Theory, mindfulness approaches, behavioural approaches, EFT tapping for panic, and brain retraining approaches for chronic illness, OCD and anxiety.

By utilizing my training with Stan Grof, one of the founders of psychedelic therapy, and my extensive experience holding space those working with non-ordinary states of consciousness, I can help with integration of psychedelic, breathwork, spiritual, and meditation experiences.  I also support individuals who temporarily find themselves in spiritual emergencies that may have occurred spontaneously or as a result of working in spiritual practices or work with non-ordinary states of consciousness.  

Our first few sessions will give you an opportunity to share at your pace your current struggles and those that stand out from your past.  Together, we will identify the core issues and goals to be addressed in therapy.  I also utilize a comprehensive scientific-based assessment of your difficulties to help you gain an understanding of what might be at the root of your struggles.  This assessment will also act as an initial basis to gauge the progress of our subsequent work together.  We will initially work together to diminish any initial distress or impairment, and then deepen our work and delve deeper into the roots of issues and into the self to maintain long-term benefits. 

I am currently working as a psychotherapist at the Centre for Interpersonal Relationships under the supervision of Joshua Peters, Psy.D., RP.  I have also been facilitating workshops in trauma-releasing Breathwork since 2017.  Prior to working directly with clients, I taught multiple courses in the field of clinical and theoretical Psychology in universities and colleges across Ontario and New York State. 

I have published various journal articles, presented papers and conducted research in the areas of forgiveness, empathy, schizophrenia, mystical experiences, and creativity.  Below is a list of my publications:

Michalica, K. & Hunt, H. (2013). Creativity, schizotypicality, and mystical experience: An empirical study.  Creativity Research Journal, 25, 266-279.

Belicki, K., DeCourville, N., Michalica, K., & Stewart, T. (2013). Differences in why people forgive, and why it matters.  Journal of Family and Community Ministries, 26, 26-48.

Michalica, K., Belicki, K., & DeCourville, N. (June, 2006). Why do people forgive? Personality predictors of motivations to forgive. Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the CPA, Calgary, Alberta.

Michalica, K., Belicki, K. & DeCourville, N.  (June 2005). The Role of Personality and Situational Variables in Forgiveness. Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the CPA, Montreal, Quebec.

Belicki, K., DeCourville, N., Michalica, K., Stewart, T., & Williams, C. (June, 2003). What does it mean to forgive? Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Hamilton, Ontario.

Professional Affiliations

2023- College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario

2021- Canadian Association for Psychodynamic Therapy