Welcome to Planting Seeds Clinic
It all starts when a little seed grows into a mighty tree
Now Accepting VIRTUAL clients in
Ontario
Quebec
Newfoundland & Labrador
Now Accepting IN-PERSON clients in
Toronto
Ontario
About Nicole
Hi! My name is Nicole. As a child, I grew up facing many adversities and barriers. I was fortunate to have help from professionals who planted small seeds that bloomed into my vision for helping others. Therefore, I created a space where individuals could be fully supported and empowered, now offering my ability to plant seeds of hope and healing.
Planting Seeds Clinic is leading the shift in how clinical services are provided: grounded in science, delivered in heart.
Services
Through my services, tailored treatment plans are designed to provide practical tools and coping strategies to manage symptoms, reduce distress, and improve overall well-being.
Here’s how I break down these methodologies to
offer practical tools and coping strategies:
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Provide worksheets or exercises focusing on identifying and challenging negative thought patterns and beliefs.
Teach you to reframe your thinking and encourage the use of thought records or journals to track and
modify thoughts.
Attachment
Theory
The quality of early attachment relationships can have long-lasting effects on emotional regulation, social competence, and mental health.
Explore and challenge the patterns of behavior and expectations that may have developed based on your early caregiver experiences.
Mindfulness-Based Interventions
Share guided mindfulness exercises
or recommend mindfulness apps for daily practice.
Offer resources on grounding techniques and sensory mindfulness for managing stress and anxiety.
Acceptance and Commitment
Therapy (ACT)
Provide values clarification exercises to help identify personal values and set meaningful goals.
Share metaphors or experiential exercises that illustrate
mindfulness, acceptance, and commitment to change.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Offer emotion regulation tools
like emotion tracking worksheets
or mindfulness practices for
distress tolerance.
Teach interpersonal effectiveness
skills through role-playing scenarios
or communication exercises.
Body-Focused Techniques
Share resources on progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing exercises, or body scan meditations.
Recommend activities like yoga, tai chi, or mindful movement to help connect with the body.
Modifying these interventions to each of your needs and preferences is crucial. Regularly revisiting and reinforcing these strategies during sessions can help you integrate them into your daily life more effectively.
Nicole Withers (she/her)
My passion and commitment to children, youth, and adults have been a common thread throughout my professional practices. I have gained an invaluable amount of experience and knowledge, learning from the people I have worked with while being rooted in therapy theoretical frameworks and modalities.
Some of my specialists include:
- Parent Coaching
- Attachments
- Gender & Sexual Diversity
- Anxiety and/or Depression
- Body & Brain Connection
- Traumatic Experiences
- Communication, Conflict Resolution, & Decision Making
- Emotion Regulation and/or Behavioural Difficulties
- Relationship Difficulties
Customizing interventions and resources to fit your needs allows me to offer tailored support, enhance self-awareness and develop coping mechanisms. My approach complements your sessions and empowers you to actively engage in your healing and growth.
Credentials
- Registered Clinical Social Worker (Quebec, Ontario, Newfoundland & Labrador)
- Bachelor of Social Work, Memorial University
- Master of Social Work, McGill University
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Play Therapy (Foundational, Level 2).
- Advanced attachment theory
Children
There are several reasons why children, youth or their families may need counselling support and treatment. Child Therapy can look different than counselling for adults. Counselling can be an important resource for children as they are encountering change, difficult experiences, grief or mental health challenges.
Building a strong, trusting relationship between the child and the therapist is foundational in child therapy. Using child-friendly methods like play, art, or other creative activities helps establish rapport, comfort, and safety before diving into deeper therapeutic work with the therapist. This approach allows children, youth or families to feel more at ease and encourages them to open up about their experiences and emotions.
Offering a variety of therapy types enables me to adapt to the child’s unique needs and preferences, ensuring that therapy feels engaging, supportive, and effective for their developmental stage.
Here’s a brief overview of the therapeutic approaches mentioned:
Play Therapy
This approach uses play as a medium for communication and expression. Children often find it easier to communicate their thoughts, emotions, and experiences through play rather than verbal expression. Play therapy allows them to explore feelings, address trauma, and develop coping skills in a natural and comfortable environment.
Sand Tray Therapy
Sand tray therapy involves using a tray of sand and miniature figures or objects. Children create scenes or stories in the sand, which can represent their thoughts, emotions, and experiences. It provides a non-verbal means of expression and can aid in processing emotions or resolving conflicts.
Art Therapy
Art therapy utilizes various art forms like drawing, painting, sculpting, or collage-making as a means of self-expression. It allows children to externalise their internal world, fostering creativity and aiding in the exploration of feelings, thoughts, and experiences.
Parent and Child Counselling
This type of therapy involves working with both the child and their parent or caregiver. It aims to improve communication, strengthen relationships, and address issues within the family dynamic. It’s beneficial for fostering understanding and support between the child and their caregiver.
2SLGBTQIA+
I offer treatment for adults struggling with a variety of challenges. My approach is characterised by strength, collaboration, and engagement. We work together to help you address challenges and foster resilience, self-awareness, and the acquisition of skills that promote lasting positive change. This client-centred and strengths-based approach is instrumental in helping navigate difficulties while also discovering the potential for growth and well-being.
Infusing the therapy process with hope and healing is a crucial aspect of fostering a positive therapeutic relationship and driving meaningful progress. Here are several ways I accompany you in the therapeutic journey:
- Validation and Empathy
- Strengths-Based Approach
- Setting Realistic Goals
- Encouragement and Positive Reinforcement
- Visualization and Future-Oriented Approaches
- Cognitive Restructuring
- Psychoeducation
- Cultivating Resilience
- Consistency and Support
- Celebrating Progress
By integrating these approaches into therapy, we can create an environment where hope is not just a concept but an active force that propels you towards change.
Resources
Sharing resources outside of therapy sessions can be immensely beneficial. Here’s a list of some of my favourite diverse mental health resources that offer information, support, and inspiration.
Urgent Support
If you or someone you know is experiencing an emergency or crisis and needs immediate help, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Here are some additional crisis resources:
FAQ
Social workers and psychologists both work in the mental health field but often differ in their training, focus, and approaches to addressing mental health issues. Both professions play critical roles in supporting individuals and communities in the mental health field.
The frequency of counselling sessions can vary widely depending on several factors, including the client’s needs, the therapist’s approach, the severity of the issues being addressed, and the therapeutic goals.
Between counselling sessions, you are encouraged to apply the insights gained and practice the strategies discussed during their sessions
The counselling processes have a highly variable duration, which depends on multiple factors, such as the severity of the existing problems, the therapeutic goals, the psychosocial environment, etc.
We discuss fees before working together and before committing. You are provided with a receipt and a private insurance plan may cover part or all of the fee. Please take note that my services are not covered under the public health care plan.