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April 2025

Anastasia’s path to becoming a psychotherapist started when she was studying life sciences and psychology in her undergraduate degree. With a growing interest in psychology and healthcare, she gravitated towards supporting folks through talk therapy and pursued training in psychotherapy.

Anastasia works with individuals, couples and families, and has extensive experience supporting families impacted by addiction.

We spoke in depth about how, initially, as a psychotherapy trainee, she did not expect to work as much as she has with couples; however, couples work has now become the core of her practice.  Anastasia found her work as a couples therapist to be extremely rewarding and realized that the more directive approach required in this role sparked her interest in and aptitude for work as a clinical supervisor and mentor. She has now expanded her solo private practice to include another therapist. Her practice is called Hera Therapy, referring to Hera, the Greek goddess of marriage, and a nod to her Greek identity as well as primary focus on relationships.

She is currently accepting new clients (individuals, couples and families) both online and in-person on Fridays. Anastasia can be contacted via: https://www.heratherapy.ca/

Her office is in Toronto’s Junction neighbourhood.

Thank you, Anastasia, for the wonderful conversation, it was a pleasure getting to know you and learning about your work.

Sincerely,

Alice

If you'd like to be featured, or know of someone who should be featured (with their consent), please fill out the form by clicking on the link below — we’d love to hear from you!

With love,

Mahshad

OSRP members, apply to be a Member Spotlight!

If chosen, your spotlight will also be shared on OSRP's social media platforms.

Get ready for an unforgettable day of thrills and excitement! Perkopolis is thrilled to invite you to Perkopolis Day at Wonderland, an exclusive members-only event.

Date: May 3rd, 2025

Exclusive Perkopolis Access – Special pricing, shorter lines, and a day filled with fun!

This is your chance to experience the park like never before, with exclusive perks and access available only to Perkopolis members. Gather your friends and family for a day of non-stop rides, delicious treats, and endless excitement.

Click here to download the Perkopolis Day at Wonderland flyer with all you need to know about registering for your Perkopolis account and purchasing your tickets!

Your exclusive WestJet savings of up to 15% have returned!

WestJet is back on Perkopolis, bringing you exclusive perks on flights worldwide!

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Explore our top offers! Click here to download the flyer with Perkopolis’ top brands.

Perkopolis is excited to announce our partnership with Shell!

With your Perkopolis account, you can save on fuel, car washes and in-store purchases at participating Shell locations. Sign in or register for your Perkopolis account to access this exclusive perk.

Click here to download the flyer.

If you have any questions you can contact Perkopolis customer service through live chat, phone, or email.

Talking about raising fees can be tricky, especially when you don’t know how to start the conversation. But with thoughtful communication, you can show your value as a practitioner while maintaining relationships with your patients or clients.

Here are some tips to help you communicate fee changes confidently:

• Start early: give yourself a two-month window to finalize rates, get comfortable with the decision, and inform your patients.
• Use multiple channels: reduce surprises by notifying patients through emails, booking reminders, physical signage, and phone calls — making sure your messaging is consistent.
• Be confident and clear: you don’t need to over-apologize! Your patients trust you and will appreciate a straightforward explanation.
• Offer flexibility: Be open to one-on-one conversations for special circumstances.

It might feel uncomfortable, but communicating your fee change thoughtfully will help your patients feel informed and respected.

At Jane, we want to be a part of the process of raising your fees — with features built to support. Take a look at our pricing plans at jane.app/pricing.

OSRP members receive a 1-month grace period on your new account when you sign up with Jane. Check our member benefits page to find the discount code.

Stress affects everyone differently. Stress can be good, but chronic stress can take its toll on our mental and physical health. Since stress is a normal part of human existence, it is important to recognize when stress is affecting you. If we as psychotherapists do not recognize this, we may respond in ways that are damaging to our patients and/or to ourselves. Therapists need to be aware of their own needs and limitations.

Acknowledging stress can lead you to get the support you need help you prioritize your mental health. Psychotherapy can help us deal with all types of stress.

In Canada, April is recognized as National Stress Awareness Month, a time to focus on mental well being and reduce stress. It is a perfect time to highlight the symptoms that stress can present, both physically and mentally, and its triggers.

Stress Awareness Month has been held every April, since 1992. This year’s theme is #LeadWithLove

How to get involved:

• Take the initiative: Consider taking steps to reduce your own stress or help others do the same. 
• Seek support: If you are feeling overwhelmed, don't hesitate to reach out for professional help. Use OSRP’s Find a Therapist feature on our website.
• Utilize resources: Explore resources like psychotherapy, mental health assessments, stress management courses, and community support services. 
• Engage in activities: Participate in activities that promote well-being. Join the 30 Day Challenge hosted by the Stress Management Society, which can give you the tools to turn “useful knowledge and techniques into positive behavioural change.”

Click here to access some resources.

Each month, we showcase a member-suggested podcast episode as part of OSRP’s effort to bring you micro-reviews of insightful content in the field of psychotherapy. All materials are available free of charge as part of our member engagement initiative.

We invite you to submit podcast episodes that you found inspiring or educational. If your suggestion is accepted, you’ll also be compensated for your time. Enjoy, and happy listening!

(These podcast recommendations are for inspiration and learning. They don’t replace supervision, instruction, or CRPO regulations, and OSRP doesn’t officially endorse the content. Take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and use your professional judgment in applying what you learn.)

“Emotionally Immature” Parents

Reviewer’s Name: Alice Blackwell, Clinical Member, OSRP

Title of Podcast Series: The Daily

Title of Episode: “The Interview”: Dr. Lindsay Gibson on What We Owe Our “Emotionally Immature” Parents

Date released: March 22, 2025

Link to Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-daily/id1200361736?i=1000700370452

Who Will I Hear?

Interviewer: David Marchese, Guest: Dr. Lindsay Gibson

What’s It About?

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Lindsay Gibson, a clinical psychologist and author of the bestselling book, Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self-Involved Parents. They explore Dr. Gibson's notion of emotional immaturity, and the impacts it can have on the children of emotionally immature parents. Thankfully, Dr. Gibson posits that it’s possible to recover from such a reality, even if that means, in some cases, breaking off the relationship entirely.

How Can It Help?

I think this episode gives clinicians a solid entry point into Dr. Gibson's work.

Why Does This Reviewer Love It?

I appreciated the interviewer's candour, and how he brought in his personal experience of a challenging relationship with his father.

If you would like to review your favourite therapy-related podcast episode, please use the link below.

Click here to submit your podcast review.

Anastasia’s path to becoming a psychotherapist started when she was studying life sciences and psychology in her undergraduate degree. With a growing interest in psychology and healthcare, she gravitated towards supporting folks through talk therapy and pursued training in psychotherapy.

Anastasia works with individuals, couples and families, and has extensive experience

supporting families impacted by addiction.

We spoke in depth about how, initially, as a psychotherapy trainee, she did not expect to 

work as much as she has with couples; however, couples work has now become the core of her practice.  Anastasia found her work as a couples therapist to be extremely rewarding and realized that the more directive approach required in this role sparked her interest in and aptitude for work as a clinical supervisor and mentor. She has now expanded her solo private practice to include another therapist. Her practice is called Hera Therapy, referring to Hera, the Greek goddess of marriage, and a nod to her Greek identity as well as primary focus on relationships.

She is currently accepting new clients (individuals, couples and families) both online and in-person on Fridays. Anastasia can be contacted via https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/therapists/anastasia-assuras-toronto-on/724400

 Her office is in Toronto’s Junction neighbourhood.

Thank you, Anastasia, for the wonderful conversation, it was a pleasure getting to know you and learning about your work.

Sincerely,

Alice

OSRP members, apply to be a Member Spotlight!

If chosen, your spotlight will also be shared on OSRP's social media platforms.

OSRP wants to ensure that race and other forms of marginalization are not barriers to entry into the field of psychotherapy. To that end, we put structures in place to provide ongoing support to therapists in the BIPoC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) community. We recognize there is a tremendous need for more BIPoC psychotherapists in Ontario.

One of the ways we can provide support to BIPoC psychotherapists is to offer a limited number of annual memberships through a bursary. The BIPoC bursary covers the cost of one year of membership with OSRP, with a total of nine bursaries in each membership year.

Each of the following OSRP membership categories will have three membership bursaries:

• Student Member
• Qualifying Member
• Clinical Member 

Click here to see the requirements for each membership category. 

Interest in applying for a BIPoC Membership Bursary? Click here to apply.

OSRP’s BIPoC Bursary Committee is looking for members. This is a sub-committee of the EDI committee. It’s role is to review applications for BIPoC membership bursaries and makes recommendations to the OSRP Board based on those reviews We are hoping that — if this committee resonates for you and you identify as being part of the BIPoC community — you will join the committee!

The selection process for 2025 included the following criteria:

• Membership category
• A paragraph or two in which applicants tell us about themselves

If you would like to help BIPoC therapists get more support, please join this important committee! 

Click here to read more about this committee

Interested in joining the committee? Click here to complete our Volunteer Application Form.

Research underscores the intricate relationship between chronic pain and mental health, where each can exacerbate the other, highlighting the importance of integrating care. Consider joining us on Friday, April 25 when the Centre for Mental Health will be hosting “Chronic Pain and Mental Health," a one-day, educational event offering an overview of advanced interventions, emerging therapies and best practices on the subject.

Chronic pain and its intersection with mental health present significant challenges for individuals, families, and healthcare providers alike. With its prevalence on the rise — nearly 8 million Canadians live with chronic pain and its financial burden is estimated at $40 billion annually — addressing the complexities of chronic pain management and its impact on mental well-being is paramount.

The event will explore key topics relevant to physicians, including the overlap between chronic pain and mental health pharmacology, psychological interventions, and the role of trauma in pain management. Interactive workshops will provide practical strategies, such as using ACT for chronic pain, improving brain-body alignment, and enhancing communication with patients. 

A closing panel will address barriers to care for Sickle Cell Disease and chronic pain, featuring clinicians and patient voices. Join us to gain evidence-based insights and practical tools to enhance patient care in this challenging and evolving field.

You can attend the event either (a) in-person at the BMO Education and Conference Centre at Toronto Western Hospital or (b) virtually on Zoom. The format includes presentations and small group breakout sessions to encourage active engagement and collaboration.

To register and for further details about the event visit:

https://events.myconferencesuite.com/chronicpainandmentalhealth2025/reg/landing

Information about accreditation will be posted here when available.

No prior knowledge or background is necessary to attend and benefit from this educational event. Presentations and workshops will be particularly relevant to healthcare providers assessing, treating or interacting with patients experiencing chronic pain, or providers interested in enhancing their understanding and treatment of the complex interplay between chronic pain and mental health.

Additional questions? Contact Dr. Jeffrey Wieskopf (jeffrey.wieskopf2@uhn.ca) or James Davies (james.davies@uhn.ca).

While it still may feel far off, spring is headed our way! As we move out of a snowy winter, there’s no better time to refresh your style and home! Be sure to register for your Perkopolis account to browse exclusive offers on the latest in fashion, home decor and more. 

In the March document, you will find all the necessary information to register for your account. Be sure to register now and save this season!

If you have any questions you can contact Perkopolis customer service through live chat, phone, or email.