Individual Therapy

You're holding it all together. That's the problem.

You show up. You perform. You get things done, at work, at home, for everyone but yourself. And underneath it, your nervous system has been running on survival mode for longer than you'd like to admit.

Individual therapy at Asentriarc Wellness is one-on-one support for high-achieving adults across Ontario and Nova Scotia who are functioning on the outside and running on empty underneath. This is trauma-informed, nervous system-aware care, not a quick fix, but a real place to land.

The exhaustion isn't a personal failure

Chronic stress, unresolved trauma, burnout, difficult relationships, big life transitions. These don't show up as one clean problem. They show up as irritability, people-pleasing, a body that won't settle, a mind that won't stop scanning for the next thing to manage.

You've likely tried to push through it. Read the books, optimized the routine, told yourself to just be more resilient. And still, something in you is tired in a way that rest alone hasn't touched.

There's a reason for that. And there's a way through it that doesn't require you to fall apart first.

What individual therapy actually looks like here

Individual therapy is dedicated one-on-one time with a therapist who is trained to work with trauma, burnout, and nervous system dysregulation, not just talk about your week. Sessions are virtual, so you can meet from wherever you are in Ontario or Nova Scotia.

Many sessions draw on the STEER Method, a five-step nervous system regulation framework created by our founder, grounded in polyvagal theory, somatic therapy, and attachment science. STEER stands for Stop and State, Trigger and Threat, Emotion, Environment, and Regulate. It gives you a repeatable way to notice what's happening in your body and mind, and to move through it with more steadiness.

This work is well suited to people navigating burnout, complex trauma, career pivots, identity shifts, people-pleasing patterns, and the particular exhaustion of being the one everyone else relies on.

Who you'll work with

Individual therapy is delivered by:

  • Sarah Ferland Doherty, MSW, RSW, Founder and Lead Therapist, and creator of the STEER Method. Her focus is trauma recovery and nervous system support.

  • Jennifer Accursi, MSW, RSW, working with trauma, anxiety, and depression, with a focus on building safe, empowering spaces for healing.

  • Stephanie Ebreo, MBA, MACP, RP (Qualifying), bringing a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive lens to burnout, identity shifts, and career or workplace stress.

All three practice under Asentriarc's clinical supervision model and bring a warm, non-clinical approach to serious work. Sessions are LGBTQ+ affirming.

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What to expect

  1. Free 15-minute consultation. A low-pressure conversation to see if this is the right fit, with no obligation.

  2. Your first sessions. Time to build safety and start understanding your patterns, at a pace your nervous system can actually keep up with.

  3. Ongoing care. Regular sessions where the STEER Method and trauma-informed talk therapy support real, sustainable change over time.

What this can open up

  • A steadier relationship with your own emotions and triggers

  • Language and tools for what's happening in your body, not just your head

  • More capacity to set boundaries without guilt

  • A therapist who understands that rest is productive, not indulgent

  • A framework, the STEER Method, that you can return to long after sessions end

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Yes. Many clients come to us feeling burnt out, overwhelmed, or stuck, without a formal diagnosis. You don't need one to start.

  • Sessions happen over secure video from wherever you are in Ontario or Nova Scotia. Many clients find it easier to be fully present without the logistics of an in-person visit.

  • Our individual therapy is one-on-one. If family dynamics are part of what's bringing you in, we support that through your own individual work.

  • We don't bill insurance directly, but many extended health plans reimburse for Registered Social Worker (RSW) and Registered Psychotherapist (RP) services. Check your plan for those designations.

Ready to come home to yourself?

You don't have to keep white-knuckling your way through. Individual therapy is a place to slow down, understand your nervous system, and build something steadier than survival mode.

Get Started