Janaina Spady

Throughout my career in nursing and psychology, I have undertaken many different roles, experienced big life transitions, and learned how to draw on my life experience, in combination with my education and professional training, to support those I am caring for. My own lived experience as a medical professional has guided my training and my approach to supporting clients navigating both first-hand & vicarious trauma, stress & burnout, depression & anxiety, self-esteem, and relationship issues. 

I am passionate about working with individuals and couples who are navigating the impacts of infertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and loss. Throughout my 12 years as a registered nurse specializing in labour and delivery, I witnessed the cycles of joy and trauma that accompany these big moments and major life changes. I hold a unique understanding of the ways that these deeply personal and intimate experiences stir up a range of feelings, including anger, pain, isolation, hopelessness, and overwhelm. My work with both individuals and couples who are navigating these life events includes supporting them in exploring and understanding the impacts of these experiences on themselves and their relationship, processing trauma, navigating grief, and learning new tools to support them in the next phase of life. 

Having been a health care worker for many years, I know firsthand the intensity and demanding nature of a career in the medical field; and how challenging it can be to compartmentalize and separate professional identity from self identity. When your career is centered around taking care of others, it can feel foreign to prioritize taking care of yourself, and it’s typically you and your relationships that suffer. This lens allows me to support folks in the medical field by helping them process traumatic work-related experiences and reconnecting with the people, hobbies and interests that remind them of who they are beyond their work. 

I also enjoy supporting young adults navigating the confusion and challenges associated with managing the responsibilities of the present and the uncertainty of what future may hold, all while trying to enjoy their life. Transitions like entering the workforce upon graduation, working a first full time job, changing friend groups and establishing healthy relationships are complex and, sometimes, overwhelming. My goal is to support my clients in integrating the identity, role, and responsibility shifts with self-compassion and tangible tools to make these transitions smoother. 

In my clinical practice, I draw on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Existential Therapy, and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, and my couples’ work is supplemented by training in the Gottman Method. My therapeutic lens is informed by feminist and multicultural perspectives, which recognize the many factors that shape us as humans living in a complicated world. Finally, I bring a wealth of lived experiences from my nursing career, living in various rural and urban settings both in and outside of Canada, and, of course, my counselling training. 

I know how difficult it can be to share your most vulnerable experiences with someone, so I work hard to ensure that you feel heard and seen throughout our work together. Your life and experiences are yours alone; I don’t consider myself an expert on your life and will always centre your self-knowledge. I am honoured to walk alongside you in your therapeutic journey and can’t wait to learn about you and from you in our sessions.