It’s quite a remarkable and humbling experience to have to write a brief synopsis of yourself, especially in this line of work. To run praise about academic accomplishments, affiliations and vocational successes is great of course – these wins are not to be understated. But I’d like to believe that beyond those wins, my experiences and personal pits [and peaks] have been paramount in shaping who I am as a therapist. 

 My name is Tara Fiodorowicz and I am a registered psychotherapist with a professional background working in non-profit organizations and private rehabilitation centres. I have a bachelor, graduate and master’s degree from York University, Humber College and Yorkville University, respectively. I have focused the majority of my career on supporting people experiencing homelessness, poly-victimization, addiction, severe mental illness and chronic relapse and in lieu of that aid, I have developed a passion for being a support person to people in crisis and those debilitated by life’s chance circumstances.

My therapeutic approach, while clinical where appropriate, is one that meets individuals where they’re at. Utilizing an integrative and humanistic counseling style, incorporating and drawing from cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, talk therapy, solutions-focused brief therapy and cognitive processing therapy, I believe that healing and recovery is holistic and often times, it takes components from multiple modalities to create the almost perfect recipe for success. With the word “success” being used quite liberally here, I also believe in the trial and error that comes with healing and recovery.  And I encourage those I work with to understand that it may not work the first time and it may not work consistently, but that’s OK! More than this, I encourage the people I work with to understand that success looks different at different points and in different chapters of life.

Speaking to that “pit and peak” bit, I am also no stranger to the trials of healing and the confusion that comes when you grapple with dated uncanny decisions, guilt, shame, addiction, adverse relationship dynamics…I could go on. And while I am no expert in anyone’s story but my own [most times], I’d like to believe that my experiences have made ME value therapeutic rapport all the more, and the PEOPLE I work with value my compassionate but tough love approach to healing. I once had a client of mine refer to me as the “most gracious ballbuster” she knew and because of the relationship we had, I couldn’t help but be sincerely complimented and honuored. Go figure!

In my work, I value respect, curiosity, humility, humanity, responsibility, growth, perspective and humour. And I strive to ensure these values are woven into every interaction I have with the people that I work with.