Ivana Kolakovic

Ivana is a relational, trauma informed Gestalt psychotherapist. She has completed 5-year Psychotherapy training at the Gestalt Institute of Toronto, 3-year Somatic Experiencing training for trauma resolution (PSEP, 2021), and has a MA Degree in Women's and Gender Studies (Carleton University, Ottawa). She has worked deeply with people struggling with a range of emotions/experiences including grief, self-harm, suicidal ideation, anger, childhood abuse and psychosocial trauma (including war), post-immigration experiences, relationship difficulties, self-actualization, and self-esteem issues. She works from a humanistic, embodied and evidence-based framework and has additional training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and peer-based crisis response/suicide care strategies. As a trainer, facilitator and mental crisis worker, she has a rich experience providing front line support to people in crisis on local Toronto Distress Centre line, as well as National Canada Suicide Prevention line. In her therapy sessions, she works in a gentle, honest, intuitive, and creative way, and is passionate about seeing you step into your own power and resilience and beauty. She will support you to become curious about yourself and explore - with a lot of compassion - parts of your journey/psyche that have felt shamed, scared, abused, confused, and silenced, so you can feel clarity, relief, and congruence. Her practice is trans, queer, fat and sex worker affirming, and she welcomes those who want to explore their sexuality, gender identity, and alternative relationship styles.