The Practitioners

Audrey Barta

Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), MA, BScH

Audrey (she/her/hers) is a Registered Psychotherapist (qualifying) and co-founder of As You Are Psychotherapy and Wellness. Through years of working in community mental health and research specializing in trauma and addictions, her journey has brought her here to support others with a more one-on-one, long-term therapeutic relationship. Reflecting on her own experiences and the greater community, she has learned the importance of embodying who we are, where we come from and the strength we build from these aspects. Audrey will support you to deepen your understanding of yourself and assert your needs, wants, and desires as valid and deserving of respect. 

Sessions with Audrey are unique to you. Going to therapy can be intimidating, especially for the first time or with a new therapist, so she aims to make this process as comfortable and approachable as possible. Sessions will feel like conversations where you uncover what you want to explore in therapy and what ways of working resonate with you. Audrey will often guide conversations with questions and curiosity to gain understanding and frequently uses collaborative techniques and activities during sessions. Audrey emphasizes regularly checking in to chat about how the process is going for you.

Audrey’s approach is multi-faceted and informed by numerous theories, philosophies, and modalities. At its core is the therapeutic relationship and maintaining awareness of the quality of the connection as a therapist, and client. Audrey values that the counselling process prioritizes you as your whole self, including your current circumstances, intersectional identities, values, past experiences, and how you have been impacted by the current systems set in place, including family dynamics and the wider socio-political structures. Audrey’s goal is to build a space collaboratively, compassionately, and with non-judgement so that you feel safe to take the steps towards growth and healing.

“Healing means knowing you are worthy, exactly as you are”

Modalities

  • To explore, understand, and balance the complex internal system of parts within us to promote emotional healing.

  • To explore the quality and depth of our relationships and how this contributes to our personal growth and psychological well-being.

  • Prior to exploring past traumas, priority is placed on establishing a safe and stable environment within the therapeutic relationship and one’s life. This therapeutic process carefully considers one’s readiness to examine past experiences to ensure they feel a sense of safety and agency. 

  • To understand how unconscious processes, early life experiences, and relationships shape present behaviour and emotional connections with others.

  • To integrate the body and its physical experiences with emotional and psychological processing to promote healing and well-being.

Areas of Interest

LGBTQ2IAS+, Trauma, and Relationship Issues

  • Addiction, ADHD, Anxiety, Chronic Pain, Depression, Grief, Life Transitions, Family Conflict, Mood Disorders, Open Relationships, Consensual Non-Monogamy, Self-esteem, Self Identity, Stress, Substance Use, Women's Issues

  • Bachelor of Science (Honors), Major in Neuroscience, Minor in Psychology, University of Guelph 

    Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, Yorkville University 

    Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association CCPA Member #11246823

    College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario CRPO Member #14202

  • Somatic Experiencing Beginner 1, SE International, Kelowna, BC, 2024

    Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy, Field Trip Health, 2024

    Registered Yoga Teacher, YTT 200, 2022, Pokhara Yoga School, Nepal 

    Somatic Psychotherapy for Trauma Treatment, PESI, 2023

    Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (CPI), 2020, Good Shepherd Center, Hamilton, ON

    Safe-Talk and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) Certified, 2019, 2020

    Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Awareness Training, 2019, University of Guelph

    Anti-Oppression and Anti-Racism Awareness Training, 2019, University of Guelph 

Availability

Audrey is currently taking on new clients.

Virtual and phone sessions: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for morning, daytime and evening sessions

Danielle Benzaquen

Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), MA, BAH

Danielle is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) and co-founder of As You Are Psychotherapy & Wellness. Danielle became interested in psychology in middle school, recognizing her desire to help early on. After completing her undergraduate degree, she spent several years working in different areas of health and wellness. After experiencing much growth through life experience and self-exploration, Danielle felt a call to return to the psychology field. Danielle is passionate about helping people feel seen, understood, and valued while they embark on their self-care journeys.

Danielle’s goal as a therapist is to create a warm and welcoming environment where you feel safe and supported showing up as your authentic self. With Danielle, you will laugh, cry, and connect as you navigate your challenges, together. Her aim is for you to leave your sessions feeling lighter and more grounded.

Your sessions together will always be tailored to you in a warm and supportive atmosphere, free from pressure, expectations, or judgment. Your early sessions with Danielle will be about getting to know what brought you in, your goals, and the experiences that led you here. You will regularly review what’s working for you, and what isn’t, to make the most of your time together.

Danielle employs an integrative approach to create a strategy best suited to your comfort, experiences, and goals. That might mean task-oriented sessions to relieve acute symptoms, or more exploratory psychodynamic sessions to understand what experiences and relationships led you to the present. You’ll work collaboratively to meet your goals, whether they include active solutions or simply feeling seen and supported as you share your story.

”When we have the courage to walk into our story and own it, we get to write the ending”

– Brené Brown

Modalities

  •  To understand underlying emotional patterns and relationships.

  • To explore and integrate different aspects of your identity.

  • To address and reframe unhelpful thought patterns.

  • To reframe and rewrite your personal story.

  • To enhance your relationships and social connections.

Areas of Interest

Pregnancy, Prenatal, Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Anxiety, Birth Trauma, Reproductive Trauma

  • Anxiety, Body Positivity, Depression, Family Conflict, Grief, Life Coaching, Life Transitions, Mood Disorders, Parenting, Peer Relationships, Relationship Issues, School Issues, Self Esteem, Stress, Trauma and PTSD, Women's Issues

  • Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Psychology, University of Guelph

    Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, Yorkville University

    Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association CCPA Member #11245953

    College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario CRPO Member #13810

  • Perinatal Mental Health Training, CPMHT (2022)

    Birth and Reproductive Trauma Training, CPMHT (2022)

    Anxiety Certification Course: Integrate CBT and Exposure & Response Prevention for Treatment of GAD, Panic Disorder, OCD, Social Anxiety, & Phobia, PESI (2023)

    Advanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, PESI (2023)

    Motivational Interviewing (MI): Evidence-Based Skills to Motivate Clients Toward Change, PESI (2023)

Availability

Danielle is currently taking on new clients.

Virtual and phone sessions: Wednesday daytime sessions, and Thursday evening sessions