Cory Pisiak
MEd, CCC

When I work with people I often feel like the world outside of the counselling space disappears, and what matters most is the connection I have with my clients. If you decide to begin therapy with me, my focus would be on your personal experience. I strive to create a space where people feel heard, understood, and accepted. Although I have worked with, and I am still open to working with, a wide diversity of clients, I am particularly proud of my extensive experience supporting members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community.

The heart of my counselling approach is Existential Therapy. I get curious about what my clients yearn for, and how that relates to fundamental concerns of the human condition. Although I do not expect complete transparency at the onset, my hope is that my clients gradually engage in counselling more authentically, and ideally also in their lives outside it. You may be unsure of what you care about, and that is a normal experience. You may discover that you care about a lot more than you thought you did through the counselling process with me. By understanding what matters most to you, you may find that actionable steps you considered impossible or not worth it are not anymore. It takes a lot of courage to be yourself, and I want to walk alongside you on that journey.

That said, I recognize that not every client responds the same to a counselling approach, so I would regularly draw from other approaches to tailor our work to your needs. My favourite complement to Existential Therapy is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which adds concrete skills that can help with situations such as experiencing unwanted thoughts or emotions. These skills will help you engage in your life in a manner that aligns with your values. Other examples of approaches I may incorporate are Gestalt and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

If you are feeling lost or that it is hard to be excited about life anymore, I encourage you to reach out to me. Together, we can explore what makes life worth living.