Carly Crawford (she/her)
Registered Psychotherapist/Owner of CCP
As a therapist I mainly practice from a trauma informed, humanistic and feminist lens. I understand the importance of providing care that is client centred and therefore work with clients to determine the best approach to their care together.
I consider this work to be the greatest gift you can give yourself. I acknowledge my privilege in my ability to provide care in this space.
When I work with clients, my goal is to help them see their strengths and identify their pain. Too often we are stuck in a spiral of emotions that we have no idea where they came from or what they are. I believe that with the right support we can heal wounds and experience tremendous growth when given the chance.
I have worked with individuals who were told they would never get better to those who have never stepped foot in therapy. Each and every person I meet is unique and worthy of care.
"Integrity, honesty and humility are the values I bring into my practice daily."
My clinical training is focussed around providing care that puts the client's needs first. I have pursued training in Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Family Based Treatment for Eating Disorders, Emotion Focussed Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and extensive Trauma Informed approaches to care. As a Psychotherapist my work is based on providing clinical interventions that help my clients to grow a deeper understanding of themselves along with developing skills to face life's challenges.
Academically my experience started with an Early Childhood Education Diploma. I thought I wanted to work with children until my experience in Undergrad at McMaster introduced me to a mental health course. My later studies include; Graduate studies in Clinical Behavioural Sciences, an Honours Degree in Health Studues and an Addictions Diplima from McMaster Univeristy and more recently attending Guelph University for Family and Couples therapy. All of this combined has helped me gain clarity in my approach to therapy which is constantly evolving. More recently I have pursued more training in supervision and I am passionate about supporting therapists in the field so that they can have a longer and more successful time doing this hard work. My approach is rooted in equal parts evidence and lived experience.
I have sat on various boards and worked in Mental Health Advocacy for more than ten years and I see the need that people have to receive timely and appropriate care. The decision to work in the for profit industry comes from the experiences and frustrations with the lack of understanding and availability of care in our more traditional and OHIP covered facilitates.
I have worked hard to attend trainings, volunteer on boards and act as an advisor in various capacities in my career to date;
-Member of the Ontario College of Registered Psychotherapists (CRPO)
-Membership with the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists (OACCPP)
-Member of the Academy for Eating Disorders
-Family Based Treatment for Eating Disorders Certification from the University of Chicago
-Member of the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
-Clinical Advisory for NIED (National Initiative for Eating Disorders)
-Clinical Advisor for Body Brave
-Complex training in DBT for Complex Disorders
-Founding member of the National Initiative for Eating Disorders (NIED).
-Invited speaker and chair of various public symposia and clinical panels on disordered eating (NIED)
-Co-Chair of the first of it's kind Canadian national Clinical Forum and "think-tank" meeting aimed at developing a National Strategy for Eating Disorders
What areas of practice and populations do you enjoy working with?
What modalities do you use? How would you describe your approach/style to this work?
I have always been known for my experience working with individuals with Eating Disorders (diagnosed or not). I will always enjoy working with this population. Both those impacted themselves and those supporting individuals who are fighting. I have a strong passion for working with people who have experienced trauma and focus most of my work from that lens. I will always find so much value in supporting women find their worth and take great pride in the work I do with women 25+. I have made it a priority to make space for men to walk in and be comfortable in this setting, and see tremendous value in working with men. I also have come to love working with couples in the last 5 years and see myself moving more towards this work as I age.
What prevents people from coming in and doing this work?
There are two main things preventing people from coming into this space. A lack of understanding of what therapy is and lack of resources.
Although I have formal training in a variety of modalities; I would describe my approach as trauma informed, client centred and emotion focussed. I approach most presentations with a strong focus on attachment and psychodynamic theories. I work with DBT, ACT and CBT with clients who are looking for more of a skills based approach. My clients would describe me as very down to earth, caring and intuitive.
How do you know you're the right fit for a client?
I know I'm the right fit for a client when I see the shift in their body language, usually sometime in the first session. I usually notice a softening of their eyes and a relief in their shoulders. That's how I know something has clicked.
"As a clinician, I am acutely aware of how important this job is. I will never take for granted the work that happens within the 60 minutes we have together."
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Hands down when someone says that they feel better after they leave. When you see someone who has so much pain get some relief, even if it's only for a moment.
What is the most surprising thing about you?
I think most people would be surprised that I love slowness. As a business owner, woman, mother etc I am very busy. As a woman, this often gets labeled as "stressed". I would love if that narrative changed. I enjoy all of the aspects of my busyness and also equally love a good track suit and weekend in. If you're in the therapy space with me, I think you will attest to my calm presence.
Lastly, I think people may be surprised to know that I was never the person who dreamt of having a practice like this. CCP is purely an experiment of "going with the flow"
What does CCP mean to you?
I couldn't answer the "what made you want to work with CCP";) CCP to me, means a lifeline. It's the thing that gave me hope when I needed it, the thing that has offered other therapists a chance at doing this work in a different way and ultimately a place that I hope is a lifeline for others.
What phrases or sayings have people used to describe their work with you?
People have described me and my approach to this work as empathetic, safe and "tough, but necessary". They have said that they appreciate that I don't walk on eggshells around hard topics, and equally make this work feel safe.
Why are you in this field of work?
I'm in this field because I see that it's necessary. Combined with my personal experience with a very broken system and the fact that every week I think about how much I love this work.
How do you help people who are not sure what to talk about in therapy?
I usually help client's figure this out by having a good conversation about consent in therapy. I help client's to feel safe with the process which often allows space for conversation to flow.
