Elvera Watson, MSW, RSW, RPT

For more than twenty years, I’ve been supporting children, teens, young adults, and families through some of the hardest and most confusing times of their lives. My approach is trauma‑informed, relational, and creative — but at the core, I’m simply someone who believes people heal best when they feel genuinely seen and understood. I draw from an eclectic approach from modalities such as CBT, ACT, Solution Focused, Mindfulness, EMDR, Expressive Therapies, and Crisis Intervention, and I shape the work around what you need. I’m also trained in Mental Health First Aid, Psychological First Aid, and Critical Incident Stress Debriefing, and I bring a strong background in mental health promotion and creating psychologically safe workplaces — because healing doesn’t just happen in therapy rooms; it happens in the environments we live and work in. And when life is crumbling and you can’t find your way through the chaos, I offer a steady hand and a place to land — a calm, grounded presence while you find your footing again. As a Registered Play Therapist and attachment‑focused clinician, I love working with children and teens in the ways they naturally communicate: through play, movement, imagination, and creativity. Those spaces often reveal the things that feel too big or too tangled to put into words. Through play and expressive work, I help young people build regulation, strengthen connection, and discover who they are and form strong bonds with the adults in their world. I also support individuals navigating eating disorders, approaching this work gently and without judgment. I understand how trauma, identity, coping, and the body can get woven together, and I walk alongside clients as they rebuild trust — in themselves, in their bodies, and in the therapeutic process. People often describe me as calm, grounded, and deeply attuned. I listen to what you say, but also to what you feel. My goal is to create a space where you don’t have to rush, hide, or pretend — a space where healing feels possible. Over the years, I’ve worked in schools, community programs, hospitals, clinical practices, and multidisciplinary teams. These experiences have shaped how I understand the systems around young people and the importance of working together to support families. What keeps me inspired after two decades is the resilience I see every day — the courage of kids, youth, and families who let me walk alongside them. Whether I’m sitting on the floor playing with a child, helping a teen explore who they’re becoming, or supporting a family through a tough season, I bring warmth, skill, and genuine care to every relationship. Clinician competencies: • ADHD • Adjustment Disorder • Alcohol Abuse • Anger & Emotional Expression • Anxiety/Generalized Anxiety Disorder • Asthma with Panic Disorder • Autism Spectrum Disorder • Behavioural Challenges & Emotional Regulation • Bipolar Disorder • Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviours • Body Image/ Body Dysmorphia • Burnout • Chronic Ilness & Health Related Stress • Colitis/IBS/Gastrointestinal Issues • Depression/Major Depressive Disorder/Dysthymia • Developmental Delays • Eating Disorders • Emotion Regulation • Excoriation/Dermatillomania (Skin picking) • Gender Dysphoria • Giftedness • Grief/Loss • Health Anxiety • Hypertension • Insomnia/Sleep Problems • Internet Addiction • Learning Disabilities • Migraines • Motor Vehicle Accidents • Non-Substance/Behavioural Addictions • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder • Pain Management • Panic Disorder • Parental Coaching/Support • Perfectionism • Performance Anxiety • Personality Disorders • Phobias • Premenstrual Syndrome • Post-Concussion/Traumatic Brain Injuries • Pre-natal and Post-partum related issues • Procrastination • Psychotic Disorders/Schizophrenia • Relationship and Family Challenges • Selective Mutism • Self-Esteem and Identity • Self-Harm • Sensory Sensitivity • Separation Anxiety for Children • Social Anxiety • Stress • Substance Use • Suicidality • Test Anxiety • Tourette's Syndrome • Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling) • Trauma/PTSD • Vocational interests/Coaching • Weight management • Anxiety/mood med withdrawal • Women's health Populations served: • Adolescents • Adults • Adults with Cognitive Impairments • Adults with Physical Impairments (hearing loss, vision loss, amputation etc...) • Children • Couples • Families • Family Health Teams • First Responders • LGBTQIAS2+ community • Older Adults (65+) Treatment modalities: • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy • Attachment Therapy • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia • Compassion Therapy • Cognitive Processing Therapy • Crisis Intervention • Dialectical Behavior Therapy • Emotion Focused Therapy • Exposure and Response Prevention • Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing • Expressive Therapies • Habit Reversal Training (BFRBs) • Internal Family Systems Theory • Mindfulness Therapy • Narrative Therapy • Play Therapy • Solutions Focused Treatment • Trauma Informed Treatment • BIPOC Treatment Please note that our associates work with many presenting issues, some of which are not listed in this biography. Please speak with our intake team at 416-363-4228 for more information.