Michael provides counselling and psychotherapy to adults aged 18 years and older. He can help you learn practical skills to manage mood challenges and deal with oppression. Michael can help you work through grief and loss, non-traditional relationships (i.e., open, polyamorous), your gender journey, and complex health or mental health challenges, including addictions. Michael is a goal-oriented therapist and works to ensure that each session is productive.
Michael brings compassion, collaboration, connection, and humour to build a positive therapeutic relationship with you. He believes that a healthy therapeutic relationship leads to better mental health outcomes. Michael aims to create a safe and comfortable space where you can share difficult thoughts, feelings, and situations and receive care, kindness, and acceptance.
Michael grounds his practice in anti-oppression, anti-racism and harm reduction frameworks. As a racialized queer and bilingual speaker (English and Tagalog), Michael uses a culturally sensitive and responsive approach to support you in therapy.
Master of Social Work, University of Toronto (2018)
Bachelor of Arts in Health & Society (Honours), York University (2015)
Interpersonal Psychotherapy – Level A (IPT Institute)
Trauma-Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy – Beginners & Advanced (Psychwire)
LGBT2SQ Foundations Course (Rainbow Health Ontario)
Affirmative Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for LGBTQ+ Youth (University of Toronto)
Indigenous Cultural Safety Training Certificate (Provincial Health Services Authority)
Mental Health First Aid for Adults Interacting with Youth (Mental Health Commission of Canada)
Trauma-Informed Care (Crisis and Trauma Resource Institute)
GAIN Q3 MI Certification (CAMH & Chestnut Health Systems)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (University of Toronto)
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (LivingWorks)
Motivational Interviewing (Gay Men's Sexual Health Alliance)
Community Services Certificate (George Brown College)
Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
Ontario Association of Social Workers