Michael Dawson

Focus: Adolescents, Adults, Youth Issues, Self-esteem, Teen-Parent Relationships, Mental Health Issues, post divorce, Problematic Behaviour, Anger Management, Interpersonal Conflict, Identity, Communication

I am registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and have an Honours Bachelors of Science in Psychology and Crime and Deviance.

I was an English kid growing up in 1980s Montreal, who, in a hockey town, spent all his time training to compete at the provincial and national level in the martial arts. Is it any surprise I was socially awkward, bullied, with self-esteem and anger issues? Luckily, I found a therapist to help me, it was his skill and kindness that inspired me to pursue a career counselling at risk youth, adults and their families. I started out focused on youth in conflict with the law, and later I founded a program supporting special needs youth, where counselling their parents reminded me that I am a much better therapist than administrator.

I am the proud single-parent of a pair of wonderful young men, and while my years as a counsellor have allowed me to help many teens and their families overcome the behavioural and emotional effect of various child hood events, it has also robbed my boys of the hoped for shock value of their rebellious fun.

Often, we allow the world around us to make us believe that the latest and greatest thing (job, hobby, promotion, toy, gadget, house car) will make us happy, and to dictate our identity and loves. I know that you have the strength and knowledge inside you to overcome these traps. I won’t be yet another voice telling you who and what to be, as it is not my role to lead you. I am here to walk with you and point you towards your truths, to encourage you to walk towards them, to help you remember the reasons behind your passions, all so you rediscover the satisfactions and joys in life.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” (H. Jackson Brown Jr., P.s. I love you, 2000)

At it’s most basic that is how I see my role, to walk with you as you throw off the ropes holding you back from dreaming, exploring and discovering your identity and passions. At the end of our journey together I want you to be in a better place than when we met.