Candice Beach

Gestalt Therapy: For Identity and Personal Exploration

I did my formal psychotherapy training at The Gestalt Institute of Toronto and this particular modality includes curiosity, creativity and the importance of person to person connection between therapist and client. Gestalt is powerful for those who are exploring their identity, in all the many forms that it can take and it’s especially 2SLGBTQ+ affirming.

A core part of my Gestalt training involved extensive personal work spending time in the client chair to deeply understand both sides of the therapeutic experience. This gives me an important perspective when working with people new to therapy. Gestalt is a great choice if you’re dealing with anxiety, stress, depression, grief and loss, feeling “stuck” in life, low self-esteem and intense feelings.

 

Somatic Experiencing: For Trauma and Deep Struggles

I was drawn to Somatic Experiencing because of its effectiveness in working with trauma, especially deep, long lasting trauma and C-PTSD. This approach helps you learn to listen to your body and understand the “why” behind your reactions and emotional responses.

Somatic Experiencing can be enlightening, as it often reveals that your nervous system is acting in protective ways. By exploring this mind-body connection, we work towards helping you trust in the truth of your body again and experience the world as a safer place.

 

My Path To Becoming A Therapist

I grew up in a small town, living on a multi-generation family farm. I remember always feeling a bit different and maybe too sensitive, struggling with anxiety and sadness without the words to explain those feelings. My curiosity about mental health began in grade school after an information interview with a local psychologist; the profession appealed to me as a way to better understand others as well as my own struggles.

I attended University of Guelph with the intention of becoming a Marriage & Family Therapist, but completing my undergraduate degree took time. After graduating, I paused further education to pay back my student loans. At this time, I was also supporting a partner through their transition from male to female and I landed a corporate job in Toronto. Somehow 6 years went by just living on autopilot and at some point along the way I recognized I was struggling and had lost my sense of self.

A layoff provided a much needed moment to take stock of my life. Using a severance package, I took time for personal development in a mindfulness community in rural Thailand. This was pivotal, bringing me clarity on issues of identity, trauma, confidence, and perfectionism. I returned with a new sense of direction and began training at the Gestalt Institute to become a psychotherapist.

Today, I am a full time therapist who continues to learn and grow. I identify as queer, and am in a relationship with my partner who is non-binary. I’m also a stepparent to a creative and active kiddo. I bring a commitment to personal exploration and lived experience into every session.

 

Grief & Loss

Grief isn’t just about death. Many people seek me out to process “living losses” grieving a life they didn’t get to live, the end of a relationship, an unanticipated postpartum experience, or a later in life discovery of their identity. I am here to give space to all forms of grief you are carrying, even the ones you worry you don’t have the “right” to feel. It’s these living losses that catch you by surprise, and may be minimized by those around you. We can help you to get to the other side, where the pain isn’t so sharp, and life becomes less harsh.

 

When you tend to Your Inner World, Your Outer Experience Changes Too

Deciding to start therapy can feel like a big step, and you have to decide for yourself if now is the right time. From my own experience, both as a therapist

and a client, I can say that talking to someone, and taking the time to explore your feelings and inner world very often leads to feeling more clarity about who you are, and how to embrace the things that bring you joy in life.