Therapy for Individuals Experience Interpersonal Challenges in Toronto and Online in Ontario

Denise Wallis (Registered Social Worker) and Natasha Saini (Registered Psychotherapist) offer psychotherapy in Toronto (Denise only) and online in Ontario to help individuals who are experiencing challenges in their friendships, romantic relationships, relationships with family members or with co-workers. Please note that therapy is not a substitute for emergency care. If you are experiencing thoughts of harming yourself, feeling unsafe, or are unable to care for yourself, please seek immediate help by calling 911 or going to your nearest emergency department.

What are Interpersonal Challenges

Do you feel emotional distant from your friends and family? Are you having a difficult time making and keeping friends? Do you find yourself in frequent conflicts with those you care about most? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may be experiencing difficulties in maintaining healthy relationships. Our connections with the people around us are incredibly important and when our relationships are suffering, we tend to also experience emotional and mental difficulties.

No one relationship is perfect and inevitably we will encounter some type of challenge, whether it is with a co-worker, friend, or romantic partner. If we have developed unhealthy communication patterns or unsure of how to engage in conflict resolution, it can lead to important relationships falling apart. In the moment we may act in a way to protect ourselves or the relationship but may have unintended negative long-term consequences. These ways of responding may be influenced by many things including: personality, level of trust, and past experiences.

Signs You May Benefit from Therapy

If you notice repeated patterns in your relationships or receive similar feedback from others, therapy can help you understand and change these patterns. Or that friends, family and romantic partners are pointing out the same types of challenges that they experience when communicating with you then you may benefit from therapy.

How Therapy Can Help

It may feel strange coming to individual therapy to work on issues you are having in the relationships in your life, however this can be just the space you need to learn interpersonal skills to improve the relationships in your life. Therapy for relationship issues focuses on helping you learn how to connect, problem-solve, set-boundaries so that you are able to build long-lasting healthy relationships. Individual therapy can also help you learn more about your attachment style which may be affecting your relationships. If you have an insecure attachment style then attending individual therapy to work with your therapist on developing a more secure attachment style can help improve your relationships.

How often should I attend therapy?

When you begin therapy you should attend on a regular basis. This may mean sessions weekly or every other week. It can depend on how severe your symptoms are, your financial situation, your schedule and your treatment goals. It is important to have a conversation with your therapist about how frequently you want to attend sessions. As your situation improves you and your therapist may decide to have a longer period of time between sessions. If difficulties come up before your next scheduled appointment you can reach out to your therapist to see if they have availability.

What happens during the initial session?

Prior to your initial session you will have completed the intake forms which will include a depression screener and anxiety screener. It is also possible that based on what was discussed during the initial intake that your therapist may choose to send additional screening tools. The results of these screeners will be reviewed with you during your initial session. The therapist will also review the limits of confidentiality and talk about how therapy works. During this session the therapist will ask questions about topics such as

  • What made you seek therapy at this time?

  • How long have you been experiencing the challenge that brings you to therapy?

  • Have you received therapy in the past?

  • How you currently cope with difficult situations?

  • Who supports you and what your relationship is like with them?

  • Any past traumas you have experienced?

  • What a typical day for you looks like?

  • What are you hoping will be different if therapy is successful?

Based on the answer to these and many other questions you and your therapist will come up with treatment goals together. Your therapist may talk with you about different therapy modalities and how they can be helpful. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and say which if any therapy modality you feel you connect with. Your therapist may provide suggestions about articles, books or podcasts where you can learn more about the therapy modality. At the end of each session your therapist may suggest activities that you can complete between sessions that have the potential to help you reach your therapy goals.

Next Steps

We offer psychotherapy in Toronto and online across Ontario, provided by licensed therapists trained in evidence-based therapy Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT). Your therapist will explain the different approaches and you can determine what would be the best fit. Denise Wallis a Registered Social Worker offers in person therapy in Toronto near Danforth and Chester as well as virtual therapy throughout Ontario. Natasha Saini a Registered Psychotherapist offers virtual therapy throughout Ontario. Book a free 15-minute consultation to discuss your needs and see if therapy is a good fit. We aim to respond to all inquiries within 1 to 2 business days. All services are confidential and provided in accordance with Ontario privacy and professional standards.

This page was clinically reviewed by Denise Wallis, RSW, and Natasha Saini, RP. Last updated: [Oct, 2026].