Keli Bellaire (she/her pronouns)
"Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare"
- Audre Lorde
Keli
Bellaire
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Welcome! Thank you for your interest in my practice.
I work with individual youth & adults, ages 12+ who are hurting and want a change in their life. By exploring what brought you to therapy – such as early life experiences, past or recent traumas, current life stressors, emotional distress, relationship struggles, feeling stuck or unsatisfied with life – we will work towards building a deeper understanding of yourself and where your pain comes from.
My goal is to work with you to lessen your suffering. I will support you in moving towards well-being, whatever that looks and feels like for you.
The values at the core of my work are: integrity, compassion, justice, and critical hope
I believe you are the expert in your own experience and needs. As your therapist I will stand with you as you do the hard work of healing; to be with you in solidarity, in support, and with genuine acceptance.
I am located in Toronto, Ontario and can work online with clients from anywhere in the province.
About Keli
Image by D. Loewenstein 2021
"How would I live if I knew I was exactly what was needed to heal the world?"
- Rachel Naomi Remen
I am a warm, caring, and passionate person. I identify as white, queer, cis-female and am a mama of 2 young kids. I grew up in a small town and now live & practice in Toronto.
I have been involved in social justice activism and worked in the non-profit community sector for over 20 years as a frontline youth worker, peer educator, program coordinator, and counselor. I worked in the fields of gender-based violence, youth rights, popular education, housing, sexual health, Indigenous solidarity, migrant rights, and transformative justice.
Through my past work I learned about the healing power of sharing our stories; about humility, and how much more I will always have to learn; about the courage it takes to try to change one’s life and the resiliency people can show in the face of injustice.
I come to this work as a therapist with a commitment to personal & collective healing. I believe that when we heal the world heals, and when the world heals we heal.
Professional Qualifications
I am a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) and have been practicing since 2020. I am also a member of the Canadian Association of Psychodynamic Therapists (CAPT) and have a Diploma in Psychotherapy from a 5-year psychodynamic training program.
What does “RP (Qualifying)” mean?
The CRPO requires its members to have a period of “Qualifying” after they are done their training. It means that I have to write an exam and get some more supervision hours. Insurance companies do cover my work if your plan covers Registered Psychotherapists.
As a lifelong learner I continue to attend trainings to broaden my knowledge & strengthen my work. To maintain my professional accountability I participate in regular clinical and group supervision.