Clinical Psychologist

Michelle Sorensen, the founder of the Resiliency Clinic, is a registered clinical psychologist with 25 years of experience providing counselling and psychological services for a wide range of personal problems and clinical issues. In her role as the founder and clinical director of the Resiliency Clinic, Michelle supervises the clinical work of a team of over 20 therapists and interns, and provides ongoing training and support for the provision of therapy for both individuals and couples. As the clinical supervisor, she is always available for questions, feedback and concerns from clients.

Michelle periodically accepts new clients into her own practice, focussing on leadership counselling and parent coaching (this includes parents of adult children). However, all clients who reach out via the website, email or phone, will usually hear back directly from Michelle to help match them to the right therapist for them. This personal approach is a core value at Resiliency Clinic. Clients are welcome to request a call or email from Michelle at any time to help match them to the best therapist for them!

Michelle believes in a collaborative model for therapy, based on her view that there are two experts in the room, both client and therapist. She sees the role of practitioners as being very active, taking the lead when clients need guidance, and promotes this approach at the clinic and in her own clinical work. Therapists need to be good listeners, but their role is far more than passively listening. She believes that the best therapy is focused on gaining insight into the connections between our thoughts, moods, behaviours and physical symptoms (the essence of well done cognitive behavioural therapy), and then moving forward with change at a pace that works for the client. She also believes that while clients are responsible for their own change, our environments and life circumstances are part of how resilient we are and many people face adversity that must be validated and acknowledged, and in some cases grieved. 

Michelle has been registered with the Ontario College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario since 2006, first as a Psychological Associate and now as a Psychologist.  Michelle is also a member of the Ontario Psychological Association. She has been in private practice since 2002, initially under the supervision of other esteemed and experienced psychologists, during her years of supervised practice in Toronto, Ontario. 

She completed her Bachelor of Arts, Honours with first-class standing in 1997 at Queen’s University, and then graduated from her Master in Counselling Psychology at OISE at the University of Toronto in 2000. Michelle is a mother to four busy teenagers, and loves being involved in the Ottawa community and supporting other local small businesses.