therapy that meets you where you’re at
confidential and judgement-free therapy for students, young adults & the secretly overwhelmed
hi, i'm sue.
And welcome.
First things first: good on you for being here. Exploring therapy, learning about the theories behind it, and figuring out what feels right for you all take courage. And finding a therapist who helps you feel safe, understood, and genuinely heard can make a real difference.
So, welcome. And take your time. You’re worth it.
I created In The Vault as a space where you can show up as your authentic self and feel seen, heard, and supported. You’ll be met without judgment, in a space grounded in safety and confidentiality, where you can be honest about what’s really going on. Our time together is an opportunity to set things down, make sense of what life is asking of you, and give voice to the thoughts and feelings that may be difficult to name or understand, but are worth exploring.
You don’t have to navigate life’s harder moments alone. Group chats, friends, and family can offer connection and support, but sometimes it helps to have a space that’s just for you. A place where you can slow down, sort through what’s happening, and say what’s on your mind without worrying about how it might be received or feeling responsible for anyone else’s feelings.
Wherever you are in your adulting journey, your goals and what matters to you will guide the work we do together. My role is to support you in building a life that feels aligned with who you are and what you value. Together, we can make room for the uncomfortable, while also making space for hope, humour, and genuine connection.
You don’t have to have it all figured out. This is a place to start figuring it out.
navigating your adulting era?
In The Vault is a confidential space for navigating the challenges, changes, and uncertainty that come with this stage of life. Whether it's careers, relationships, independence, or the big decisions that may shape your future, you don't have to figure it all out alone.
You may appear to have it all together while secretly carrying thoughts, emotions, or struggles that others may not see. You may feel quietly overwhelmed, disconnected, or like you're not moving toward the life you want. Life may feel anxious.
For some, life has always carried challenges beneath the surface. For others, things once felt manageable until a major transition, unexpected change, loss, relationship shift, or new responsibility altered the balance.
In The Vault is a place to make sense of your experiences, feel heard and understood, and reconnect with yourself and the life you want to create.
therapy that works with student life
I’m also committed to making therapy accessible and realistic for the realities of student life:
virtual
for support
availability
coverage
scale
student therapy and support that speaks your language
So, I don’t mean to brag but… I’m pretty fluent in the varsity experience.
I support university students and recent graduates, including those in engineering, AEO programs, the arts, aviation, med-sci, and everything in between. Many of my clients are also varsity athletes, balancing the demands of training and competition with academics, relationships, and everything else that weighs heavy outside their sport. I also work with students in professional programs such as teaching, HBA business, dentistry, and I have a growing number of clients in medicine as well as chiropractic and naturopathic medicine programs across Ontario.
University environments bring their own particular pressures: high expectations, intense workloads, uncertainty about the future, big transitions, new friendships and environments, changes in relationships, and the sometimes unspoken feeling that there’s no room for error when everyone around you seems to be keeping it together.
As an instructor at Western’s Faculty of Education, I held office hours where students quietly disclosed their overwhelm and what they were experiencing beneath the surface. I proctored exams and witnessed academic anxiety play out in real time: the panic, the pressure, the blanking, and that intense feeling that everything was riding on that one exam.
Later, as part of my own career change, I was embedded in a Western University residence as a student art therapist. This gave me an even deeper understanding of what can happen beneath the surface - the loneliness, the overwhelm, the expectations, the family pressures, the challenges with relationships, and the very real struggle of figuring life out while also trying to get through school.
With hundreds of hours working exclusively with varsity clients, I understand that what you’re carrying isn’t always visible to the people around you.
And I bring no judgment to any of it. None.
I see you. I hear you. I get you. And I’m here to support you through it.
anxiety therapy curated for you: reel therapy v. real therapy
Clients often arrive having already witnessed the internet’s version of therapy -memes and reels telling you to be kinder to yourself; to stop overthinking; to set boundaries; or to practice more self care. But social media rarely answers the question that actually matters: How? And it certainly doesn’t help you work your way through it.
Let me put you onto something: you consume therapy content, but you experience therapy.
Witnessing isn’t the same as doing. Reading a recipe doesn’t make you healthier. Watching a workout reel doesn’t make you stronger. My role is to help you bridge the gap between getting it and doing it.
I work with clients to turn insight into action and, ultimately, real change. Not a one-size-fits-all program, but a private, supportive experience curated specifically around you, your needs and where you are at right now.
I am an Integrative Therapist, which in plain language means I draw from approaches that include Client-centred therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT). I am a Certified and Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) and a Certified Art Therapist. Not because you need to know what any of that means, but because you need to know this:
You don’t have to fit the therapy. I ensure the therapy fits you.
why "in the vault"?
A vault is one of the most universal symbols of safety, privacy, and protection. It is a place where something valuable is kept secure and accessed only with trust. That’s what I want therapy to feel like.
A private space where you can be completely yourself. No judgment. No performing. No need to have the right words or have it all figured out. What happens in the vault, stays in the vault.
But there’s another reason for the name.
Your mind is a vault, too. It holds your thoughts, feelings, experiences, memories, narratives, questions, and the things you might not feel ready (or know how) to say out loud. And sometimes that vault can feel heavy. Therapy gives us a space to open that vault, take an honest look at what’s inside, and make sense of it together.
You decide what gets opened, what gets released, and where we go from there.
therapy curious? you are not alone
5 questions to help you decide if therapy is right for you
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High expectations, constant responsibilities, and the pressure to succeed can leave you feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or emotionally exhausted. You may find it difficult to switch off, trust those around you, or make space for your own needs. Together we can help you manage these pressures while reconnecting with a sense of balance, confidence, and well-being.
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Adulting can be hard. You may be questioning your direction, relationships, career path, or what comes next. Together we can work to gain clarity, reconnect with what matters most, and move forward with greater confidence and purpose.
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Sometimes, life doesn't go as planned. A move, loss, shift in relationships, changes in family dynamics, or a new chapter of life can leave you feeling unsettled. Together, we can explore what these changes mean for you, work through the emotions that come with them, and help you move forward with greater clarity and confidence.
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Perhaps a thought, worry, experience, or situation keeps replaying in your mind. Together, we can explore it from a new perspective, help you make sense of it, and work toward letting it go.
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You might be surrounded by people but still feel like something is missing. You may even find yourself escaping into distractions rather than experiencing the deeper connections you want. Together, we can explore what's getting in the way and help you build the meaningful relationships that you value.
Therapy can help and finding the right therapist matters. Book a free consultation and let's see if In The Vault is right for you.
Not sure where to start, or what to even say? That's completely normal, and it's not something you need to figure out beforehand. A free consult is simply a chance to ask questions, get a feel for how I work, and decide - together - whether this is the right fit before you commit to anything.