POLINA HAPCO
Hi, I am Polina Hapco, a Registered Provisional Psychologist, and the most important thing to know about me is that I am passionate about my work and supporting people. My goal is to make a contribution to our world, where we as people choose to act from a place of love and dignity, where we live in accordance to our values and we care about those that surround us.
When problems are taking a hold of your life, when you feel there must be a better way to live. When you are lacking that vision of where you want to go from here, or that life has any meaning at all; when you are feeling lonely, isolated, unsupported - therapy is one of the best options.
Healing starts when you no longer want to be in a place of pain and despair. When you are willing to do something different, even though you might not know what that "different" is all about.
On my own journey, seeking a counselor has been life-saving. I had to decide that I was going to give myself a fair chance to get something out of my therapeutic process; which required time and resources, and it was worth it. It took me a while to learn how to trust again, to feel seen, and to regain my voice. I noticed after a while that what I had to say mattered, that my gifts were not disposable; that I was adding value to other people's lives through what was unique in me. This is the type of process we can undergo together.
If you are an individual and you are experiencing relationship problems; feeling depressed, anxious and lonely; struggling at your job; having low self-esteem; you have been through overwhelming situations that left a long lasting effect on you. Are you looking for ways to become more in tune with yourself; learn to connect to others and find meaning in your life, then you are the person I would like to work with.
If you are a couple and you struggle with relationship stress, conflict management, overcoming infidelity, wanting to find out if it's worth staying together or if it's better to separate, parenting differences, lack of intimacy, connection and communication? Therapy can help with that and tap into those positive aspects that brought you together in the first place. You will learn to understand one another better.
If you are a child, at least 8yrs old or a teenager, and struggling with school, relating to peers, teachers, parents, experiencing anxiety and depression; if you feel socially isolated or are dealing with social anxiety and you want to learn self-regulation skills - then I can be of help to you. I also have extensive experience with supporting parents and creating long term strategies to try at school, and at home. Kids can learn how to solve their own problems if the right support is in place. I use a systemic approach to working with children.
If you are a family, and are finding your interactional patterns to be challenging, don't know what else to try and how to better relate with your family members, are feeling defeated in how you communicate or handle fights and disagreements, feel unsupported or alone within the family - I would love to be your therapist. Your family is so important throughout your life and the connection to your family members needs to be nurtured intentionally so it becomes a source of support and love instead of causing stress and heartache.
If you are an immigrant to Canada, and don't know how to fit in, how to feel more comfortable in a new environment, if you are experiencing isolation and are grieving the loss of your support system and you're trying to redefine your life in this new environment, please don't hesitate to look for help, you are not alone in this experience.
We can better our condition and are capable of many great things, as long as we live and learn and don't let problems take over.
I have a Master's Degree in Family and Social Psychology, and previous experience working with families with young children and adults with disabilities. I'm additionally trained in Narrative Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Gottman Method Couples Therapy, and I draw from a variety of different modalities in my work. Some examples include: Collaborative Problem Solving Model and Person-Centered approach for kids and teenagers; Emotionally Focused Therapy, and Imago Couples Therapy in couples work, as well as Psychodynamic theories.
If it sounds like we may be a good fit, feel free to contact our office for an appointment or book online if that is more convenient. I would be honoured in meeting with you.