About Carrie McLlwain: Your compassionate guide to healing
I'm Carrie McLlwain, a transformational counsellor and a relationship coach in Toronto who also works with clients worldwide. I am committed to guiding individuals on a profound journey of self-discovery. With a holistic approach that nurtures the mind, body, and spirit, I create a warm nurturing space for individuals to move beyond old wounds, patterns, and limiting beliefs, empowering them to step into a life they genuinely desire.
Embarking on a holistic journey
With over two decades of experience in clinical practice, I bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to my work. My journey began with a Bachelor of Social Work degree from King’s College at Western University in 1999, followed by a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Toronto in 2002. As a registered practitioner with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and the Ontario Association of Social Workers, my commitment to ongoing learning is reflected in certifications such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, trauma assessment and treatment, and Sensorimotor therapy (level 2). Additionally, I am a certified relationship coach through New York Times best-selling author Katherine Woodward Thomas’ programs, including Calling in "The One” and Conscious Uncoupling.
Guiding principles: Love, freedom, and healing
I believe that everyone deserves to live a life of deep love with freedom from unnecessary suffering. I also know that life does not always offer this to us easily. Many of us have had heartbreaking experiences, even at the earliest of ages. Helping those who suffer to feel whole, happy and at peace is my mission.
Navigating a personal journey of healing
In my youth, an energetic, playful, and sensitive nature compelled me to explore the intricate dimensions of human connection and the profound complexities of life and love.
Having this sensitive nature, I often felt people’s pain and I took it into my own heart. Even though I possessed an exuberant love, I often felt a sadness, like something was missing or that something was wrong with me. I had no major trauma in my life, so this felt very confusing and reinforced that something must be wrong with me. I made it my mission to figure out why I suffered this way, and why others seemed to suffer as well, and how it can be healed.
While doing this, I continued to find happiness, love, excitement, and joy in my life. I would dabble in my personal therapy and self-development to try to relieve the slight heaviness in my heart and mind while carrying on with my life, a life that flowed fairly well. I was a therapist, I loved the work I did (working with children and families who experienced trauma), and I had three children and a husband who was also my best friend.
The pivotal juncture in my singular journey unfolded shortly after the arrival of my third child when a loved one's action shattered my world. I crumbled. It felt like my life was over, like I would never truly enjoy life again. Fuelled by an unwavering determination to rediscover happiness, I immersed myself in a diverse array of therapeutic approaches retreats, workshops, spiritual deep dives, herbs and tinctures, and spent thousands of dollars along the way. The healing came slowly. Over the course of several years I could feel more of my old self returning, but there was still a deep sliver in my soul that I just could not get out.
Then I stumbled across Katherine Woodward Thomas and her “Calling in The One” and “Conscious Uncoupling” work, and it brought all of my healing strategies and therapeutic approaches together. Her work helped me to connect in a deeper way to what I knew as a therapist and what I learned on my healing journey. I was able to see the deep wounds in me that I created through my experiences, and how I continued to show up in those wounded patterns which only led to more wounded beliefs and patterns.
When I started to create new patterns, my life started to change. Don’t get me wrong, everything that was painful wasn’t magically erased, but I implemented an approach to healing that I can use when life gets hard and my old wounds get activated, which is inevitable. I was so deeply moved that I decided to become a certified coach in Katherine’s work so that I could incorporate her approach into my therapeutic toolkit. I use Katherine’s work together with the sensorimotor, trauma-informed/attachment-based therapeutic approaches and ontological tools that I have used with clients for many years with great success. This approach really does work and it continues to uplift, inspire me and shift my life and the lives of others everyday. The work helps to transform confusion into clarity and suffering and despair into hope. There is a way through, let me show you.
A compassionate companion on your journey
Life will keep happening, people will continue to act in unconscious ways that are hurtful, however you don’t have to keep repeating your same patterns. The journey through sessions together will guide you through understanding the beliefs, wounds, and patterns that have kept you interpreting life and the actions of others in ways that have blocked you from living your best self and will then take you into your truth, your power, and ultimately into showing up as you best self to create the life you deeply desire.
Whether you're in the early stages of building your adult life, your relationship and career, or navigating the complexities of long-term relationships and family, I am here to walk alongside you. My approach is anchored in vulnerability, warmth, and authenticity, creating a safe space for exploration and growth.
Learning to increase personal awareness, developing a loving relationship with ourselves, and having the opportunity to explore patterns, wounds, and beliefs that can often block us from living our best life is crucial to creating a life we desire.
Have a safe, warm space to share your experiences
Challenge and repattern old limiting beliefs
Awaken to the subtle ways you have been relating to your life experiences that have been creating hurtful patterns in your life
See how life happens through us and not just to us
Feel, believe, and claim what is possible for your life
Evolve beyond the disappointing experiences in life
Align to your power to shift your patterns and create a happier, healthier life
Working with me you will:
Connecting through online services
I offer online services to accommodate your schedule and preferences. Phone sessions provide a convenient and comfortable way to explore your inner self. Beyond our sessions, I encourage you to integrate the tools into your daily life, reporting back on your progress. Together, we can transform confusion into clarity and despair into hope.
Whether you are navigating the challenges of early adulthood, personal relationships, supporting your family's growth, or working through any of life’s struggles I invite you to take the first step on your unique journey with a complimentary consultation. I am here to connect, guide, and support you as you awaken to the stories that may be holding you back and start living the life you truly desire.