Derek Cassidy
MSW, RSW
(he/him/they/them)
Registered Social Worker
AREAS OF FOCUS
- Relationships and Attachment
- Complex, Relational Trauma
- Sexuality and Sexual Health
I am a genderqueer social worker, and I offer individual, couples, and group therapy with Umbrella. My work over the past decade has predominantly centered 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in various community health, mental health, and clinical settings. I approach my work with a strong sense of curiosity, compassion, and an interest in the systemic and structural factors that influence our experiences of mental health and general wellbeing.
“Take note of what is uncomfortable; that is where we grow.”
My intention in our sessions is to nurture a relationship that balances security, curiosity, and moments of discomfort. Therapy can be challenging at times, and we will work together to find a sweet spot that centers safety and trust without shying away from tough questions. This is the foundation from which we can explore complex topics, to push up against difficult emotions, and to interrogate stuck points.
We may work well together if you are looking for a space to: understand, regulate, and transform your emotions; process adverse experiences or relational trauma (e.g., abuse, neglect, enmeshment); examine patterns and dynamics in your relationships (e.g., that one argument that happens over and over); negotiate (or renegotiate) relationship structures (e.g., non-monogamy, opening or closing, living together); or work through rupture towards repair and reconnection.
In my psychotherapy practice, I predominantly draw from Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) and Schema Mode Therapy. I emphasize the use of “parts” work and experiential exercises in session to facilitate direct engagement with emotions and different parts of self. I am a registered social worker with Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW), and I am a member with the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT) and the Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW).