Michelle Régnier
About Michelle
Their own wordsEducation and Training:
Michelle Régnier is a Registered Social Worker (MSW, RSW) with over 20 years of experience
in social services, beginning her career in 2003 as a healthcare and social justice activist in
Ontario. She holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Waterloo, Faculty of Health,
with a focus on holistic, client-centred care informed by Indigenous values and traditions. She
also earned a Bachelor of Social Work with a minor in Political Science from McGill University.
Michelle holds a Certificate in Thanatology from Humber College, with specialized training in
grief, bereavement, and end-of-life care, supporting both individuals and their loved ones
through loss and life-limiting illness. She also completed post-graduate training in Behavioural
Science, with a focus on neurodiverse populations and understanding human behaviour across
the lifespan through social, cultural, and biological perspectives.
Her clinical training includes a range of evidence-based therapeutic approaches, including
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT),
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), solution-focused
interventions, mindfulness-based practices, and somatic techniques. Michelle’s areas of practice include chronic illness, grief and bereavement, trauma, neurodiversity, and complex mental health concerns.
Michelle currently provides counselling and program facilitation at Wellspring Cancer Support Foundation, offering short-term individual and family counselling, as well as facilitating support groups and specialized programs. She also offers culturally responsive therapy to First Nations clients and NIHB participants, integrating an understanding of the historical, social, and cultural contexts that influence mental health, including intergenerational trauma and systemic inequities.
Her professional background also includes acute care social work at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Humber River Health, as well as community mental health, educational, and research settings across Toronto and Montréal. Michelle has worked extensively with individuals, families, and interdisciplinary teams in both hospital and community-based environments.
Therapeutic Approach:
Michelle practices from a trauma-informed, strengths-based, and anti-oppressive lens. She values collaboration, respect, and emotional safety, and works alongside clients to identify goals that feel meaningful and attainable. Her approach is grounded in an understanding of how personal experiences, relationships, culture, and broader systems shape mental health and well-being. Therapy is tailored to each client’s unique needs, pace, and values, integrating evidence-based modalities such as:
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
- Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
- Somatic Therapy Techniques
Skills and Areas of Expertise:
- Life transitions and adjustment
- Chronic illness, cancer survivorship, and end-of-life care
- Grief and bereavement
- Trauma and intergenerational trauma
- Emotional regulation and resilience-building
- Anxiety, depression, and mood-related concerns
- Eating disorders
- Interpersonal and relational challenges
- Supporting neurodiverse individuals and their caregivers
Languages
English
Personal Background:
Michelle is Métis and originally from the Métis Homeland of Winnipeg, Manitoba. She relocated
to Toronto in 2000 and has lived and worked internationally, including in Ireland, Australia, and
China. Her lived experience and cross-cultural exposure inform a nuanced understanding of
identity, intersectionality, and the ways culture and context influence mental health.
As a cancer survivor and someone with lived experience of intergenerational trauma, Michelle
brings empathy, depth, and authenticity to her clinical work. She strives to create a therapeutic
space that is grounded, compassionate, and supportive, where clients feel seen, respected, and
empowered in their healing journey.
Memberships:
Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW)
Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW)
- Often treats
- ADHDAnxietyAsperger's SyndromeAutismBinge eating disorder (eating disorders)Body ImageChronic Pain or IllnessCommunicationDepression
+9 moreShow fewer
Grief, loss, bereavementInsomniaPost-traumatic stress Disorder (PTSD)Relationship IssuesSelf EsteemSex, sexuality, intimacySleep DisorderStressTrauma - Sees
- Adults (18+) · Children (under 12) · Families · LGBTQ2+ · Seniors (65+) · Teens (13-17)
- Trained at
- Master of Social Work degree from the University of Waterloo · Bachelor’s degree in Social Work with a minor in Political Science from McGill University · Certificate in Thanatology from Humber College · Diploma in Behavioural Science with a focus on neurodiverse populations
- Credentials
- Master of Social Work (MSW) · Registered Social Worker (RSW)
- Member of
- Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) · Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW)
2-3 Person Family Social Work/Psychotherapist VisitNew patient
4 options2-4 Person Family Social Work/Psychotherapist VisitNew patient
4 options2-6 Person Family Social Work/Psychotherapist VisitNew patient
4 optionsIndividual Social Work/Psychotherapist VisitNew patient
12 optionsOpenings checked 37 min ago · prices come straight from the clinic — never marked up
Book with Michelle
Ailio never charges you a booking fee.
Wed 26 2 openings
2 openings on Wed 26 · 10 in the days ahead
2 openings on Wed 26 · 10 in the days ahead
Afternoon
Pick a time above
No account needed to see how to book this time.
Prefer the clinic’s own site? tpc.janeapp.com
