Michelle Cassidy · MSW, RSW · Hamilton, ON
You don't have to
pretend you're okay
here.
Grief. Trauma. Illness. Difficult Transitions.
Individual Therapy · In-Person Hamilton & Online Across Ontario
Michelle Cassidy · MSW, RSW · Hamilton, ON
Grief. Trauma. Illness. Difficult Transitions.
Individual Therapy · In-Person Hamilton & Online Across Ontario
Registered Social Worker, Grief & Trauma Specialist, Hamilton, ON
Maybe you are facing a difficult transition. Maybe you're carrying grief that others seem to have already moved past. Maybe something happened that changed you, and you're still figuring out who you are on the other side. Maybe you've been managing for so long that managing itself has become exhausting. Whatever it is, there is room for it here.
You don't need to arrive with the right words or a polished story. You just need to show up, as you actually are, not as you think you should be.
Meet Michelle
I'm Michelle Cassidy, a Registered Social Worker with over two decades of experience walking alongside people through grief, trauma, illness, and the complexity of being human. I offer a warm, non-pathologizing space for genuine exploration, where you never have to say the right thing.
My work is relational first. I believe the therapeutic relationship itself is the foundation for our work together; feeling truly seen and never judged matters more than any technique or modality. I believe in the interconnectedness of mind and body. My goal is to bring both into the room together, because real change lives in both.
I serve preteens, teens, and adults of any age, both in-person in Hamilton and online across Ontario.
Areas of Specialty
These aren't just presenting issues, they're experiences that live in your body, your relationships, and your sense of self.
The Way I Work
"You may be at a place where it's hard to imagine things getting any better. That's an okay place to begin."
I won't offer hollow reassurance or push you toward forced hope. I'll walk alongside you within the pain, as a compassionate guide and witness who takes you seriously, moves at your pace, and believes your story is worth being heard.
We'll move toward hope together, without inauthentic silver linings.
Treatment Approach
I work eclectically, drawing from multiple evidence-based frameworks based on what you need, not a one-size-fits-all script. My approach is intentionally relational; the safety of the therapeutic relationship comes first and provides the foundation for all we do.
I prioritize the brain-body connection, working collaboratively with you from an attachment-based, trauma-informed, and culturally humble orientation. These are not just popular phrases to me, but rather the experience I want you to have within our work together. I invite you to hold me accountable to that and I will check in often to take stock of your experience. You deserve therapy that feels safe, and uniquely aligned to your needs.
Modalities I Practice Explicitly
Modalities I Draw From Eclectically
Who I Work With
Sessions in-person at 987 King Street East, Suite 205B, Hamilton, or online across Ontario.
I work from an attachment-based, trauma-informed, and culturally humble place. Your background, your story, and your nervous system are all part of how we work, not set aside.
You don't have to say the right thing. You don't have to have it figured out. You just have to show up.
Therapy Dog · Optional Support
A gentle, four-legged presence in the room, for those who'd like one.
Oliver is a 4-year-old Goldendoodle with a soft, non-shedding coat and a talent for making the room feel a little warmer. He has been trained to offer a calm, gentle presence within in-person sessions.
He is completely optional. You can opt in or out within your Intake Package, and are welcome to change your mind at any time.
Optional · Non-shedding · Opt in or out anytime
Fees & Health Benefit Eligibility
Sliding scale available, feel free to reach out to discuss eligibility. It is important to me that accessing care feels accessible for you. Payment by credit card on file. No direct billing, but immediate receipts provided for reimbursement.
Services provided by a Registered Social Worker (RSW). Most major Canadian providers accepted:
For benefit providers requiring supervision by a psychologist, this is available. Feel free to inquire for further information.
Find Us
Virtual sessions available to clients across Ontario via secure video platform. Same quality of care, from wherever you are.
Common Questions
A grief therapist provides a safe, non-judgmental space to process loss, whether from death, relationship breakdown, illness, or major life transitions. At MC Counselling, grief therapy moves at your pace, without pressure toward artificial recovery timelines. Michelle uses attachment-based, trauma-informed approaches including IFS and EMDR.
Trauma is experienced uniquely. What constitutes trauma for one person may not be traumatic for another. I work with whatever trauma means to you, there is nothing "too small". If it holds meaning for you, I honour that explicitly.
Some traumas are what we call "single incident", a significant event that happened one time and has had a lasting impact, while other traumas are experienced developmentally bit by bit throughout our lifetime, e.g. childhood experiences, continual ways we experience wounding that build on each other and continue to impact us today.
Yes, 100%. Michelle works with your therapeutic goals, whatever they might be. If she feels that your goals may be better served by another provider with specialty knowledge, she will talk with you about that and support your informed choice of provider. Michelle Cassidy's specialty areas are not intended to limit who she works with, but to promote informed choice for people seeking service.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and DBR (Deep Brain Reorienting) are evidence-based therapies for processing traumatic experiences. Michelle Cassidy is trained in both EMDR and DBR. Both therapies work with trauma's impact at the nervous system level, going beyond the limitations of traditional talk therapy / cognitive approaches. These therapies are designed to promote regulation and restore a felt sense of safety. Both are available in-person in Hamilton or online across Ontario.
Yes. Secure video sessions are available to clients anywhere in Ontario. In-person sessions are at 987 King Street East, Hamilton. Both formats provide the same quality of care.
Individual sessions are $160/hr. A sliding scale is available for those experiencing financial barriers to accessing support.
If your benefits plan includes coverage for a Registered Social Worker (RSW) my services fit in that category. Most major Canadian plans are accepted including Manulife, Sun Life, Canada Life, Green Shield, Blue Cross, WSIB, Veterans Affairs and TELUS Health. Same-day receipts are provided for reimbursement.
End of life counselling supports people navigating terminal illness, supporting someone in decline, or grieving a death. It's an underserved area that Michelle Cassidy specializes in, holding space for the full weight of mortality without minimizing or rushing.
Michelle works with preteens, teens, and adults of any age in individual one-on-one therapy. All sessions are delivered from an attachment-based, trauma-informed and culturally humble perspective.
Let's Connect
A free 30-minute consultation is a low-stakes way to see if this feels like the right space for you. No commitment, no pressure, just a conversation.
Prefer to ask a question first? Use the contact form below.
Get in Touch
Not quite ready to book? Send a note and Michelle will get back to you. Share whichever contact detail you prefer.