CSYork

Many individuals who experience difficulties with anxiety can often relate to feeling nervousness, self-consciousness, uncertainty, and dread when in a social situation. People may begin to feel nervous attending interviews, going on a date, speaking with their superiors, or even when engaging in casual conversation. These feelings of anxiety are actually quite common. Almost everyone experiences some form of social anxiety at some point in his or her life (i.e. experiencing ‘butterflies’ before a speech). However, for some of us the anxiety overpowers us and we are unable to function as we'd like.

Our counselling program for social anxiety is geared to help our clients understand how their environment, behaviours, thoughts, and feelings influence their anxiety. We help our clients create strategies to challenge, improve, and ultimately see success in meeting their goals for therapy. Many of our clients who participate in our social anxiety counselling program are better able to:

Speak to others without feeling anxious
Improve the relationships in their life
Cope with other stressors in their life more effectively
Expand their social network
Reacquaint themselves with some type of ‘normalcy’ when speaking to others

Our program will also prepare our clients for formal speaking (speaking in small groups), informal speaking (hosting a party or calling someone), and assertive interaction opportunities (talk to authority figures).

Please feel free to call us or ask for any additional information regarding our program. We are here to help.

Located conveniently in Vaughan, Ontario, we are here to help! To book an appoinment please call 416-999-3437 or fill out our appointment request form.

Resources:

Disorders Associated with Anxiety

We are proud to announce membership with the therapist regional network of Psychology Today. Our Maple/ Vaughan counselling centre (Counselling Services for York Region) has been recognized as a published member of the Psychology Today organization.

The organization has provided us with advanced status and has recognized us for our efforts of providing quality health care in the Vaughan and Maple area. Our counsellors are pleased to have received this distinction.

This distinction allows us to:

Help more people in our community
Create awareness of our programs and services
Raise awareness of a valuable resource in Vaughan and Maple
Link clients with a professional

Since accepting membership, we’ve been able to help many individuals receive care in Vaughan and Maple for issues that they experience difficulties coping with. We’ve also listened to feedback from this source and created three counselling therapy groups (anger management, trauma and abuse, and anxiety/meditation) at accessible locations.

Our Maple / Vaughan counselling centre wants to provide the best support for our community. We are here to help and we want to help you!

For more information on our profile, click here.

Youth Counselling (Ages 16-24)
Research suggests that individuals (youth and adults) who partake in therapy can gain benefit from further support in navigating through difficult life stages.

Counselling Services for York Region offers evidence based youth-friendly therapeutic services in a confidential non-judgmental space. Early on, youth treatment and support was a rarity, but more so recently, the practice has increased greatly and has become a major component of care for young adults in York Region. Our institution has contributed to this movement by offering a variety of programs and services specific for a youth demographic.

Therapists trained in youth counselling may draw from a variety of schools of therapy to better understand, interpret, and process presenting concerns/issues. Our therapists are recognized to be goal driven, supportive, and caring. It is within our interest to ensure that all of our youth clients receive efficient high quality care.

You may also request for your therapist to work collaboratively with your team of health care professionals (i.e. family physician, naturopath, physical therapist). After progress has been established, your therapist will send a report to your health care team.

Here is a list of some of the issues we can help with:

Specializations:

Anxiety

Stress and Anxiety
Shyness and Social Anxiety
Body Image Issues
Adjustment Issues
Specific Phobias

Specialty Counselling Service

Bereavement Counselling
Career Counselling
Geriatric Counselling
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Academic Counselling
Learning and Memorization Development
Substance Abuse Issues (Drugs/Alcohol)
Post Traumatic Stress

Relationships

Communication Issues
Relationship/Romantic Partner Development
Commitment Issues
Seperation/Divorce Counselling
Bullying (Youth and Adult)
Domestic Violence Issues
Intimacy Issues
Pre-Marital Counselling

Personal

Video Game and Internet Addiction
Gambling Counselling
Life Skills Training
Men's/Women's Issues
Trauma (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)
Anger Management
Eating Disorders
Rehabilitation Issues
Skin Picking
Smoking Cessation
Assertiveness Training
Conflict Resolution
Disability Issues
Learning Disabilities

Physical Health

Cancer Counselling
Depression
Disability Issues
Pain Management
Chronic Pain
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Sexual Dysfunction
Sleep Disorders

Career Counselling

Educational Counselling
Underachievement

Our team consists of a number of Associate Therapists who we often refer to on an ongoing basis. Our responsibility as qualified therapists in the field of counselling is to work within our clinical expertise. If we believe you will be better supported by another therapist we will make sure you are referred appropriately.

top---floater---team

(CBT) Cognitive Behavioural Therapist and (ERP) Exposure and Response Prevention Therapist
(EFT) Emotion Focused Therapist (Couples and Family Counselling)

Robert Roopa M.Ed (CP) (AE)., C. Psych., RP., Psychologist and Psychotherapist, is one of our Lead Therapists at Counselling Services for York Region. He is fully dedicated to helping his clients on their journey to lead healthier and more fulfilling lives. Awarded the 2019 Ruth Berman Award.

Professional Credentials

Master's of Education - Counselling - University of Toronto
Master's of Education - Adult Education - University of Toronto
Canadian Certified Counsellor - Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (License #7303)
The Gestalt Institute of Toronto - Gestalt Therapy Training
York University - Accredited Program - Relaxation and Stress Management Training
York University - Accredited Program - Crisis Intervention and Suicide Risk Assessment Training
Member of the College of Psychotherapists
Member of the Ontario Psychological Association
Member of the College of Psychologists of Ontario

Formal Training

University of Toronto - Professional Accreditation

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Specialization)
Couples/Family Systems Therapy
Career Counselling
Brief Therapy Interventions
Maladjusted Youth Counselling
Gestalt Counselling
Group Therapy
Critical Multicultural Counselling
Learning and Cognition
Body Focused Therapy
Trauma Focused Therapy

Professional Experience

Private Practice - Therapist
Intern Therapist (Extended Practice) - York University
Co-Facilitator Group Therapist (Extended Practice) - York University
Group Therapist - Vitanova Foundation
Instructor - University of Toronto - Transformative Learning Centre
Research Faculty Member- University of Toronto
Research Faculty Member - York University
Consultant - TD Bank, Apotex, Emirates Airlines, GSK, Agriculture Canada, Parks and Recreation Canada, and more.
University of Toronto - AECP Department SOS Co-chair
Mental Health Program Designer - Federal Government of Canada/Local Health Integration Network

Published Material

Presented at University of Toronto Dean’s Conference - 2012
Robert Roopa (2012). Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Older Adults, University of Toronto Dean’s Conference 2012, Toronto: OISE
Presented at 5th Critical Multicultural Counselling and Psychotherapy Conference at the University of Toronto - 2009
Robert Roopa (2009). The Dissection of Spirituality from Integrative Medicine, Integrating Traditional Healing Practices in Counselling Psychology and Psychotherapy, Toronto: OISE

Research Interests: Mindfulness Meditation, Improving Access to Care for Low-income Families, and Cognitive Therapy.

Additional Information

Mr. Roopa has extensive academic and research experience in biomedicine and psychotherapy. He has been awarded two Master’s degrees from the University of Toronto (M.Ed Counselling and M.Ed Adult Education), received formal training from York University in clinical methods of stress management and self-regulation, and been granted professional certification from the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association as a Canadian Certified Counsellor (License #7303). Aside from his clinical responsibilities, Mr. Roopa was an instructor at the University of Toronto’s Transformative Learning Centre and served as a department SOS co-chair at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (University of Toronto).