Destiny Taylor-Trafford works with individual adults, using therapeutic approaches such as CBT, ACT, DBT, EFT, IFS & EMDR.
Destiny completed a psychology practicum with Dr. Barbera c. psych in 2021-2022. Destiny has been contracting her therapeutic services to Dr. Barbera c. psych since 2022.
Destiny completed a Masters degree in Psychology, and is now completing 6000 hours of supervised psychological services in order to register as a Psychological Associate in Supervised Practice. She works under Dr. Barbera C. Psych and Dr. Robinson C. Psych’s clinical supervision (a requirement for registration with the College of Psychologists of Ontario).
Destiny’s primary area of focus includes: trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, grief, low self-esteem, OCD and alcohol and substance use. She also has experience conducting comprehensive psychological assessments.
Getting to know Destiny:
Thank you for taking the time to let us get to know you. Destiny- Can you briefly describe your educational background and training in therapy & psychology?
I have an Honours Bachelor of Applied Science in Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, and a Master’s Degree in Psychology, during which I achieved a certificate in trauma-informed therapy. I have been a therapist since 2021.
Can you tell me more about what made you go into psychology as a career?
Part of our work as therapists is helping to guide others through their journey of self-awareness and self-discovery. Over the course of my education and in practice as a therapist, I have come to learn how valuable personal self-awareness is as a therapist working to help other individuals do the same. I have seen in myself and my clients how powerful this journey can be in obtaining inner peace, happiness, and overall satisfaction. Hardships, suffering and adversity is part of the human experience, and therefore is nothing to be ashamed of or avoided. Instead, if they are faced, approached with self-compassion and acceptance, and understood in the context of our thoughts, feelings and behaviours that may cause us distress, they no longer have to govern us or weigh us down.
Part of what drew me to this field (therapy & psychology) was wanting to achieve this for myself. I grew up with a single-mother and never knew my father past the age of two. It was not until adolescence and early adulthood that I became curious as to how this aspect of my life contributed to my personality, strengths and weaknesses.
I soon realized that I could not begin to help guide others through their own journey of self-discovery if I had yet to do that myself. In order to be confident in the work that I am doing and trust that I am capable of the work, I had to allow myself to be fully vulnerable to my adversities, faults and weaknesses, and learn to accept and embrace them. This unique factor that brought me into this field of work has influenced how I can understand and relate to other individuals who have experienced parental absence or other forms of childhood adversity, and how I can help said individuals navigate the difficulties that may come with this.
How long have you been practicing as a therapist, and what types of clients have you worked with during your career?
I have been practicing as a therapist since September 2021. I underwent my psychology practicum experience from September 2021-June 2022 under the supervision of Dr. Jennifer Barbera C. Psych. Since then, I have been contracting my clinical therapy services as an associate working under the clinical supervision of both Dr. Barbera C. Psych and Dr. Amanda Robinson C. Psych while I complete my 6000 hours (4 years) of post-masters work to register with the College of Psychologists. In my experience thus far, I have worked with a handful of adolescents around age 17, but I primarily work with individual adults with concerns consistent with anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD and substance abuse and other addictions.
What specific therapeutic approaches or modalities are you trained in, and do you have any specialized certifications or areas of focus?
I use a variety of therapeutic approaches, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical BehaviourTherapy (DBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Emotion-Focussed Therapy (EFT), and Mindfulness-and Self-Compassion-Based Approaches. I do have a certificate in trauma-informed therapy that I obtained during my Master’s degree, and I have also completed training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
What qualities do you think are most important in a therapist?
I believe it is important for a therapist to find a healthy balance between being non-judgmental and empathetic, and objective and realistic, depending on the context of the situation and needs of the therapy client.
How do you ensure that you provide client-centered care and maintain a non-judgmental and empathetic stance with your clients?
In my therapy work, I recognize the role that therapist’s can play in some individuals’ lives. We can be a confidant, a safe place/outlet, or a listening ear, and in that role, we are often trusted with individuals’ most sensitive experiences, deepest thoughts, fears and emotions. I believe it is most important to adopt and maintain a non-judgmental and empathetic view when working with therapy clients, because I truly value and appreciate this level of vulnerability and openness, despite how hard it can be at times. I ensure this by separating the individual from the situation and working to understand the reasoning for the situation as opposed to fixating on it itself.
With my psychology background, I understand that as humans, we are imperfect, and can often make decisions, or have tendencies that we are not proud of. However, I also understand that, even the things that we may dislike about ourselves have a purpose, and usually stem from positive intent at a subconscious level. Part of my job is helping clients to uncover this positive intent in therapy, instead of viewing it from an entirely negative lens and perpetuating the issue.
How do you prioritize self-care to prevent burnout and maintain your own emotional well-being?
I prioritize self-care by working to establish a healthy balance between my therapy work, interpersonal relationships, and personal interests/hobbies. I have a fairly structured routine that includes focussing on work in the morning and during my work day, and making time for myself, family and friends after this work day and on the weekends, and adjusting when needed. I believe this routine is most important not only to maintain my own emotional well-being, but also to ensure I am at my best for my therapy clients.
Where do you see your career as a therapist heading in the next few years?
In the next few years, I will be completing my 6000+ post-master’s supervised practice hours with Dr. Barbera C.Psych and Associates, after which I will be registering as a Psychological Associate with the CPO.
How do you feel about receiving supervision, and how often do you seek supervision for your cases?
I truly value receiving supervision because it often helps me see my therapy cases from a different and unique lens which can provide clarity when I am seeking therapeutic guidance. I also value supervision because it continues to teach me and challenge me in the field, to ensure that I continue to grow as a therapist. I have scheduled supervision several times a month (and available as needed), and this is usually sufficient for what I need.
What do you think are some of the most important factors that determine how much someone benefits from therapy?
A few factors I believe are most important to determine how much an individual benefits from therapy are:
1. Rapport between therapist and client: in order for any therapy progress, I believe it is important that the client feel safe, and comfortable with their therapist. For this reason, I try to prioritize rapport building early on, and examine the specific needs of each therapy client to ensure I can meet them to the best of my ability.
2. Frequency of sessions: Depending on the presenting concerns and client goals, more frequent therapy sessions can lead to a higher benefit in individuals (for example, meeting weekly to biweekly as opposed to every 4-6 weeks). Significant gaps between therapy sessions can potentially delay or limit progress simply due to lack of reinforcement or inconsistency. In my experience, I have found that starting at a greater frequency (1-2 weeks) and then transitioning to every 4-6 weeks if progress is now being maintained, seems to be a good balance. However, since there are many additional factors the can influence frequency of sessions for clients, I do my best to ensure that their goals and objectives are still met regardless of how frequently they are able to come in.
3. Work between sessions: Given that meetings between therapist and client are 50 minutes every week (at most), work that is done between sessions is an essential factor for therapy progress. Some cases require more work between sessions than others, but all clients should practice reflecting on what was discussed during each meeting and practicing interventions, strategies or coping skills in real-world situations.