About me
Gabriela Elias, Clinical Therapist
Let me tell you a little bit about myself and my approach to therapy. I have completed my undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Social Work at the University of Waterloo and my Master of Social Work (MSW) degree at Wilfrid Laurier University in 2005. I am a Registered Social Worker in a good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW). I am a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers. I enjoy working collaboratively with my clients through dialogue to get to the heart of issues, and work towards coming up with goals that will empower you to make positive changes in your life and relationships. I specialize in trauma specific treatments such as Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, Trauma Focused – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) with individuals, couples and families. I speak different languages including Slovak, Czech, Hungarian, Spanish and of course English.
Gabriela Elias, Author of psychological suspenseful novel
The Crying Orchid
Michaela Martenz is a dreamer. As a young woman living in Eastern Europe in the 1980s, she wants adventure and passion in her life, and nothing will stop her from achieving that. She is courted by Eduard Verner, a charming man who promises her that and more, but in her naivety, she fails to recognize the warning signs of an abusive relationship. Ignoring the warnings of her friends and family, Michaela marries Eduard and moves away, leaving everyone she knows behind-including her best friend, Nikolas, who has always loved her. But instead of happiness, her new life is a nightmare of emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her controlling, jealous, alcoholic husband. Now a young mother to little Orchid, she fears for her daughter's safety as well. The product of a broken home herself, Michaela is determined to keep her family together for Orchid's sake. She knows that Eduard's own abusive childhood has affected his life in unspeakable ways and prevents him from seeing the impact of his behavior on his own family. Michaela does everything she can think of to fix her shattered marriage, but nothing is helping. When Eduard seriously injures their three-year-old daughter, Michaela reaches a breaking point. Aware of the risks, she must now find the courage needed to leave her abusive marriage behind and start a new life. But an enraged Eduard is not about to relinquish control over his family. Will his threats undermine her newfound resolve and freedom?