Carrie-Lynn Adam MSW,RSW,PMH-C

Somatic psychotherapist, maternal mental health therapist, offering burnout recovery to mothers and women

Body-Oriented Therapy For The Busy, Modern Woman

I see you. You’re juggling a demanding career, personal responsibilities and the relentless pressure to keep it all together. Lately, you’ve noticed changes - fatigue, mood swings, physical changes, and a sense of overwhelm that won’t go away. 

Maybe you’ve tried traditional talk therapy or searched self-care strategies online - and while those may have provided some insights or temporary relief, it hasn’t alleviated the physical tension or the emotional weight you carry every day. If you are seeking a lasting sense of safety and calm in your body, that’s exactly what I help women do.

I’m Carrie-Lynn, a registered social worker and psychotherapist specializing in somatic therapy - a body-centered approach that addresses how stress, trauma and life experiences are stored in our bodies. Unlike conventional talk therapy, this trauma-focused approach helps you to tune into your body’s signals, understand the roots of these discomforts and helps to release the underlying tension. 

In our sessions, we will go beyond thinking and talking about your stressors. Instead, we will engage in practices that reconnect you with your body’s innate wisdom by incorporating breath, movement, mindfulness, and other body-oriented strategies. This approach not only addresses your symptoms; it provides you with the tools you need to feel empowered to move through all of life’s transitions with greater ease. 

My therapeutic style is a blend of wisdom and soul—grounded in evidence-based practice and guided by deep intuition.

Along with my 14 years of experience as a practicing therapist, I bring warmth, humour (along with some occasional colourful language), and a deep respect for your unique experience into every session. This isn’t about “fixing” anything because you are not broken. It’s about rediscovering your innate wisdom, strength, and ability to thrive as you are without adding MORE to your plate.

No matter what season of life you are in, you deserve to have a healing space to prioritize YOUR needs.

Whether you are looking to reconnect with yourself and tune into your emotions, navigating the joys and challenges of pregnancy and postpartum, managing the chaos of motherhood and your career, navigating the shifting tides of hormonal health and perimenopause, or feeling a little (or a lot) disconnected from yourself, this space is for you.

If you are ready to move beyond coping and are seeking deep, lasting change, I’m here to support you on that journey. 

Let’s work together to help you feel at home in your body again. 

My Approach

Woman seeking in-person, trauma-focused therapy in Durham region, Ontario for stress management, hormonal health, perimenopause, motherhood.

As a psychotherapist, I deeply value compassion, curiosity, respect and authenticity. I am here to collaborate and support you in unlocking your inner wisdom, celebrating every little win along the way. My passion is rooted in supporting women to move through life’s transitions with more ease, presence and self-compassion.

Every person’s healing journey is unique, which is why I integrate several therapeutic approaches to meet you where you are. My holistic, mind-body approach incorporates a blend of traditional talk therapy with somatic psychotherapeutic approaches, including elements of:

  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) which helps identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns that may be keeping you stuck.

  • Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) that brings in mindfulness, emotional regulation, and distress tolerance skills to help you navigate big emotions with more ease.

  • Compassionate Inquiry (CI) Gabor Mate’s somatic approach that helps explore underlying trauma with curiosity and compassion, allowing you to live more fully in the present.

  • Internal Family Systems (IFS) that allows us to explore the different “parts” of you—those that protect, those that carry wounds, and the core self that holds wisdom and healing.

  • Somatic Psychology & Somatic Stress Release (SSR) that enhances mind-body connection, using body awareness and movement to release stored trauma, enhance body awareness and safety, enhance emotional regulation and resilience and reconnect to our authentic wisdom to promote a whole-body healing process.

By weaving these modalities together, we create a holistic approach that supports you on every level—mind, body, and spirit. I’ve always been fascinated by the way emotions show up in the body—how stress tightens our shoulders, how grief sits heavy in the chest, and how joy makes us feel light and expansive. Over the years, I’ve seen time and again that when we learn to listen to our bodies, we unlock something powerful.

Carrie-Lynn Adam, a therapist for women and mothers offering therapy in Ontario, BC, NS and in-person in Whitby, Ontario.

When I’m not in session

You can usually find me sipping a coconut latte (or two), playing board games with my two kiddos, on long hikes in the forest with my partner or snuggling my Brittany doodle, Rosie (who occasionally makes an appearance in session). 

An earth sign to my core, I feel most alive on winding trails, in the mountains, or wandering through rice fields—dreaming of one day retiring in Bali. Anywhere I can sink my feet into the earth and breathe in the quiet stillness of nature is home to me. I believe in the magic of a good cry, belly laughs, and the occasional spontaneous dance break.

If you’re ready to reconnect with yourself in a way that feels gentle, supportive, and maybe even a little playful, I’d love to walk this path with you.

Let’s get reacquainted.

My credentials

Books, training related to nervous system regulation, trauma therapy, somatic therapy, body-based healing, inner child work, polyvagal theory, Gabor Mate.
  • Registered Social Worker (RSW) #821218

    College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers

    Certified Perinatal and Maternal Mental Health Specialist (PMH-C)

    Postpartum Support International

  • Somatic Trauma Therapy certificate (2024), PESI

    Gabor Mate’s Compassionate Inquiry, 240-hour certificate (2024)

    Somatic Stress Release (Level 1-3) Certificate (2022), Embody Lab

    Dialectical Behavioural Therapy 16- Week Certificate, (2019), PESI

    Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Certificate (2019), PESI

  • Somatic Trauma Therapy, Peter Levine, Embody Lab (2022)

    The Art of Holding, Postpartum Stress Centre (2021)

    Couples Therapy (Level 1 and 2), The Gottman Institute (2021)

    Emotion-Focused Therapy for Couples, PESI (2021)

    Perinatal Mental Health, PSI, (2017;2021),

    Perinatal Mood and Anxiety, Seleni Institute (2020)

    Perinatal Infant Loss, Seleni Institute (2020)

    Interpersonal Therapy, Cindy Stulberg (2019)

    Healing the fragmented selves of trauma survivors, Janina Fisher (2019)

    Internal Family Systems, PESI (2019)

    Brainspotting, PESI (2019)

    Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Hincks-Dellcrest Centre (2018)

    Suicide Prevention and Intervention (2016)

    Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (2012)

  • Master of Social Work in Health and Mental Health, University of Toronto (2012)

    Bachelor of Social Work, Carleton University (2011)

    Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies, University of Ottawa (2006)