Sara Chechak
MSW, RSW
Registered Social Worker
- Not Accepting New Clients
- Online Sessions
Works With
Areas of focus
session fees
- Individuals: $175
- Couples/Relationships/ Families: $250
Appointment Times
- Daytime (Online)
- Evening (Online)
Appointment times listed reflect the therapist’s typical schedule. Current openings may differ, and some slots may be full.
Hello! I’m Sara, and I’m honored to offer individual and relationship counselling for adults and youth aged 15 and older. It brings me joy to be a part of your journey toward greater well-being, and I look forward to working together to help you achieve your personal goals.
I have a rich educational background and diverse experience that enables me to connect with clients from all walks of life. While I embrace a wide array of topics, my specializations and passions include supporting individuals and couples with neurodiversity (ADHD & Autism), trauma and PTSD, addictions and substance use, and relational dynamics.
I’m here to support you through various challenges, whether you’re facing anxiety, autism, ADHD, addictions, perinatal mental health issues, depression, chronic illness (both mental and physical), trauma (including PTSD and C-PTSD), LGBTQIA+ issues, or loss and grief. I also have experience and training in areas related to sex, intimacy, and relationships, including non-monogamous, and neurodiverse partnerships.
As a neurodivergent myself, I truly understand living in a world that wasn’t necessarily designed for you and that can be at times isolating. I am committed to ensuring you have a different experience, one that helps you discover your strengths and moves toward empowerment!
In our work together, each session begins with a process of sharing and getting comfortable with one another. This foundational step allows us to explore how past experiences have shaped your present—what I refer to as the “living legacy” of our experiences. Together, we will develop practical tools to cope with life’s challenges while also addressing the core issues that may be holding you back from living authentically and in a way that truly resonates with you. By examining these deeper layers, we can work toward meaningful change and growth.
I draw from a variety of therapeutic approaches such as psychodynamic and relational frameworks, narrative therapy, trauma-informed stabilization treatment (TIST), somatic and body-based awareness techniques, relational life therapy, harm reduction, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and internal family systems (IFS). My goal is to meet you where you are, employing a harm reduction model that respects your dignity and rights, particularly as we navigate issues around addiction, self-harm, and mental health disorders.
Creating a safe and trusting environment is a top priority for me. I want you to feel empowered and in control of your healing journey. I genuinely value and respect our unique experiences and am committed to seeing the world through your eyes. With my experience and a heartfelt commitment to ongoing learning, I believe we can co-create a meaningful therapeutic experience that is uniquely yours – one that brings you the fulfillment and contentment you truly deserve!
My Therapeutic Style
Therapy Modalities
Trainings & Education
- Master of Social Work, Lakehead University
- Bachelor of Social Work, Laurentian University
- Registered Social Worker (RSW) with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW)
- Neurodiversity Informed Clinician Certificate Program, Cascadia Training
- Couple’s Institute, Developmental Model, Level I
- Complex Trauma Certification, Levels I & II, Janina Fisher
- Integrative Sex and Couples Certification Training, Tammy Nelson
- Relational Life Couples Therapy Level 1, Terry Real Institute
- Working with Narcissism in Relationships, Terry Real Institute
- Neurodiversity Training Certificate, Sonderly
- Integrating Art Therapy, Ontario Association of Social Work
- Harm Reduction Training, Barrie Community Health Team
- Becoming an Ally for the LGBTQ2IA+ Community, The Gilbert Centre
- Working with Infidelity, Terry Real Institute
- Working with Men, Terry Real Institute
- Complete Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) Immersion Certificate, PESI
More Than Just My Work
Outside of work, to recharge and ground, I love spending quiet time creating in my garden and taking walks in the neighbourhood while listening to my favourite music. Above all I cherish the moments spent on my front porch in the hammock, where I find inspiration for my writing, whether I’m immersed in a good book or crafting my own short stories and poetry.
Questions You May Have
It’s common to come to therapy with questions. Here are answers to some of the most frequent ones I hear.
Does therapy help neurodivergent couples where one or both partners are autistic?
Yes, and it works best when the therapist understands that autism isn’t the problem to fix. Autistic couples, or couples where one partner is autistic, often struggle with communication styles that are genuinely different rather than deficient, sensory needs that affect intimacy and shared space, and a mismatch in how emotional needs get expressed and received. When therapy treats those differences as something to pathologize, it makes things worse. When it treats them as real and workable, couples often find a level of understanding they didn’t think was possible. The goal is a relationship that works for the people actually in it, not one that looks neurotypical from the outside.
I'm autistic and exhausted from masking, can therapy help?
Yes. Masking which is suppressing or camouflaging autistic traits to fit into neurotypical environments, takes an enormous amount of energy, and the toll is real: burnout, loss of identity, anxiety, and a deep disconnection from who you actually are underneath all the performance. Many autistic people, particularly those diagnosed later in life, spend years not knowing why they’re so tired. Therapy can help you understand your own masking patterns, grieve what that cost you, and slowly build a life where you don’t have to perform yourself into exhaustion just to get through the day. This is a space where you don’t have to mask.
Can you help if I don’t have a formal diagnosis?
Yes. Many people living with chronic symptoms don’t have a clear diagnosis yet, and that doesn’t make your experience any less valid. Whether you’re navigating undiagnosed symptoms, newly diagnosed conditions, or long-term illness, I’m here to support you.
I had childhood trauma, can I heal?
Yes. Fully. The nervous system is not fixed, and neither are the stories we carry about ourselves. A lot of my clients come in having spent decades managing, coping, and pushing through, and what they find in therapy is that healing is still available to them. We don’t go back to relive things for the sake of it. We work at a pace that feels safe, building stability first, and moving toward a life that feels more free.
I'm approaching my 30th birthday and feel lost, can therapy help?
Yes. Turning 30 tends to arrive with a particular kind of pressure — a sense that you should be further along, more certain, more settled than you are. For some people it’s a quiet unease. For others it’s a full identity crisis. Either way, it’s more common than the highlight reels around you suggest. The feeling of being lost at this stage usually isn’t about your circumstances. It’s about a gap between who you thought you’d be by now and who you actually are — and not yet knowing whether that’s a failure or just the beginning of something more honest. Therapy at this point isn’t about getting you back on track to someone else’s timeline. It’s about figuring out what you actually want, what’s been driving your choices up to now, and what a life that genuinely fits you could look like. A lot of people find their 30s become their best decade once they stop measuring themselves against the wrong ruler.
How can I tell if we are a good match?
Book a free 15-minute consultation call. We’ll talk about what you’re experiencing, what you’re hoping to get from therapy, and whether my approach feels right for you. There’s no pressure—just an honest conversation to see if we click.
Do you offer online sessions?
Yes! I offer online sessions only during both the weekdays and weeknights for individuals or couples living anywhere in Ontario.
Do you offer evening appointments in Toronto?
Yes. I offer sessions on Monday evenings from 3:30pm to 8pm Online, and Thursday evenings from 3pm to 8pm In-person in Toronto at 455 Avenue Road. I also offer day time appointments online for clients living anywhere in Ontario.