Hi, I’m Carrie-Lynn Adam,
I’m a registered social worker and psychotherapist (MSW, RSW, PMH-C) and a certified perinatal mental health specialist, with a Master’s Degree in Health and Mental Health from the University of Toronto. I offer online therapy to women living in Ontario, BC and NS. I offer in-person therapy at my cozy space in Downtown Whitby.
I’ve been in the field for over 20 years and have been a practicing therapist for almost 15. I specialize in helping women step out of survival mode and rediscover their vibrant, authentic selves.
As a deeply feeling person, I understand what it’s like to carry the overwhelming weight of modern life. As a child, I was often labelled “dramatic” or “overly sensitive,” which left me feeling either too much or not enough. Even as I built a life I loved — marriage, a meaningful career, and parenthood — those old wounds would resurface during major life transitions.
It wasn’t until I discovered somatic therapy that I began to explore these patterns in a new way — using body-centred strategies that soothed my nervous system and helped me show up with presence and calm in my life and relationships.
Today, I use these same approaches to help women who’ve tried talk therapy and are ready for something deeper than just “talking it out.”
My Area of Focus
If you’re here, you’ve likely been to therapy before — you know your patterns, but you still carry stress and tension in your body. Maybe you feel stuck in fight-or-flight mode, notice chronic tension in your jaw or shoulders, or experience emotional responses that linger longer than you’d like. No matter how much deep breathing, exercise, or water you drink, your mind won’t stop racing.
If that sounds like you, you’re in the right place.
I work with women in their late 20s to mid-40s who are high-functioning, deeply self-aware, and exhausted to their core. Some are navigating unexplored trauma, grief, caregiver burnout, or chronic or new health challenges that have shifted their identity. Others are simply trying to feel present and grounded in a body that feels like it’s screaming for rest.
While my focus is on supporting women, I welcome and work with all genders who resonate with this approach.
My Approach
My approach blends evidence-based practice with deep intuition, warmth, and a down-to-earth style — with a touch of humour, because healing can be heavy, but it doesn’t have to feel clinical.
In our sessions, you’ll find space to slow down, get curious, and come back to yourself. We might pause to notice your breath, explore tension in your chest, or gently uncover beliefs you’ve held for a long time. Most people don’t expect to cry, laugh, or even curse a little in therapy — but that happens often here, and that’s completely welcome. This is a space to show up as you are.
I don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Every nervous system is different, so we go at your pace — listening to your body, creating new patterns and coping methods and finding what helps you feel more at ease in your own skin. I draw from Somatic Psychology, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Compassionate Inquiry, CBT, and DBT, blending what feels right for you.
Many people come in feeling stuck — anxious, exhausted, or disconnected from themselves and their relationships. Clients often tell me they leave our sessions with relief — less tension, a deeper sense of calm, and practical ways to soothe their nervous system on their own.
This isn’t about quick fixes. It’s about rediscovering your strength, resilience, and capacity to thrive — exactly as you are.
If you’d like to connect to see if somatic therapy is the right fit, I’d love to chat.
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
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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
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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
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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)
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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)