mental health & wellness
REGISTERED SOCIAL WORKER, PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Lisa Azzopardi | CYC, MSW, RSW
Lisa brings two decades of expertise in mental health practice. She specializes in supporting individuals in healing from relational pain and distress through EMDR, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Polyvagal theory, Attachment theory and Parts Work. Additionally, Lisa has contributed to the field by presenting nationally on innovative clinical practices focused on adolescent and family mental health with SickKids Hospital.
Areas of Practice & Training:
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy ( Niagara Stress & Trauma Clinic)
Attachment-Focussed EMDR ( Parnell Institute, California)
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy with Pat Odgen, Continuing Ed
Internal Family Systems Therapy with Richard Schwartz, Continuing Ed
Somatic EMDR Certification with Arielle Schwartz ( The Embody Lab)
Trauma Informed CBT (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (The Linehan Institute, Behavioural Tech)
Narrative Therapy Training ( The Hincks-Dellcrest Centre, Toronto)
A part of Lisa’s journey…
Lisa holds a Diploma in Child and Youth Work from Humber College, an Undergraduate Degree in Child & Youth Care from Toronto Metropolitan University, and a Master of Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University. Throughout her academic journey, she gained practical experience as a live-in child and youth worker, supporting adolescents as they emancipated from the child welfare system. Additionally, she worked in the automotive industry, focusing on welding while pursuing her trade.
Her research has centered on building therapeutic relationships through sports recreation and developing a DBT-Informed Parenting Skills Group. Lisa received clinical supervision during her master's studies at SickKids Hospital and the Ministry of Children and Youth Services. She subsequently practiced in both settings as a Child and Family Therapist for several years.
