Clare Mézes, MSc, RP offers over 30 years of experience in individual, couples, sex, and family therapy to provide her clients with the guidance they need to improve their relationship skills and enhance their intimate connections.
MSc, Individual, Couple, Sex and Family Therapy
RP, Registered Psychotherapist, College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO)
RMFT, Registered Marriage and Family Therapist, Canadian Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (CAMFT)
OAMFT, Certified Couple and Family Therapist, Ontario Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (OAMFT)
AAMFT, Clinical Fellow, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)
ASTO, Certified Sex Therapist, Association of Sex Therapy in Ontario (ASTO - formerly BESTCO)
RLT, Certified Relational Life Therapist & Facilitator (RLI - Terry Real)
Clare Mezes MSc, RP has been in private practice working with individuals, couples and families in Toronto, Canada, for 30+ years. She works with a wide range of issues related to both life-cycle development and situational crises. She assists clients in achieving new insights and in learning new relationship skills in order to create more intimate connections and satisfied lives.
She has advanced training and 30+ years experience in Sexuality and Sex Therapy. Her services include individual and couple sex therapy, addressing issues such as low sexual desire, all men's and women's sexual concerns, and survivors of sexual abuse.
Her approach in treating clients is a model of counselling and therapy that provides a more intensive therapy experience. Therapy incorporates longer meetings, with more time in between sessions, and more direction through teaching skills about how to achieve healthier relationships.
Sensitive core issues are addressed, such as affairs, sexuality, addictions, trauma, life transitions, grief and loss, self-esteem and boundaries, race and culture, as well as those issues that come from each person’s family of origin.
She is skilled in the use of Systemic, Cognitive-Behavioural, Internal Family Systems, Emotionally-Focused, Solution-Focused, Feminist, and Relational Life Therapy (RLT) approaches providing psychotherapy to a diversity of people in a warm, respectful, encouraging and positive environment.
Terry Real (Healthy Relationships), Pia Melody (Addictions), Esther Perel (Relationships and Sexuality), Richard Schwartz (Internal Family Systems), Janina Fisher (Relationships and Trauma), Gabor Maté (Trama and Addiction), Sue Johnston (Attachment and Relationships), Julian Shores (Neurobiology, Trauma and Relationships), Isabel Wilkerson (Racial Tensions), Emily Nagoski (Sexual Wellbeing and Healthy Relationships), Barry McCarthy (Healthy Sexual Relationships), David Schnarch (Passionate Sexual Relationships), and Brené Brown (Vulnerability, Shame and Empathy, Emotion and Connection), Tarana Burke and Brené Brown (Vulnerability and Shame Resilience).
Here are what I consider to be the most profound contributions in creating connection and healing in oneself and others:
Relational Life Therapy (RLT): Since 2004, Clare has been most influenced by Terry Real and his model of Relational Life Therapy. She has facilitated and RLT Peer Groups in Ontario for the past 10 years as part of building the RLT community.
She is also active in the RLT community as a Teaching Assistant to Terry Real in the Real Life Training Program. Her favourite RLT tool is the Relationship Grid, and she is hoping to continue a research project that is in progress.
In guiding clients through the RLT therapy process, Clare works with clients by having truthful conversations that uncover the underlying issues that have resulted in boundaryless and/or distancing behaviour and that have created a need for repair in the relationship.
She teaches positive strategies and tools, as well as effective communication skills to help each person get their needs met and become more compassionate and cherishing of their relationship.
The College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) regulates its registrants in the interest of protecting the public.
Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) is a distinct mental health discipline where a systems theory framework is applied to viewing and treating individuals, couples, families, groups and organizations. MFTs view problems in complex and holistic ways, examining relationships and interactions as significant components of health and optimal functioning. MFT is one of the five core mental health professions that includes, psychiatry, psychology, social work, psychotherapy and counselling.
Registered Marriage and Family Therapists (RMFTs) are relationship specialists trained to help individuals, couples, and families resolve a wide variety of issues and problems. RMFTs adhere to the CAMFT Code of Ethics.
The Ontario Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (OAMFT) is the professional association for the field of marriage and family therapy in Ontario. They are an international independent affiliate of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. OAMFT represents the professional interests of more than 500 members within Ontario.
The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy is a professional association in the field of marriage and family therapy representing more than 50,000 marriage and family therapists throughout the United States, Canada, and abroad.
Mission, Vision & Purpose:
Mission:
To advance excellence in the field of sex therapy in Ontario.
Vision:
People of all identities are offered leading-edge, respectful, and ethical therapy for their sexual well-being.
Purpose:
To identify to the public, clinicians who have expertise as a Certified sex therapist
To set and uphold standards for the granting of Certified status in sex therapy in Ontario.
To evaluate candidates towards Certification
To provide bi-annual continuing education for ASTO members and guests.
Terry Real is an internationally recognized Family Therapist, Speaker and Author. Terry founded the Relational Life Institute (RLI), offering workshops for couples, individuals and parents around the country along with a professional training program for clinicians wanting to learn his RLT (Relational Life Therapy) methodology.
A family therapist and teacher for more than twenty five years, Terry is the best-selling author of I Don’t Want to Talk About It: Overcoming the Secret Legacy of Male Depression (Scribner, 1997), the straight-talking How Can I Get Through to You? Reconnecting Men and Women (Scribner, 2002), and most recently The New Rules of Marriage: What You Need to Make Love Work (Random House). Terry knows how to lead couples on a step-by-step journey to greater intimacy — and greater personal fulfillment.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a short-term, focused, learning goal-oriented therapy. It has been shown through scientific research to be highly effective for the treatment of many mental health problems. These include depression, anxiety, anger, interpersonal issues, and couples conflicts. There are also specific CBT treatments for trauma (TF-CBT) and medical conditions such as chronic pain and insomnia (I-CBT).
In CBT the therapist acts as a coach, teaching helpful strategies that the client can practice between sessions. Clients learn how to overcome their difficulties by changing some of their perspectives, behaviour, and emotional responses. Cognitive Therapy is a collaborative approach and is compatible with the use of prescribed medication.