Jaclyn Spinelli, Founder and Psychotherapist at True Self Counselling, has cultivated a practice specifically designed for highly sensitive people (HSPs) and empaths – individuals who often find themselves stuck in familiar cycles of emotional overwhelm, people pleasing, and past therapy experiences that may not have fully addressed their needs. The full virtual, Ontario-based mental health service aims to address a common issue: traditional talk therapy can sometimes feel circular for clients who have explored multiple modalities, yet still find themselves grappling with recurring emotional patterns.
With firsthand knowledge of the corporate world, Spinelli made a pivotal career change after a decade in sales and marketing, turning to therapy both as a personal practice and eventually as a professional pursuit. Her lived experience, along with insight gained from observing different therapeutic outcomes in her clients, informs the ethos behind True Self Counselling. “If you’ve ever left therapy feeling like you just vented for an hour and haven’t made any tangible changes, you’re not alone. Sometimes the approach just doesn’t meet the moment,” she says, highlighting the belief that transformation often benefits from tools that go beyond verbal processing.
True Self Counselling is built around three core clinical principles: trauma-informed care, neuroscience-based perspectives, and a solutions-focused methodology. This triad sets the foundation for customized therapy that supports both long-term deeper healing and immediate coping strategies to start making progress now. Spinelli explains that trauma is understood not merely as a past event, but as a pattern that can become embedded in the body and brain. By incorporating attachment theory, brain-body awareness, and neurobiological insights, the practice seeks to offer therapeutic frameworks that complement traditional talk therapy.
The therapists at True Self Counselling are distinguished by their commitment to authenticity and experiential understanding. According to Spinelli, “Therapists who have done their own work bring a unique presence. They’ve navigated some of the same patterns they’re helping clients explore.” This emphasis on lived experience supports a kind of therapeutic connection that resonates with HSPs, who are often attuned to emotional nuance and sincerity.
Many of True Self’s clients arrive after years of self-reflection through journaling, mindfulness, and various wellness practices. They often share that prior therapy helped them develop intellectual insight into their challenges but left them seeking more embodied or integrated growth. For these individuals, therapy may have felt more like discussing a problem than working through it. True Self Counselling offers an integrative approach that includes cognitive, somatic, and spiritual elements to support deeper progress.
The practice supports clients in managing emotional intensity, establishing boundaries, breaking cycles of self-sabotage, and enhancing executive functioning – especially valuable for individuals with ADHD traits or complex emotional histories. Spinelli emphasizes that growth often involves becoming more aware of automatic responses and learning how to interact with emotions in a conscious, grounded way.
True Self Counselling provides support for a broad range of issues, from overthinking and anxiety to relationship challenges rooted in past experiences. Many clients benefit from tools that help them pause, reflect, and choose how to respond – an important step toward emotional regulation and personal growth.
To increase access, the clinic has implemented an affordable care program with tiered service options. This makes specialized therapy more attainable for those who might otherwise face financial barriers.
Another feature of the practice is the flexibility given to clinicians. Therapists are encouraged to draw on approaches that align with both their expertise and their clients’ unique needs. This creates a more adaptive, personalized experience. “Therapy is not a one size fits all process – not for the client, and not for the therapist either” Spinelli notes. “It’s about knowing when to engage the cognitive, when to incorporate the somatic, and when spiritual insight is needed.”
For those navigating emotional complexity, ADHD-related challenges, or unresolved trauma, the clinic offers a balance of practical tools and deeper therapeutic exploration. Clients are supported in identifying coping mechanisms – such as overuse of social media or avoidance – and examining the emotional patterns behind them. With a compassionate and nonjudgmental approach, clients are guided to make changes that feel sustainable and self-aligned.
True Self Counselling is designed for those who’ve invested deeply in their healing but are still searching for meaningful shifts. The therapists offer more than credentials; they offer connection and lived experience. The focus isn’t on quick fixes, but on equipping clients to engage with themselves fully and consciously, in all of their complexity.
The practice’s mission is to help individuals reconnect with their inner clarity and core self—a process that can feel elusive despite sincere efforts. As Spinelli puts it, “Authenticity is not just a virtue. It’s a path to healing.”
For additional information about True Self Counselling, visitwww.trueselfcounselling.caor follow the practice onInstagram.
