About Stephen Blackmore,
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Many of the people I work with are thoughtful, caring individuals who have spent years trying to hold everything together. They may be navigating burnout, relationship struggles, neurodivergence, emotional disconnection, questions of identity, changing beliefs, or simply a sense that the way they have been living no longer feels sustainable.My work is grounded in the belief that therapy can be a place to slow down, feel understood, and reconnect with yourself more honestly. Whether you are struggling, questioning, healing, growing, or simply trying to make sense of life, you do not need to navigate it alone.
I offer in-person psychotherapy in Milton and Burlington, as well as virtual therapy across Ontario for adults and couples seeking support, growth, and meaningful change.
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Spiritual Care Provider
Educator
Anglican Priest
My Approach to Therapy
I aim to offer therapy that feels calm, thoughtful, collaborative, and human. I do not believe therapy should feel like a performance, a checklist, or a place where you need to have everything figured out before you begin.
My approach is both practical and reflective. Sometimes therapy begins with immediate relief: tools for managing anxiety, stress, conflict, emotional overwhelm, or day-to-day survival. Over time, deeper growth often comes through self-understanding — exploring patterns, emotions, relationships, identity, meaning, and the ways we have learned to adapt or protect ourselves.
Many clients tell me they appreciate having a space that feels warm, authentic, non-judgmental, and grounding. Humour, when appropriate, also has a place here. Difficult things can be taken seriously without everything becoming heavy.
What Has Shaped Me
Before becoming a Registered Psychotherapist, much of my life and work was shaped by ministry, spiritual care, teaching, and walking alongside people through grief, transition, doubt, conflict, and change.
Those experiences taught me that people rarely need quick answers as much as they need a safe and thoughtful space to tell the truth about their lives.
My own spiritual and theological journey has also profoundly shaped me. Raised within Pentecostal and evangelical traditions, I later studied philosophy, wrestled with difficult questions, and eventually found a home within the Anglican tradition. Along the way, I learned the importance of curiosity, honest questioning, emotional integrity, and spirituality that can hold complexity.
Those experiences allow me to support people navigating faith transitions, religious trauma, deconstruction, reconstruction, and broader questions of meaning, purpose, and identity.
Spirituality Without the Pressure
Some clients come to therapy wanting to talk directly about faith or spirituality. Others are uncertain, wounded by religious experiences, or not spiritually inclined at all. All are welcome.
I do not see therapy as a place to impose beliefs or provide easy answers. Instead, I work to create a space where your own values, questions, hopes, doubts, grief, and experiences can be explored with care and respect.
For some people, this involves spirituality. For others, it involves relationships, neurodivergence, masculinity, burnout, identity, or learning to live more authentically. Whatever brings you to therapy, my role is not to tell you what to believe, but to help you better understand yourself and your experiences.
The Story Behind TLS Counselling
People occasionally ask about the name TLS Counselling.TLS stands for The Lemonade Stand, a name inspired by a family memory involving my children, a silly song about a duck walking up to a lemonade stand, and a deeper reflection on how we respond to life's challenges.
Over time, the name came to represent something meaningful to me. We do not always choose what life hands us. Some experiences are painful, confusing, unfair, or overwhelming. Therapy is not about pretending those things are easy or forcing every struggle into a positive lesson. Instead, therapy can help us approach life with curiosity, honesty, resilience, compassion, and sometimes even a little humour. It can help us discover new ways of responding, reconnecting, and finding meaning in the midst of what we are carrying.
Education, Training & Professional Background
I am a Registered Psychotherapist (RP) with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) in the Qualifying category. My educational background includes studies in psychotherapy, theology, philosophy, and spiritual care. Over the past two decades, I have worked in counselling, ministry, education, and supportive care roles, helping individuals navigate emotional, relational, spiritual, and life transitions.
I continue to pursue ongoing professional development and draw from a variety of evidence-informed therapeutic approaches to support the unique needs of each client.
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
I am a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO #18415). My work is informed by over two decades of experience supporting individuals and couples through emotional, relational, spiritual, and life transitions.
Master of Psycho-Spiritual Studies (MPS) - University of Toronto (2025)
Master of Theology (ThM) - University of Toronto (Thesis-pending)
Master of Theological Studies (MTS) - University of Toronto (2004)
Bachelor of Arts (BA) - University of Guelph (2001)
Lived Experience:
Neuro-Affirming Expertise: Personal and professional experience navigating adult ADHD and Autism dynamics.
Husband & Father: Experience navigating intimate relationships and the challenges of parenting
Spiritual Care Background: Over 20 years of experience providing spiritual care and guidance to individuals and families.
Therapeutic Approaches
My work is integrative and tailored to the individual. Rather than relying on a single model, I draw from a variety of evidence-informed approaches depending on your goals, personality, and circumstances.
These may include:
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Meaning-Based Approaches
Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
At the heart of my work is the therapeutic relationship itself — creating a space where you feel understood, supported, challenged when appropriate, and free to explore what matters most.
Areas I Frequently Support
While every client's story is unique, I most often work with individuals and couples navigating:
Men's mental health, relationships, and emotional awareness
Neurodivergence, masking, and authenticity
Burnout, stress, and life transitions
Faith transitions, deconstruction, and religious trauma
Identity, meaning, and personal growth
Relationship challenges and emotional connection
Working Together
I offer in-person psychotherapy in Milton and Burlington, as well as virtual therapy across Ontario for adults and couples. Whether you are navigating emotional overwhelm, relationship challenges, neurodivergence, burnout, faith transitions, religious trauma, or a desire to live with greater authenticity, therapy can provide a space to slow down, reflect honestly, and reconnect with yourself. You do not need to have everything figured out before reaching out.
Option 1: Schedule a Free 15-Minute Consultation
Click below to check my live availability and securely schedule a phone or video consultation through the booking portal.
Option 2: Ask a Question First
If you have any questions about my therapeutic approach, billing, or scheduling availability, send me a message.