​After spending several years working in Search and Rescue with the Coast Guard, Dave Hurst began his education in psychology. He earned his Honours B.A. in Psychology from Laurentian University (2010), followed by his M.A. in Counselling Psychology at the University of Toronto (2013), where he is currently near completion of his Ph.D. in Clinical and Counselling Psychology. 

Dave believes that to be human is to experience both joy and suffering; he believes that we are all born with an innate capacity to adapt, heal, and grow in the face of our suffering, and sometimes even because of it. 

Dave has had the privilege and honour of serving people from all walks of life, with a wide variety of concerns, including anxiety, depressed mood, emotion regulation, self-esteem/self-worth, addiction and trauma related difficulties. Because each client’s context and perspective is unique, Dave draws from a number of therapies to meet the individual client’s needs, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and Family Systems Therapy.

Although psychotherapy is sometimes called “Talk Therapy,” Dave’s approach is highly experiential and holistic; he invites and nurtures the active involvement of the whole person, including mind, emotions, and “felt sense” (the body’s response to our experiences), as all three can provide us with wisdom and direction.  
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Dave strongly believes that clients know themselves better than they realize. He fosters an environment which promotes self-knowledge through strength-based and positive psychology approaches. By keeping it simple, living one day at a time and in the moment, clients can better understand themselves and the themes that are most relevant in their lives. Blessings can arise in the darkest of moments so long as we become aware of, and pay attention to, our inner thoughts and outward actions. 

David is a psychology apprentice, working towards registration with the College of Psychologists of Ontario.  He provides services  under the supervision of registered Psychologists.  ​For more information about supervised psychological services, please click here.