
Meet The Waters Psychotherapy Team

Ryley Contois
Registered Psychotherapist
Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist (Individual)
Certified Grief Informed Professional (CGP)
I specialize in working with individuals who have experienced relational trauma or traumatic incidents. I approach therapy with a trauma-focused and non-pathologizing perspective. My practice is influenced mainly by integrative somatic therapy, person-centered therapy, and internal family systems therapy. The foundation of my work is the belief that healing comes when you are able to connect your behaviours, your emotions, your experiences, your thoughts and your body. The primary focus of my practice is helping you figure out the "why" of your current experiences rather than trying to define the "what." My priority in the therapeutic environment is to hold space where you feel safe, supported, accepted and respected.
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Since 2014 I have worked at a forensic maximum secure mental health hospital providing Recreation Therapy. Through this work I developed a passion for listening to people's stories and helping them heal through meaningful activities. In 2019 I enrolled in my Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology Degree at Yorkville University to learn how to better support people in processing their traumatic experiences and working towards healing. I began my practicum in September 2022, and have been practicing psychotherapy since this time. I began my private practice in June of 2023, and graduated from Yorkville University in August of 2023.
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An incredibly important component of my practice as a psychotherapist is continuing education. I am constantly reading books and taking trainings. This allows me to stay up to date on best practices, as well as furthers my knowledge and understanding of the various ways trauma can impact you.
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Formal Education
General Arts and Science Certificate, Niagara College (2013)
Recreation and Leisure Services Diploma, Georgian College (2015)
Honours Bachelor Degree in Therapeutic Recreation, Seneca College (2020)
Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology with distinction, Yorkville University (2023)
Continuing Education
Mental Health First Aid, Mental Health Commission of Canada (2021)
Standard Approach to Concurrent Capable Practices, Alberta Health Services (2021)
Standard Approach to Concurrent Capable Practices, Alberta Health Services (2022)
Internal Family Systems Therapy: Step-by-Step procedures for healing traumatic wounds, PESI (2023)
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Skills Group Training, DBT House (2023)
Level 1: Integrative Somatic Therapy Practice, Holistic Healing Trauma (2023)
IFS Online Circle, IFS Institute (2023)
Indigenous Canada, University of Alberta (2024)
Anxious Grief: Strategies for Working with the Missing Stage of Grief Training, PESI (2024)
35th Annual Boston International Trauma Conference (2024)
ACT: An Adoption and Permanency Curriculum for Child Welfare and Mental Health Professionals, Adoption Counsel of Ontario (2024)
Guiding Women Through Postpartum Depression, Perinatal Loss & Grief, PMDD & More, PESI (2025)
(705) 427-0025