Specialized consultation, supervision, and training for clinicians
Led by Dr. Arela Agako, C.Psych. Case consultation, clinical supervision, and practicum placements for clinicians working with trauma, complex presentations, and relational difficulty. Virtual sessions available.
Psychologists, therapists, social workers, and students
Trauma-Specialized
PTSD, BPD, couples, and cultural presentations
Your Consultant
Meet Dr. Arela Agako
Dr. Arela Agako, C.Psych.
Founder, Director & Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Agako founded Trauma Care Psychology to create a space where people affected by trauma, complex mental health difficulties, and relational pain receive care that is both scientifically rigorous and deeply human. She brings the same values to her consultation and supervision work: precision in formulation, clarity in treatment planning, and genuine investment in each clinician's development.
Her research on emotion regulation has been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences. She holds an adjunct faculty position in Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University, and her clinical and academic work has been featured in popular news outlets such as Psychology Today, Forbes, and Therapy Tips.
Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, McMaster University
Registered C.Psych., College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario (CPBAO)
Adjunct Faculty, Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University
Published research on emotion dysregulation, suicide, and perinatal mental health
Training in DBT, EFT, CPT, ACT, and trauma-informed CBT
All engagements are tailored to your clinical background, goals, and registration requirements.
Case Consultation
Case consultation
Structured consultation for complex or stuck cases. Whether you are unsure how to formulate a presentation, treatment has plateaued, or a client's level of risk or emotional intensity calls for a second clinical perspective, consultation provides clarity on the next step. Draws on trauma-informed, DBT, and evidence-based frameworks tailored to the presentation at hand.
Trauma, PTSD, and Complex PTSD presentations
Borderline personality disorder and emotion dysregulation
DBT-based approaches for self-harm and high-risk presentations
High-conflict relational dynamics
Individual or small group format
Clinical Supervision
Clinical supervision
Reflective, trauma-informed supervision for provisionally registered clinicians and pre-licensed practitioners. Sessions are structured around your caseload, your clinical development, and your goals for registration. Supervision integrates evidence-based frameworks, including DBT, with attention to case formulation, risk, and the relational dynamics of clinical work.
Open to psychologists, psychotherapists, and social workers
Trauma-informed and DBT-informed supervisory framework
Structured around your registration requirements
Individual sessions, regular scheduling
Culturally Sensitive Therapy
Consultation on culturally sensitive therapy
Consultation for clinicians working with clients from diverse cultural backgrounds, including immigrants, newcomers, refugees, and diaspora communities. Focuses on integrating cultural context into trauma formulation, the therapeutic relationship, and treatment delivery.
Cultural factors in trauma and identity
Working with immigrants, newcomers, and diaspora communities
Formulation that accounts for migration, acculturation, and intergenerational patterns
Navigating cultural dynamics in the therapeutic relationship
Couples Therapy
Consultation on couples therapy
Consultation for clinicians working with relational trauma, high-conflict dynamics, and attachment-based couples presentations. Draws from EFT, DBT-informed couples approaches, and CBT for couples.
Relational trauma and attachment disruption
High-conflict and emotionally volatile couples
Applying EFT, DBT, and CBT frameworks to couples work
Formulation and case conceptualization for complex couples presentations
Practicum Placements
Practicum placements
Structured placements for graduate students in clinical or counselling psychology. Placements offer supervised clinical hours alongside hands-on training in evidence-based trauma protocols.
Graduate students in clinical or counselling psychology
Training in CPT, DBT, EFT, and ACT
Supervised client contact hours
Clinical mentorship from Dr. Agako and senior staff
Why Work With Us
What you will gain
Deep clinical grounding in trauma and complex presentations
Consultation and supervision are anchored in Dr. Agako's clinical and research expertise in Complex PTSD, BPD, emotion dysregulation, and relational trauma. You work with someone who has treated these presentations, taught them, and published on the mechanisms underlying them.
Training in structured, evidence-based protocols
Exposure to how DBT, EFT, CPT, and ACT are applied in practice, not just in theory. Supervision integrates protocol fidelity with clinical flexibility, helping you learn how to adapt structured treatments to the real complexity of individual cases.
A supervisory relationship that bridges research and practice
Dr. Agako holds an adjunct faculty position at McMaster University and brings a research-informed perspective to clinical supervision. You benefit from a supervisory relationship that takes both the science and the humanity of clinical work seriously.
Is This Right for You
Who this is for
These services are open to all clinicians, regardless of registration college or professional designation. Whether you are a seasoned practitioner seeking a second perspective on a complex case, a provisionally registered clinician working toward full registration, or a graduate student looking for a structured practicum experience, there is a format suited to where you are in your career.
Clinicians from any registration body are welcome. You do not need to be working in trauma specifically to benefit from consultation, though most of Dr. Agako's work is with clinicians who encounter trauma, emotion dysregulation, relational complexity, or cultural diversity in their caseload.
Registered social workers working with trauma-affected populations
Graduate students in clinical or counselling psychology seeking practicum placements
Clinicians working with diverse or newcomer populations seeking culturally informed consultation
Couples therapists looking to develop depth in relational trauma and attachment-based frameworks
Getting Started
How it works
1
Reach out
Contact us through the form on this page or via the clinic's main contact page. Briefly describe what you are looking for: consultation, supervision, or a practicum placement.
2
Introductory call with Dr. Agako
A short conversation to understand your clinical background, your goals, and whether this is a good fit. No commitment required at this stage.
3
Begin consultation, supervision, or placement
Once fit is confirmed, you agree on format, frequency, and scheduling. Most consultation and supervision engagements begin within two to three weeks.
All consultation and supervision sessions are available virtually, so you can participate from wherever you are based. If you are local to the Etobicoke area, in-person sessions may also be possible depending on availability. Virtual sessions tend to work well for most clinicians, and we have found they allow for a focused, consistent meeting rhythm without the logistics of travel.
Session frequency is shaped by your goals, your caseload, and any registration requirements you are working toward. Most individual supervision arrangements meet weekly or biweekly, which tends to allow enough time between sessions for reflection and growth. Case consultation can be scheduled as needed for specific presentations, or arranged on a recurring basis if you prefer the consistency of a regular touchpoint.
Supervision with Dr. Agako, a registered C.Psych., may count toward registration requirements for provisionally registered psychologists in jurisdictions that accept hours under a registered psychologist. If you are a psychotherapist or social worker, we encourage you to verify directly with your college whether supervision with a psychologist meets their specific criteria. We are happy to provide documentation of your supervised hours to support any application you are making.
Practicum placements are open to graduate students enrolled in accredited clinical or counselling psychology programs who have completed foundational coursework and are ready for supervised client contact. You do not need prior clinical experience to apply, though it is helpful. We look for students who are curious, reflective, and genuinely interested in working with trauma and complex presentations. If you are unsure whether you are at the right stage, feel free to reach out and we can talk it through.
Supervision can draw from any of the evidence-based approaches Dr. Agako is trained in, including DBT, EFT, CPT, ACT, and trauma-informed CBT. Rather than teaching a single modality in isolation, supervision focuses on helping you develop clinical flexibility, so you learn how to hold a protocol with fidelity while still responding to the full complexity of the person in front of you. The specific focus will follow your caseload and your own goals for development.
Small group consultation may be available for clinicians from the same practice or training cohort. Many clinicians find that hearing how peers approach similar presentations deepens their own thinking. If you are part of a team or training program and are interested in a group format, please reach out and we can explore whether it would be a good fit.
Take the Next Step
Get in touch to discuss availability and fit
Reach out through the contact page and briefly describe what you are looking for. Dr. Agako will follow up to schedule an introductory call.
Get in touch by booking a call online with our intake coordinator or by completing the contact form. You can also email admin@traumacarepsychology.ca or call (647) 456-7500.
2
Complete a 20-minute intake call so we can determine the best therapist fit and treatment direction. Alternatively, browse our clinician directory and book a free 20-minute consultation directly with a clinician you feel is a good fit.
