Cory Dankner

Counselling Intern

Hi! My name is Cory (he/him), and I am a Counselling Intern at the Healing Tree. I help individuals identify and overcome obstacles in pursuit to a more meaningful and fulfilled life. We live in a world that constantly tells us who we should be, how we should feel, and how our lives ought to look. It is easy to become disconnected from ourselves or begin viewing our struggles through a lens of self-criticism.

Through a collaborative, trauma-informed, humanistic perspective, I approach every client first and foremost as a human being rather than a collection of symptoms, diagnoses, or problems to be fixed. Together, we explore how your thoughts, emotions, behaviours, and coping strategies developed within the context of your lived experience, moving away from the question, “What is wrong with me?” toward a deeper understanding of “What happened to me?” and “How did I learn to survive?”

Whether using therapy as a space to heal from difficult experiences, or for growth and self-discovery, therapy can be a tremendous tool in helping individuals create the lives and relationships they want with themselves and others. It can provide a space to reconnect with your needs and values, and develop a stronger sense of who you are. In working with me, you can expect to embark on a journey of understanding and transforming patterns that once helped you adapt or protect yourself but may no longer be serving you in the ways you want. As this work unfolds, many clients find themselves feeling more grounded, confident, emotionally aware, and empowered to navigate relationships, boundaries and life’s challenges with greater clarity, intention and value-alignment.

I don’t take lightly the role I play as a witness in your life. I recognize that being open and vulnerable in therapy can feel awkward and scary. I strive to create a non-judgemental therapeutic environment where you can feel truly seen and heard. We move at a pace that feels safe for you. With that said, I also recognize we often come to therapy wanting to be challenged and I don’t shy from doing so – always with compassion and in service of your goals.

I work with individuals navigating the full spectrum of the human experience, including trauma and relational abuse, relationship difficulties, identity concerns, neurodiversity, self-esteem challenges, depression, anxiety, life transitions, dissociation, questions of meaning and purpose, and difficulties understanding and expressing emotions.

As a male therapist, I am also particularly interested in working with men navigating challenges and questions of masculinity, identity, relationships, and emotional wellbeing including experiences of shame, loneliness, emotional disconnection, occupational concerns and work-life balance.

My approach draws upon several different techniques. I use Internal Family Systems (IFS) to help deepen your relationship with yourself from a place of curiosity and compassion. As someone fascinated by existentialism and the stories we tell about ourselves, exploring personal meaning is at the heart of my approach. I believe in the interconnectedness of the mind, body, and soul, particularly in how trauma affects us neurophysiologically, and this is reflected in my approach through the incorporation of mindfulness and somatic practices.

I have an M.A. in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University in New Brunswick (2023). I am a member of the Ordre des conseillers at conseillères d’orientation du Québec (OCCOQ) and am currently in the process of working towards obtaining my psychotherapy permit with the Ordre des Psychologues du Quebec (OPQ).

Outside the office, you can often find me spending time with family and being active in nature, from hiking in the summer and fall to skiing in the winter. My comfort place is being at home, or at a coffee shop reading a good novel or dabbling in writing of my own.