Trauma Care Psychology
Culturally Sensitive Therapy
We provide therapy that meets you where you are, safely, respectfully, and without judgment. Our approach recognizes how culture, identity, and lived experience shape mental health and recovery.
Virtual & In-Person Care
Personalized, trauma-informed care across Ontario and Toronto.
Supporting Your Mental Health
Care that honors who you are and where you come from.
Our Team
Clinicians with cultural humility, lived insight, and evidence-based expertise.
Our team offers culturally sensitive therapy grounded in professional training and lived experience. As first- and second-generation immigrants, we understand what it can feel like to live between cultures while balancing different values, expectations, and identities.
We recognize how culture shapes communication, relationships, stress, and help-seeking. We aim to create a space where these experiences are understood rather than explained.
If you are looking for therapists who understand both where you come from and where you are going, our team is here to support you.
Dr. Arela Agako, C.Psych.
Founder, Director & Clinical Psychologist
Registered clinical psychologist and founder specializing in trauma, complex PTSD, BPD and relationship difficulties. She integrates approaches like DBT, EFT, and CPT to support clients in improving their lives.
Tikea Ametlli, MA, RP
Registered Psychotherapist
I am a Registered Psychotherapist supporting individuals and families through trauma, anxiety, grief, and difficult life experiences, believing healing begins in a safe relationship where you can explore without judgment.
Melissa Calle, MSW, RSW
Registered Social Worker
I am a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist with experience supporting survivors of intimate partner violence, childhood trauma, migration-related trauma, complex PTSD, and clients exposed to chronic or acute traumatic events.
Borana Demaj, MSW, RSW
Registered Social Worker
I am a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist who supports individuals navigating trauma, anxiety, stress, life transitions, and emotional overwhelm through a compassionate and collaborative approach.
George Zoga, M.A.
Intake Coordinator & Admin Assistant
I guide every new client through a warm, trauma-informed intake process that is thoughtful and unhurried. I listen carefully to understand what you are looking for and match you with the right clinician and approach.
Founder & Clinical Director
Dr. Arela Agako, C.Psych.
Dr. Arela Agako is a registered clinical psychologist and the founder of Trauma Care Psychology. She started the practice with a clear mission: to provide a space where people living with the impact of trauma feel truly understood, cared for, and supported with treatments that work.
She holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from McMaster University and advanced training in DBT, EFT, CPT, and ACT. Her clinical focus includes Complex PTSD, trauma-related difficulties, BPD, emotion dysregulation, high-conflict relationships, and intergenerational conflict.
Her research on emotion regulation has been published in peer-reviewed journals and featured in Psychology Today, Forbes, Therapy Tips, and The Globe and Mail. She is also the founder of ACMH and co-founder of the Repair App.
Featured Articles
Selected Publications
Research That Informs Our Care
Published research from our clinic's team members spans emotion dysregulation, DBT, anxiety, and perinatal mental health, and directly informs our client care at Trauma Care Psychology.
Measures of emotion dysregulation: A narrative review
Reviewed and compared the most widely used measures of emotion dysregulation, evaluating how well each tool captures the experience of difficulty managing emotions in clinical and research settings.
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A pilot study examining the effectiveness of a short-term, DBT-informed skills group for emotion dysregulation during the perinatal period
Examined whether a brief, DBT-informed group intervention could reduce emotion dysregulation during the perinatal period, finding clinically meaningful improvements in participants' ability to manage difficult emotions.
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The role of emotion dysregulation in cognitive behavioural group therapy for perinatal anxiety
Investigated the role of emotion dysregulation in treatment outcomes for perinatal anxiety, finding that clients with greater difficulty managing emotions showed distinct response patterns and benefited from targeted intervention.
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Cognitive behavioral therapy for perinatal anxiety: A randomized controlled trial
A randomized controlled trial demonstrating that structured cognitive behavioural therapy significantly reduces anxiety symptoms during the perinatal period, establishing it as an evidence-based treatment for this population.
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The impact of mindfulness on suicidal behavior: a systematic review
A systematic review examining the impact of mindfulness-based interventions on suicidal thoughts and behaviors, finding consistent evidence that mindfulness practices can reduce suicide risk across a range of clinical populations.
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Cognitive behavior therapy for women with generalized anxiety disorder in the perinatal period: Impact on problematic behaviors
Found that CBT for generalized anxiety disorder during the perinatal period not only reduced anxious symptoms but also decreased the problematic behaviors anxiety sustains, such as avoidance and reassurance-seeking.
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Getting Started
Starting therapy is simple and supportive.
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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.
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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.
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Schedule your first session and begin a personalized treatment plan based on your goals and concerns.
Contact Us
Fill out the form and our intake coordinator will be in contact shortly.
Virtual care across Ontario · In-person in Toronto.