Please Note: Counselling services are on hold until autumn, 2023, while Caitlin is on maternity leave.
Let’s begin your healing journey
I’m Caitlin Raftis, BEd MA OCT CCC RP. My practice is informed by evidence-based research and theoretical foundations. I offer emotion-focused, narrative, and dialectical-behaviour therapy remotely, so you can heal from the comfort of your home. Your pets are welcome to join our online sessions.
Are you going through a difficult chapter in your life?
I help clients cope with a variety of life challenges, including:
Addiction
Grief & Loss
Life Transitions
Trauma
Anxiety & Depression
Sexuality
Gender Identity
Relationships
“You either walk inside your story and own it, or you stand outside your story and hustle for your worthiness.”
~ Brene Brown
Counselling & Psychotherapy
The mind and body are intrinsically linked to each other.
As we experience life, we are inevitably met with confusion and suffering along the way. Our most challenging experiences can leave our bodies disregulated.
Processing difficult emotions can overload the nervous system with mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual stress.
Psychotherapy promotes healing by supporting your development of effective coping strategies, self-awareness, personal insight, and the tools to effect change.
I approach psychotherapy from an emotion-focused lens and operate with a narrative framework. I draw heavily on skill building through dialectical-behaviour therapy and honour the individual journey of each client.
Animal Assisted Interventions
Against the Grain Counselling Services provides counselling and psychotherapy in an animal-assisted setting to promote the emotional well-being of clients by fostering a sense of trust and connection.
Research suggests that the therapeutic relationship is one of the highest predictors of successful treatment outcomes.
An animal-assisted setting promotes interaction between the client and the therapist. Animal-human interaction can be a powerful motivator, assisting both therapist and client in building therapeutic rapport, achieving therapy goals, and optimizing therapy outcomes.
Animal Assisted Interventions
Against the Grain Counselling Services provides counselling and psychotherapy in an animal-assisted setting to promote the emotional well-being of clients by fostering a sense of trust and connection.
Research suggests that the therapeutic relationship is one of the highest predictors of successful treatment outcomes.
An animal-assisted setting promotes interaction between the client and the therapist. Animal-human interaction can be a powerful motivator, assisting both therapist and client in building therapeutic rapport, achieving therapy goals, and optimizing therapy outcomes.
Did you know…
Against the Grain Counselling Services is located on the Treaty 20 Michi Saagiig territory and in the traditional territory of the Michi Saagiig and Chippewa Nations, collectively known as the Williams Treaties First Nations, which include: Curve Lake, Hiawatha, Alderville, Scugog Island, Rama, Beausoleil, and Georgina Island First Nations.
Against the Grain respectfully acknowledges that the Williams Treaties First Nations are the stewards and the caretakers of these lands and waters in perpetuity, and that they continue to maintain this responsibility to ensure their health and integrity for generations to come.
From coast to coast to coast, we acknowledge the ancestral and unceded territory of all the Inuit, Métis, and First Nations people that call this land home.
About Me
Caitlin Raftis, Therapist
Caitlin is a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) and Registered Psychotherapist (RP).
She belongs to the Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) chapter with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) and is involved in ongoing training to promote the use of animals in her therapeutic space.
Caitlin is also an Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT) with a background in Performing Arts (PA) and Early Childhood Education (ECE). She pursues ongoing professional development to advance her skill set as a specialist in dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), emotionally-focused individual therapy (EFIT), and narrative therapy (NT).
Caitlin Raftis, Therapist
Caitlin is a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) and Registered Psychotherapist (RP).
She belongs to the Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) chapter with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) and is involved in ongoing training to promote the use of animals in her therapeutic space.
Caitlin is also an Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT) with a background in Performing Arts (PA) and Early Childhood Education (ECE). She pursues ongoing professional development to advance her skill set as a specialist in dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), emotionally-focused individual therapy (EFIT), and narrative therapy (NT).
“I have looked into the eyes of many animals. Each time I get a special feeling. A feeling different from human eye contact. It is a unique feeling. It touches my heart. It affects my soul.”
~ Anthony Douglas Williams
Our Animals
Bella Mae | Golden Labrador Retriever
Bella Mae was adopted from the Saskatoon SPCA. She is a prairie dog, born and raised.
Bella is an emotional support animal (ESA) with a very kind heart, warm smile, and gentle manner. She is a senior dog but that has not slowed her down from enjoying long walks, off-leash runs, and making new friends wherever she goes.
Bella is in attendance at most counselling sessions.
Leiapold | Bengal-Lynxpoint Cat
Leiapold was born in the neighbourhood due to an accidental litter and found her way to our forever home. She is full of energy and very mischievous.
When she is not running laps around the centre or playing on her many scratch posts, she enjoys curling up beside her human companion for long pets and the occasional belly rub.
Leiapold is in attendance at most counselling sessions.
Dexter | Crested Gecko
Dexter was an organized adoption from a loving home.
Against all odds, he is best friends with Leiapold and enjoys keeping her company in the office. He spends his days hanging out in his cave and nights exploring the moss and ferns of his terrarium.
Dexter is in attendance at most counselling sessions.
Hugo | Lilac-Tortoiseshell Rabbit
Hugo came to us as a senior rabbit from the Peterborough Human Society. Hugo used to work with clients as a therapy bunny before retiring to spend his days outside in his rabbit warren with Rosie.
Hugo passed away in 2021 of old age. We all miss his sweet demeanour and soft fur, especially Leiapold who enjoyed spending days outside, curled up in the warren with him.
Rosie | Chinchilla Rabbit
Rosie was a rescue from a meat farm. She loved living in her refurbished outdoor home alongside Hugo bunny, with whom she had bonded. When Hugo passed away, Rosie was very lonely before moving to Cedar Creed Warren, where she now spends her days outside among dozens of new bunny friends.
Miki & Chiki | Budgies
Miki and Chiki were a bonded pair when they arrived at the centre. They enjoy singing to each other every day, and always create a wonderful atmosphere with their songs.
They are now bringing joy to an elderly man who lives alone and was seeking companionship during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Raffi, Kiki, Zaza, and Zuzu | Lovebirds
Raffi and Kiki were bonded upon arrival at the centre. Zaza and Zuzu are their offspring, and were born on site. They enjoy lots of time flying outside of their aviary and are very attentive to the animals and humans in their environment.
This sweet family of lovebirds now live with a pair of sisters in a rural setting. They were adopted during the COVID-19 lockdowns and became an important addition to the girls’ homeschooling experience.
Myrtle and Squirtle | Red-Eared Sliders
Myrtle and Squirtle were looking for a new home in a larger tank when they found us. They spent several years growing in our outdoor pond during the summer and came inside to live in their indoor tank for the winter.
They quickly outgrew our loving space and were fortunate enough to find a new home on an acreage where their new family of turtle lovers have built them much larger outdoor and indoor ponds to keep growing.
Legalus | Bearded Dragon
Legalus was an organized adoption from a loving home.
He now spends most of his time lounging in his terrarium and basking under the sunlight with his new favourite human companion in Port Perry, Ontario.
Pricing & Payment
Insurance
Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) and Extended Health Coverage (EHC) can assist with payment for therapy. It is recommended that clients check with their insurance providers to ensure that Registered Psychotherapist services are part of their insurance coverage and policy. It is the client’s responsibility to apply for any reimbursement from any third party agencies. All fees are due following each session.
Payment
Payment is accepted by visa, cash, cheque, or e-transfer.
Session Costs
Full Fee Adults: $150/hr
Limited Income Adults: $125/hr
Students: $100/hr
GST/HST is included in all session costs (#70339 7489 RT0001).