Against the Grain Counselling Services
Therapy in the comfort of your home.
Let’s begin your healing journey
I’m Caitlin Raftis, BEd MA OCT CCC RP ICADC. My practice is informed by evidence-based research and theoretical foundations. I offer counselling and psychotherapy 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
Relationships
Let’s reclaim your story and start your next chapter together.
“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.
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 welcomes your animal companions in virtual Telehealth sessions. The sense of trust and connection we get from our animal companions helps to promote emotional well-being in clients, and supports the therapeutic relationship.
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 welcomes your animal companions in virtual Telehealth sessions. The sense of trust and connection we get from our animal companions helps to promote emotional well-being in clients, and supports the therapeutic relationship.
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 was founded 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 Raftis, Therapist
“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 in 2014 while Caitlin was living in the prairies. Together, they lived in Saskatoon (SK), Toronto (ON), Peterborough (ON), and Connecticut (USA).
Bella taught Caitlin about the therapeutic benefits of animal-human relationships. She became designated as an emotional support animal (ESA) in 2016 and inspired Caitlin to open an animal-assisted counselling practice in 2019.
She participated in ongoing training towards her Therapy Dog designation until her passing in 2023. Bella worked faithfully by Caitlin’s side, offering comfort and connection to every client that sought healing through Against the Grain, Counselling Services.
Bella is part of the heart and soul at Against the Grain, Counselling Services. She was well known for her beauty, humour, intelligence, affection and relentless unconditional love. Her legend lives on in spirit.
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.
“Follow the grain in your own wood.”
~ Howard Thurman
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
GST/HST is included in all session costs (#70339 7489 RT0001).
