Hi! I’m Suse Silva.

I teach folks how to process trauma, reestablish resiliency and develop holistic habits.

The best alternative to talk therapy.

I use the healing arts of somatic movement, trauma-informed yoga, Qigong, meditation, breathwork, art making, forest bathing, sound therapy, energy healing, and more, to support my clients in clearing trauma from the body, regulating the nervous system, and developing a new narrative with holistic perspectives and habits to support their dreams, ambitions and soul’s calling.

Often, clients come to me after they have experienced a mental health crisis, received a diagnosis; or experienced a life-shifting event such as: a death, divorce, displacement, career change, rock bottom or other personal crisis and they are ready to empower themselves in moving forward in a new direction.

I offer support both in-person and virtually all over the world.

I am a first-generation settler of Azorean Portuguese descent living on the unceded traditional and treaty territory of the Michi Saagiig (Mississauga) 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 [Baltimore, Ontario]. With great gratitude, I acknowledge that the Williams Treaties First Nations have been stewards and caretakers of these lands and waters. Through my practices, teachings and daily actions I honour and respect these lands, and all who are doing the same as we walk forward hand-in-hand in good relations.

I have been dedicated to this work for over a decade and I continue to educate, support, and hold nurturing spaces that inspire people to be themselves, heal, explore, grow and have fun!

I've had the privilege of walking alongside individuals during profound life transitions, through times of trauma, grief, mental health struggles, substance misuse, pregnancy, parenting, marital struggles and cancer recovery.

Some of the most rewarding opportunities came from:

• facilitating trauma-informed yoga at Bellwoods Health Services to veterans and first responders in recovery from PTSD and addictions

• leading corporate wellness seminars for Lindt & Sprungli Canada Inc., Vibrant Healthcare Alliance, Benefit Cosmetics, Toronto Zoo, Hudson’s Bay Foundation, Canadian Tire Jumpstart, Greentank Technologies, Mount Sinai, WSIB Ontario, Edward Jones Investing, Shoppers Drug Mart

• facilitating trauma-informed yoga at Fred Victor’s Transitional Housing

• co-facilitating Eddy Tony’s Sacred Medicine Ceremonies and Pachamama Retreats

Why supporting others on their mental health healing journey became my mission

My experience with Ontario’s mental healthcare system began in 2010, when I was locked up in a hospital for seven days, receiving nothing more than a ‘diagnosis’ and a prescription. I was left to figure out what had happened to me on my own. It quickly became clear that true healing required more than what psychiatry could provide. This sparked my curiosity to look outside of the western biomedical model (that had failed me) and explore the holistic frameworks of Yoga, Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Shamanic approaches. The practices I engaged with through these frameworks transformed my mind, body and soul and reinforced the bridges connecting each aspect of self that was previously disconnected.

Through years of dedicated practice, personal growth, extensive study, rigorous training, and my lived experience has deeply informed the work I do with others and how I guide and support them through the healing process. With a focus on compassion, empathy, and practical holistic tools that address the whole person, I offer the kind of support that is often missing from our mental healthcare system and common talk therapy practices (CBT, DBT).

MY CREDENTIALS

Education, Certifications & Personal Practices that inform the work that I do

• Bachelors of Fine Arts, Visual Arts, Honours Degree from York University

• Transformative Mental Health Core Curriculum Certification with The Institution of Developmental Human Arts (IDHA)

• 100hr YogaFit for Warriors (trauma-Informed yoga) YTT Certification (Shaye Molendyke & Kristy Manuel): Neuroscience understanding of the psychological and physiological effects of movement, breathwork and meditation; the nuances of yoga for mental health, PTSD, addictions and recovery, emotional and physical trauma

• 200hr Hatha Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) Certification with YogaFit (Lisa Greenbaum, Joy Keller, Terra Nicole, Taj Harris, Paul Galloro) Specialties - Pre/Post Natal, Seniors, Props, Indo Board

• Mindfulness Meditation YTT Certification with YogaFit (Paul Galloro)

• Ayurveda YTT Certification with YogaFit (Tracy Jennings-Hill)

• Healthcare 1: Assessing the Physical Body YTT Certification with YogaFit (Terra Nicole & Joy Keller)

• Art of Rest (restorative yoga) YTT Certification with Scott Davis: combining Restorative Yoga principles through a Traditional Chinese Medicine lens, Qi Gong, Lymphatic Massage, Meridian Tapping Therapy

• Foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine Certification with Scott Davis

• Tao Healing Hands (soul level energy healing) Practitioner Certification with Next Level Tao, Transmissions by Francisco Quintero, Alexia Cito & Vanessa Ferraro

• Advanced Tao Healing Hands Practitioner Certification with Dr. Master Zhi Gang Sha, David Lusch & Ximena Gavino

• Somatic Breathwork Facilitator Certification with Eddy Tony

• Formal Dance Training (jazz, contemporary, hip-hop) with Dance Extreme

• Formal Visual Arts Training (drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, textiles, animation, film, photography) with BealArt

• Thai Yoga Massage with Navina

• Irest Yoga Nidra with Dr. Richard Miller

• Axis Syllabus with Ruth Douthwright 

• Pilates & Somatic Movement with Lisa Messina

• Qi Gong with Ali Stark

• Qi Gong with Mimi Kuo-Deemer

• Integrative Holistic Psychotherapy with Amy Manusow

• Lunar Magic, Mysticism & Tarot with Sarah Faith Gottesdiener

• Ancestral Healing with Sacred Ancestry

• Crystal Healing & Kundalini Yoga with Kyle Gray

• Spiritual Mentorship with blksoltheory

• Spiritual Mentorship with Copper Lighthouse

• Reiki with raiseurvibe

• Acupuncture with Zackary Owen

• Fighting Monkey and Creative Movement with Elke Schroeder

• Kundalini Yoga with Harmanjot Kaur

• Cold Exposure Therapy with Breathing in Nature

• Holistic Nutrition for Mental Health with Nutrition with Angela

• Functional Movement

• Ecstatic Dance

• Sound Therapy

• Art Therapy

• Buddhist Philosophy

• Taoist Philosophy

• Earth-Based Spirituality

• Sensory Deprivation (Float)

• Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing)