Iain Buchanan
Registered Psychotherapist
Therapist at Bowmanville / Cobourg / Oshawa / Port Hope / Peterborough
Iain is a graduate of the University of Toronto with a Master of Divinity degree with an emphasis on pastoral counselling and spiritual care. His specialized training includes Clinical Pastoral Education, Pastoral Counselling Education, and the Parish Nursing Program at Emmanuel College, in the University of Toronto, which supports the well-being of the body, mind, and spirit. Iain’s continuing education focuses on areas such as addictions, acute mental illness, suicide and crisis de-escalation, spiritual crisis and care, meditation and mindfulness.
Iain has been trained in a variety of therapeutic modalities including Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for insomnia (CBTi), motivational interviewing, brief therapy, narrative therapy and mindfulness.
Iain is a Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario and a current member of the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care.
In his past roles as a hospital Chaplain and a psychotherapist at mental health and addiction treatment centres, Iain dealt with crises, pain and suffering on unimaginable scales every day. He has provided therapeutic care to people who have a variety of physical, cognitive, emotional and mental health conditions. Iain is passionate about the many diverse and significant ways psychotherapy contributes to changing lives of the sick, the angry, the frightened, the lonely, the grieving, and the seeking. Iain continues to deal with multiple issues such as grief, bereavement, chronic pain, addictions, isolation, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, sexuality, sexual identity and suicidality. By providing them with therapeutic insight, techniques and strategies, Iain empowers his clients to clarify their core beliefs and values and discover new ways of dealing with problems and making difficult decisions. Iain strives to foster a relationship of care and trust, enabling him to respond sensitively to the dignity, culture, beliefs, practices and individual needs of each of his clients.
Maintaining his own emotional and spiritual health has long been a priority for Iain while he has experienced various life changing events, including a serious motor vehicle accident which necessitated back surgery, physiotherapy and ongoing chiropractic and massage therapy treatments. His personal experience with overcoming obstacles and stress and chronic pain management helps him to connect empathically and respectfully with clients in their individual struggles and challenges.
