Holistic Psychotherapy 
                                      with 
             Svetlana Antonyshyn, R.H.I.R.     

     To Whom It May Concern,

     I have been on faculty with the Transformational Arts College since 1997 and hold the position of Senior Psychotherapist and Instructor.  I am delighted to be writing this support letter on behalf of Svetlana Antonyshyn.   I have been Svetlana’s teacher during her training as a Spiritual Psychotherapist.  In that time, I have witnessed her presence and commitment to the therapeutic process and am excited to now see her begin what I believe will be a very successful therapy practice.

     The Spiritual Psychotherapy Training Program, which she has completed, is a rigorous exploration of psychotherapy, spiritual development, emotional healing, experiential work, relationships and group dynamics. During her time at the Transformational Arts College, she progressively demonstrated an increasing ability and eagerness to move out of her comfort zone in order to grow and be a better therapist.  

     Her own life experiences, triumphs as well as losses, give her a unique perspective on spirituality and the human journey.  Svetlana is comfortable and adept at weaving her spiritual teachings with her strong understanding of psychology and human nature.   Having lost a child, she offers a tender and inspiring approach to grief and recovery from trauma.

     Svetlana has an analytical mind and her approach is methodical, logical as well as intuitive.  Her delivery is direct and succinct.  Her strength lies in her ability to empathize while maintaining a professional distance. While Svetlana has compassion and sensitivity for the human struggle she is able to observe it with a detachment that helps her see what the client is unable to see for themselves.

     Svetlana recognizes that there is always more to learn and has shown a dedication toward self-study, focus and ongoing personal and professional development.  I have had such confidence in her skills that I have handpicked her to work with some clients that were seeking therapy.

 Sincerely,

 Michelle DesRoches, RIHR

 Senior Psychotherapist and Faculty Member

 Transformational Arts College

 (416) 484-8178

      To Whom it May Concern,

      I first was introduced to Svetlana in my function as facilitator in and teacher of the Spiritual Psychotherapy training program at the Transformational Arts College (TAC) in Toronto, Ontario. The training program has been preparing individuals for work in psychotherapy for 20 years. Many of TAC’s graduates have gone on to establish successful private practices, found health centers, or join holistic health clinics. This success is based on the one hand on the TAC’s ongoing commitment to staying up-to-date with the latest developments in the fields of psychotherapy and spirituality, on the other hand on the strict experiential nature of the program which requires students to examine their own issues in class and in a minimum of 100 hours of personal therapy. 

      As a graduate of the College myself and a teacher and psychotherapist in private practice for over eight years, I noticed Svetlana’s commitment to her studies and a keen curiosity in her work. She showed a fascination with the human mind, human behavior and the human being as a whole (mind, body and soul combined and how one affects the other). Svetlana was engaged in class: she showed the ability to listen to class mates and theoretical instruction, was willing and able to share personal insights and experiences, and excelled in written and experiential assignments. While I am not able to comment on her personal experiences in therapy, I can share another observation from my work with her in the classroom: over the period of the training, Svetlana dove into her personal issues to a degree that allowed her to change and grow noticeably, always willing to look at uncomfortable feelings and to accept feedback when appropriate. 

      Towards the end of the training all students are required to work with clients as therapist-interns in order to hone their skills under supervision of a practised therapist. I had the pleasure of being assigned as Svetlana’s supervisor and had an opportunity to see the translation of her promising class room work into the outstanding work of a therapist. 

        Svetlana has all the marks of a good psychotherapist: she trusts herself and her skills, shows confidence in her sessions while putting her clients wisdom first; she believes in the ability of the individual to overcome adversity and is willing to guide and help where and when appropriate and necessary without giving answers but guiding her clients to find their own; she has warmth and compassion while also being able to challenge a client on outdated beliefs or harmful behaviours. Svetlana possesses a sharp mind and keen observation which enable her to see hidden patterns and express them in such a way that the client is presented with a choice for change. 

      I am glad to be able to count Svetlana amongst my colleagues now. She is a valuable addition to the field and I am looking forward to following her success story over the years as I have no doubt that a success story it will be.

 Sincerely,

 Sabine Cox, RIHR, RPC
 Psychotherapist and Faculty Member
 Transformational Arts College
 (416) 889-5291