Dr. Laurel Laakso, MD

Family Physician & Psychotherapist

I have been practicing as a family physician since 2017. I started my practice in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, a remote community in Northwestern Ontario, where I provided both primary care and in-hospital care, as well as local and regional medical leadership as a member of the hospital senior executive team.

Over time, I have witnessed first-hand the complex and highly interconnected association between our mental, emotional and spiritual wellness and our physical health. As I recognized the inherent limitations of a strict separation of physical and mental wellbeing, this led me to move beyond a simple biomedical model approach to health and to incorporate a holistic, biopsychosocial understanding into my practice.

My GP-psychotherapy practice builds on this understanding. To support individuals in living a healthy, meaningful life to the fullest capacity, it is often necessary to explore the deeper context of our past and present lives. These deeper, hidden aspects of our being can impact us in ways we may not see or recognize. This exploration can facilitate profound personal growth and development. This growth, in turn, often impacts others around us, thereby also promoting health and healing in our families and larger communities.

Sessions with Dr. Laakso

I strive to create a safe, empathetic space where patients feel heard and supported. Building a strong and collaborative therapeutic relationship allows for progressive insight and self-exploration to unfold. As we work together, constructing a progressively clearer understanding of initial presenting concerns, often other related concerns come into focus, providing further opportunities for exploration and development. I also incorporate a culturally responsive and socially just lens into sessions, to further guide understanding and response to patient lived experience.

Dr. Laakso’s Credentials

Registration & Professional Memberships

Member, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario

Member, College of Family Physicians of Canada

Member, Medical Psychotherapy Association Canada

Assistant Professor, NOSM University

Education

Doctor of Medicine, McMaster University

Family Medicine Residency, University of Toronto

Bachelor of Medical Science, University of Western Ontario

Dr. Laakso’s Specializations

  • ADHD

  • Depression

  • Anxiety

  • Divorce

  • Grief

  • Career Guidance

  • Chronic Illness

  • Chronic Pain

  • Spirituality

  • Religious Trauma

  • Self Esteem

  • Sleep or Insomnia

  • Weight Loss

  • Aging

  • Burnout

  • Dementia

  • Older Adult Issues

  • Traumatic Brain Injury

  • Trauma and PTSD

  • Caregiver Support

  • Stress

  • Healthcare Provider Wellness

  • Insomnia

  • Alzheimer’s

  • Elderly Persons Disorders

Any Questions?

With ongoing professional education, our practitioner can regularly collaborate to provide our patients with the most appropriate and up-to-date care.

We offer psychodynamic therapy in Toronto for individuals, couples, and families and are available across Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Alberta, British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, and Yukon

Contact Us