George Hartwell

Experience Christian Therapy / Counselling

About George Hartwell, M.Sc.Registered Psychotherapist & Christian Marriage CounsellorMy name is George Hartwell, M.Sc. I am a Registered Psychotherapist with the Ontario College of Registered Psychotherapists (CRPO #006700) and have been helping individuals, couples, and families since 1983.
For more than forty years I have worked with people struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship difficulties, personality patterns, and spiritual concerns. My passion is helping people experience genuine transformation—not merely learning coping strategies, but addressing the deeper emotional and spiritual issues that create suffering.
I believe that meaningful change becomes possible when we heal the underlying emotional learning that drives unhealthy reactions, self-defeating patterns, and relationship conflicts.
Education and Professional QualificationsI hold a Master of Science degree in Clinical Psychology (Educational Psychology) from the University of Calgary, where I received extensive training in human development, personality, assessment, counselling, and psychotherapy.
Professional Qualifications:

Master of Science (M.Sc.), Clinical Psychology, University of Calgary
Registered Psychotherapist, Ontario College of Registered Psychotherapists (CRPO #006700)
Over 40 years of clinical experience
Private Practice since 1983

Throughout my career I have remained committed to ongoing professional development, supervision, consultation, and advanced psychotherapy training.
Clinical ExperienceMy professional experience includes work in hospitals, community agencies, and private practice settings.
Over four decades I have helped clients address:

Anxiety and panic disorder
Depression
PTSD and trauma
Social anxiety
Relationship conflict
Infidelity recovery
Avoidant personality patterns
Silent divorce
Codependency and people pleasing
Love addiction
Dissociation
Spiritual concerns and inner healing

One of the strengths clients often mention is my ability to quickly identify the underlying personality patterns that are creating distress in their lives and relationships.
Many people arrive feeling confused about why they continue repeating the same painful experiences. Together we identify the emotional learning and core beliefs driving those patterns and create lasting change.
Specialized Training and Therapeutic ApproachesMy work integrates evidence-based psychotherapy with a respectful Christian understanding of emotional and spiritual growth.
Among the approaches that influence my work are:
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)Emotionally Focused Therapy helps couples rebuild secure emotional bonds and restore connection. EFT is one of the most research-supported approaches available for relationship healing.
EMDREye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) uses bilateral stimulation to help the brain process traumatic memories and unresolved emotional experiences. EMDR is highly effective for trauma, anxiety, PTSD, and relationship-triggered emotional reactions.
Memory Reconsolidation ApproachesModern neuroscience demonstrates that emotional learning can be permanently updated when old emotional patterns are activated and replaced with new experiences. This process, known as memory reconsolidation, informs much of my therapeutic work.
Internal Family Systems and Parts WorkMany emotional struggles involve conflicting internal parts. Parts-oriented approaches help clients develop compassion toward themselves while resolving internal conflicts.
Schema TherapySchema Therapy identifies deeply rooted patterns formed during childhood and helps transform the beliefs and emotional reactions that continue to shape adult relationships.
Listening Prayer TherapyListening Prayer Therapy integrates psychotherapy with spiritual healing. Clients learn to listen for God's guidance, love, truth, and wisdom as part of their healing journey.
Clinical Mentors and Professional LineageMy work has been influenced by a number of respected clinicians, researchers, and pioneers in inner healing ministry.
These influences include:
Agnes Sanford
Often considered one of the pioneers of modern Christian healing prayer, Agnes Sanford emphasized God's healing presence and love as essential elements of restoration.
John and Paula Sandford
The Sandfords developed foundational approaches to Christian inner healing and helped identify the impact of childhood wounds, performance orientation, and emotional pain on adult relationships.
Leanne Payne
Leanne Payne contributed significantly to the understanding of identity formation, spiritual healing, and emotional maturity within a Christian framework.

Ed Smith
Creator of Theophostic Prayer Ministry, Ed Smith's work highlighted the role of unresolved emotional memories and the importance of truth encounters in healing.
Additional Professional InfluencesMy work has also been shaped by:

Bessel van der Kolk
Peter Levine
Bruce Ecker
Laurel Hulley
Robin Ticic
Carl Jung
Watchman Nee

These diverse influences have contributed to an approach that integrates psychology, neuroscience, spirituality, and practical life transformation.
Areas of Expertise
I am particularly known for helping clients understand and transform personality patterns that interfere with healthy relationships.

Special areas of focus include:

Christian Marriage Counselling
Avoidant Personality and Silent Divorce
People Pleasing
Codependency
Love Addiction
Trauma Recovery
Anxiety and Depression
EMDR
Internal Family Systems
Listening Prayer Therapy
Spiritual Growth and Inner Healing

My Philosophy of Change
Many therapy approaches focus primarily on changing behavior. While behavior matters, I have found that lasting change occurs when deeper emotional learning changes.
The goal is not simply to control symptoms.
The goal is transformation.

When core beliefs change, emotional reactions change. When emotional reactions change, relationships improve naturally. Clients often discover that issues they struggled with for years can begin to shift once the underlying emotional learning is addressed.

Christian Counselling
As a Christian psychotherapist, I believe emotional healing and spiritual growth complement one another.

I respect each client's beliefs and never force religious practices. However, many clients appreciate integrating prayer, forgiveness, spiritual insight, and a relationship with God into the therapeutic process.

For those who desire it, therapy can become a place of both emotional healing and spiritual renewal.

Online Therapy Across Canada and the USA

I provide online psychotherapy and Christian counselling through:

Zoom
Phone
FaceTime

I work with clients throughout:

Toronto
Mississauga
Oakville
Ontario
Canada
The United States

Life Transformation Academy

In addition to psychotherapy, I am the founder of Life Transformation Academy, an educational initiative dedicated to helping individuals, parents, coaches, clergy, and helping professionals learn practical tools for emotional healing, personal growth, and spiritual transformation.

Book Your Session
If you are looking for a Registered Psychotherapist and Christian Marriage Counsellor with extensive experience helping people heal emotional wounds and build healthier relationships, I would be pleased to speak with you.

Phone or Text: (416) 939-0544
Sessions are available online throughout Canada and the USA.

Couple Therapy with George

Couples can self-repair if they can get reunited as a team. The first step toward that is listening to one another. But most couples do not listen to the other and that is certainly true of couple that come to me for marriage counselling. That is why most couples say they have a problem with communication.
Listening. That is where it starts. 'I see you.' Really seeing the other brings connection.
But our walls stand in the way. Behind our walls is our hurt, memories being recycled, and our anger.
As the couple counsellor listens and understands. We begin to soften and learn to listen too.
It helps that the therapist listens while we are still angry and hurting. As we soften eventually we can ask forgiveness with sincerity and empathy. This triggers softening of our hearts toward one another. A t that point reconciliation and bonding comes.
When healing comes we suddenly see our partner in new light. We see a friend. We can listen to. Our partner can see us. We pull pull together as a team.
Now we can enter the flow of life and love and handle life together.

Other Therapy