About me
Amanda Holland
(Lafrance)
MSW, RSW
I work with children who are having a hard time at school or at home, parents trying to make sense of it all, and adults navigating ADHD or the lasting impact of difficult childhoods.
My starting point is curiosity: what has this person been carrying, what do they need, and what might we be missing?
A real person, too.
I’m a woman, a mom, a wife, a big sister, an artist, and a late-diagnosed ADHDer. I experience the daily struggles that come with ADHD qualities, and I’m also grateful for the gifts that have helped me accomplish things I’m proud of.
I bring warmth, curiosity, and a sense of humour to my work. We can talk about hard things and still have moments of lightness. There is room for both.
You don’t need to arrive with the right words or a neatly organized version of your life. We can start wherever you are.
Making sense of the whole picture.
Distress has a context. I pay attention to your relationships, experiences, nervous system, and the expectations of the world around you. School, family, work, and social systems are part of the picture.
My approach is neuroaffirming, trauma- and attachment-informed. In everyday terms, that means getting curious about how your mind and body work, how your experiences have shaped you, and what helps you feel safe, connected, and more like yourself.
For children, that often includes working with parents and collaborating with educators. I see parents as important partners in the work. They deserve compassion and support, too.
We can work on understanding behaviour without shame, strengthening relationships, caring for the body, and finding ways to communicate needs. Self-compassion and accountability can sit at the same table.
I care about regulation that supports a person’s needs. When environments are inflexible, I also help children and families thoughtfully consider advocacy and respectful refusal, including the values, risks, and benefits involved.
A person’s value is not determined by how convenient they are to a system.
That belief runs through my work. I want to help build a world where people’s strengths are discovered and nurtured with curiosity, and where everyone has room to contribute something that matters.
The experience behind my approach.
I bring more than eight years of experience as a psychotherapist in a children’s mental health day program, supporting children who struggle in conventional school settings, with a specialization in complex trauma and attachment. I also work in private practice.
My particular strengths include involving parents in child therapy, working with educators, supporting parent-child relationships, and helping people build self-understanding, resilience, and self-compassion.
My training and professional background
Alongside my Master of Social Work (MSW), I hold a BA (Honours) in developmental psychology. I have additional training in attachment-based therapeutic approaches, including CoS, DDP, and Theraplay.
In my clinical practice, I regularly use EMDR in combination with parts work, as well as the Collaborative & Proactive Solutions approach developed by Ross Greene.
I am also in the process of outlining a clinical framework that aims to strengthen resilience for neurodivergent children called Delight-Centered Neuroaffirming Therapy (DCNT).
I also offer reflective supervision and consultation for social workers and other mental health professionals who want to deepen their neuroaffirming, trauma-informed, anti-oppressive practice.
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Child & family therapyAdult therapyFor your professional practice
Make space for reflection, case questions, and putting your values into practice. Supervision and consultation are available virtually across Ontario.
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