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AboutValerie Tsang
Valerie is a Registered Psychotherapist who has worked for more than a decade in community mental health. She holds a Masters of Arts in Psychology from Médaille College and a Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology from University of Toronto. Valerie has extensive clinical experience working with individuals and groups on addressing diverse mental health concerns including complex trauma, suicidal ideation, concurrent disorders, and the impact of socioeconomic status on mental health. She is passionate about exploring the role of digital health technologies on reducing health disparities in the mental health sector. Outside of work, Valerie enjoys baking, working on her green thumb, and visiting local coffee shops.
Positive moments happen more often than we notice, but they can fade quickly when attention shifts, emotions are suppressed, or experiences are overanalyzed. Drawing on psychological research, including the broaden-and-build theory and emotion regulation frameworks, this article explores how everyday habits can reduce or strengthen the impact of positive experiences. Rather than promoting forced positivity, it focuses on realistic, practical ways to stay present with moments of connection, enjoyment, and relief.
This article explores how emotions like gratitude, compassion, and authentic pride can support self-regulation by shifting how effort is experienced. It also offers simple, practical strategies to help you stay motivated, reduce burnout, and build a more flexible approach to self-control in everyday life.
Self-Determination Theory (SDT) explains why motivation can rise and fall, even when goals still matter. According to SDT, motivation is shaped by three core psychological needs: autonomy (feeling in control of your choices), competence (feeling capable of growth), and relatedness (feeling connected to others). When these needs are supported, people are more likely to stay engaged, resilient, and motivated over time. This article explores why motivation fades during difficult periods and offers practical ways to rebuild it by strengthening these core needs in everyday life.
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This guide explores why uncertainty affects decision-making and how to approach difficult choices with greater steadiness. It explains how emotions, past experiences, stress levels, and personal values influence decisions beneath the surface. It also highlights common cognitive patterns such as confirmation bias and sunk cost thinking that can shape how we interpret our options.
This article explores how different forms of perfectionism influence stress levels and explains why coping style plays a key role in emotional wellbeing. It highlights how problem-focused coping, like identify specific stressors, taking small practical steps, and seeking support, can help reduce perfectionistic stress and make challenges feel more manageable.
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This article explores emotion regulation as a flexible and learnable set of skills that can help you respond to difficult emotions with more awareness and choice. Building on emotional awareness, it explains how emotions develop over time and highlights different points where regulation can happen. Whether that's choosing or shaping situations, shifting attention, reframing meaning, or deciding how to respond once emotions are strong.
In this guide, we walk you through the different types of therapy offered at Layla. These including CBT, ACT, EMDR, EFT, Somatic Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and more, to better understand how each approach works and what to expect from treatment. Whether you're new to therapy or exploring new options, this overview may be helpful for you to make more informed decisions about your mental health journey.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based psychotherapy that combines acceptance and change strategies to support emotion regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness. Learn how DBT works, what to expect from treatment, and who may benefit from this approach.
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Starting therapy can feel overwhelming, but understanding what to expect, from reflecting on your “why” to navigating your first session, can help you feel more prepared and confident. Finding the right therapist, staying open and engaged in the process, and giving yourself time to grow are key to building a meaningful and effective therapy experience.
In this guide, we walk you through the different types of therapy offered at Layla. These including CBT, ACT, EMDR, EFT, Somatic Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and more, to better understand how each approach works and what to expect from treatment. Whether you're new to therapy or exploring new options, this overview may be helpful for you to make more informed decisions about your mental health journey.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based psychotherapy that combines acceptance and change strategies to support emotion regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness. Learn how DBT works, what to expect from treatment, and who may benefit from this approach.