About Me

Dr. Mirella Pugliese is a clinical child psychologist who works with infants, preschoolers, children, adolescents and parents. She completed her Ph.D. at the University of Toronto. Dr. Mirella has completed extensive training in multiple settings. Since 2015, she has worked in private practice.
Dr. Mirella provides dyadic parent-infant/child psychotherapy, play therapy with children, talk-therapy with older children and teens, and parent counselling. She has specialized training in working with young children and their parents using attachment-focused therapy approaches to help enhance parental functioning, foster emotional growth, as well as nurture or restore secure attachments. She has experience helping children, teens, and families with attachment concerns, anxiety, depression, adoption-related adjustment, anger, ASD, ADHD, behavioural or emotional regulation needs, and relational difficulties.
While rooted in psychodynamic principals, Dr. Mirella’s approach to therapy is integrative and individualized to meet the needs of the child or teen. Her approach draws from several therapeutic modalities including attachment-focused therapies, relational psychodynamic therapy, play-based therapy, family systems, and cognitive-behavioural therapy. Dr. Mirella’s integrative approach goes beyond symptom relief to help identify what is beneath the concern by emphasizing a deeper understanding of affect and meaning. Fundamental to this process is Dr. Mirella’s emphasis on providing a safe therapeutic environment which fosters a trusting relationship and ensures that every child, teen, and parent feels heard and understood.
In addition, Dr. Mirella conducts comprehensive assessments, including psychoeducational assessments and social-emotional or psychological assessments with preschoolers, children, and adolescents.
Dr. Mirella welcomes the opportunity to provide a reassuring and supportive hand to help guide you or walk alongside you as you take your next step.