About Me

I am a Registered Social Worker (RSW) and Registered Nurse (RN) in Ontario, in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and the College of Nurses of Ontario.

I provide virtual psychotherapy and mental health support in Ontario, with over 30 years of experience in public health, mental health, and community-based care. My work focuses on supporting individuals and families through periods of transition, stress, and life change.

If you’re here…

If you’re here, there’s a good chance something feels hard right now.

You might be managing a lot—work, family, day-to-day life—and still getting through what needs to get done. But it’s taking a lot out of you.

Many people who reach out are used to functioning well, but are starting to feel the strain.

You may feel:

  • more tired than usual, or noticing sleep is off

  • less patient or more on edge

  • not quite feeling like yourself

  • difficulty sustaining the pace of work, caregiving, or life demands

You don’t need to wait until things fall apart to reach out.

My role is to offer a space where things can slow down, where you feel supported, and where we can begin to make sense of what’s going on, while developing practical ways forward that support meaningful, sustainable change.

Tanya Melykuty, smiling woman with dark hair pulled back, wearing a navy blue sweater and hoop earrings, sitting and leaning forward, in calm workspace for virtual therapy in Ontario
Work With Me

A Bit About Me

My background is in both nursing and social work, with over 30 years of experience across hospitals, schools, and public health. I’ve worked with people at the end of life, and with parents at the very beginning. I’ve supported children, youth, and families through complex and often intensely stressful situations.

My mental health work has ranged from direct clinical care to leading and shaping programs at scale. In one significant role, I led a board-wide mental health strategy within a large school system — overseeing the integration of mental health practices across classrooms and the clinical work of a team of child and youth workers.

What all of it has given me is a profound respect for what people are capable of. Not in a motivational-poster way…but because I've genuinely seen it. People navigating the unimaginable. Parents holding things together on very little. Professionals giving care when they had little left to give.

That capacity is real. I've seen it surface in the quietest moments, often when people didn’t think they had it. Being trusted with it is not something I take lightly.

A beach scene with a sandy shoreline, gentle waves, and a cloudy sky, with distant mountains on the horizon. evoking a calm, safe space for therapy.

    • Master of Social Work (MSW), University of Toronto

    • Bachelor of Nursing Science (BScN), Queen’s University

    • Registered Social Worker (RSW), Ontario

    • Registered Nurse (RN), Ontario

    • Ontario Association of Social Workers

  • My work is grounded in ongoing training across evidence-based psychotherapeutic approaches, sleep medicine, and mental health care across the lifespan.

    This includes:

    • CBT-I for Insomnia (Queen’s University) – first-line, evidence-based treatment for sleep

    • Maternal Mental Health Certificate (Postpartum Support International)

    • Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) Training (IPT Institute)

    As well as continued training in:

    • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

    • Reproductive and perinatal mental health

    • Attachment-informed and relational approaches

    • Infant and early years mental health (The Hospital for Sick Children lecture series)

    • Ecosystemic structural family therapy

    • Narrative therapy

    • Mindful self-compassion for caregivers (Dr. Kristin Neff)

    I have also completed additional learning in trauma-informed and somatic care, including workshops with Bessel van der Kolk and Deb Dana, as well as training in parenting support (Triple P), breastfeeding support, and reconciliation education.

    I draw from this training with clinical judgment—integrating approaches based on what is most useful and appropriate, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all model.

  • I welcome referrals from healthcare providers, educators, and community partners.

    I work with clients who are often functioning well but experiencing increasing strain—particularly in the context of caregiving, professional roles, or life transitions.

    I bring a combined RN and RSW perspective, with experience across clinical care, public health, and system-level work.

    For sleep-focused work (CBT-I-informed care), clinicians may find additional information and referral considerations on the Referring Professionals page.

    Clients are also welcome to self-refer directly.

    With client consent, a brief summary of care can be provided to the client to share with their healthcare provider when helpful for continuity of care.

    I value thoughtful, collaborative care and am happy to connect before a referral to discuss fit and suitability. Contact me or see Referring Professionals page for more.

“It’s always about new possibilities.”

— Bessel van der Kolk, MD