Heddy Swigger, MSW, RSW, CPT

Heddy Swigger has always had a passion for understanding and supporting the well-being of children and their families. After earning her Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from the University of Western Ontario, Heddy completed her Masters of Social Work degree at Wilfrid Laurier University in order to pursue her dream of becoming a childhood therapist. Heddy is a registered social worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) and has centered her career on providing services to children and their families. 

Heddy believes that a safe and understanding relationship between child, parent, and/or family and the therapist is the most important part of the therapeutic relationship. Heddy strives to create a relationship in which each person and/or family feels free to be themselves and can experience unconditional acceptance and positive regard. Heddy believes in creating a dynamic of teamwork in her therapeutic relationships and works hard to create sessions and interventions that are personalized and build upon the unique strengths of each person she meets. 

Heddy is a Certified Play Therapist through the Canadian Association for Play Therapy. In her play therapy work, Heddy draws from both directive and non-directive play therapy approaches, including Child-Centred Play Therapy, Adlerian Play Therapy, and Cognitive-Behavioural Play Therapy. Heddy recently completed an intensive training in Filial Therapy with world renowned play therapist, Risë VanFleet, and this parent-child play therapy approach has become a staple in Heddy's work.

Outside of the playroom, Heddy draws from many different therapeutic modalities, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, and Narrative Therapy, in order to support her adolescent and teen clients. Heddy also has training in Emotion Focused Family Therapy and uses it frequently in her work with parents. Heddy believes in matching each intervention with the unique strengths and needs of each child, parent, and/or family instead of looking through just one therapeutic lens. Thus, Heddy often practices in an eclectic way and creates highly individualized treatment plans.

Heddy loves to incorporate creativity, warmth, and fun into her work with children and families. Heddy’s vision for both her individual work with children and families and Tessellate Child and Family Therapy as a whole is an environment in which anyone who enters feels safe and supported and looks forward to coming back.