Elena Shcherbakova, CCC, RCC, MACP

Founder & Counsellor, Upsychology

Couples & Relationships

Family Systems

Attachment-based Therapy

Somatic Therapy

Gottman Method

Emotionally-Focused Therapy

Hypnotherapy

Before I became a therapist, I worked in corporate finance. I was analytical, high-achieving, and very good at keeping things perfect and in order — which, it turns out, is a useful skill in spreadsheets and a costly one in relationships.

I grew up in Siberia, immigrated to Canada as an adult, and built a life here largely from scratch. I know what it feels like to navigate systems that weren’t designed for you, to reinvent yourself mid-life, and to keep going when the ground shifts under your feet. That experience shapes how I approach clients in counselling — I don’t assume your life looks like anyone else’s, and I don’t pretend that change is simple.

I started Upsychology after working in a brick-and-mortar clinic and grew frustrated with how traditional clinics operate — impersonal, bureaucratic, and often more focused on throughput than on the person in the room. I wanted to build something smaller and more honest: a practice where clients know their therapist and where therapy feels like a real relationship rather than a service transaction.

My clinical work draws mainly on the Somatic therapy, the Gottman method, Attachment theory and Adlerian holistic therapy. In practice, that means I pay attention to every detail — body signals, what and how things are said, and, most importantly, how you relate to others and how roles and dynamics repeat in your life. As a very straightforward person, I only engage with what’s helpful for YOU.

Right now, Upsychology is intentionally small, and I’ll keep it that way because I believe the relationship between a client and their therapist matters more than scale, so that every person I work with gets my genuine attention and care. And if, for any reason, we’re not a good match, I can help you find the right therapist in my network – you won’t be left to figure that out on your own.