Who am I?

I’m Celina Carter, a nurse psychotherapist and research scientist. I specialize in supporting people through life changing diagnoses, loss, grief, and mortality related questions. I have long been curious about experiences of wholeness, and how we live and die well attending to our spiritual, emotional, mental, physical and social wellbeing. Early in my nursing career, I was asked to care for a dying man in his home who wanted to talk about the dying process, spirituality, legacy, and love. This sparked a lifelong interest for me in how to support others in talking about life and death and how to feel cared for in ways that honors what matters most to them.

In my psychotherapy practice, coaching, and teaching, everything I do starts with validation, acknowledgment, and compassion. Through deep listening, we can explore experiences of distress and uncertainty as well as joy and wonder and develop a sense of wholeness in the face of a challenging prognosis, loss, transition, or burnout.

Education and Training

Academic Education

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) - Dalhouise University (2002-2006)

Master of Nursing (MN) - Toronto Metropolitan University (2011-2013)

Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health Social and Behavioural Health Studies (PhD - SBHS) - University of Toronto (2015-2022)

Training

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for grief and end-of-life from Praxis (2024)

Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) training from Global Institute of Psychosocial, Palliative and End-of-Life Care (2024 & 2016)

Level 1-2 training in palliative care from SE Health (2024)

Certificate in mindfulness-informed end-of-life care from the School of Continuing Studies at the University of Toronto (2017-2018)

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy 2-day training from Dr. Mary Elliot (2014)

Dialectical behaviour therapy training from BehaviouralTech (2013)

Motivational interviewing training from the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (2010)

200-hour Yoga Teacher Training from Salt Spring Centre of Yoga (2006)

Practice License

Registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario (registration number 09404450) (2010-Present)

Influential Teachers

Thich Nhat Hanh; Tara Brach; Michele Chaban; Sharon Blackie