Our Therapy in Port Perry, Peterborough and virtually across Ontario
Island Waters was created from a passion for helping others.
Our welcoming, confidential space supports you in exploring struggles, challenges and strengths.
Explore our team, practice, and approach using the buttons below:
Designed by Freepik
Flexible booking times
Trauma-informed care & person-centered therapy in Ontario
Most insurances accepted
Our Team
Nikki Mulvihill (she/her)
Clinic Owner, RSW
Nikki brings more than 25 years of experience supporting children, youth, adults, and families through life’s challenges with compassion, warmth, and authenticity. She is a holistic therapist who believes that healing and growth happen when people feel truly seen, heard, and supported. Her approach is grounded in the belief that every individual and family already holds strengths within themselves, and therapy can help uncover new ways to move forward with confidence and connection.
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Drawing from a variety of evidence-based therapeutic approaches, Nikki tailors each session to meet the unique needs of the people she works with. She integrates elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Narrative Therapy, and Mindfulness practices to help clients build healthier coping strategies, strengthen emotional resilience, and improve relationships. Her work is collaborative, client-centered, and deeply rooted in empathy and respect.
Nikki is passionate about creating a safe and welcoming space where clients of all ages can explore their experiences openly and without judgment. She understands that no two people are alike, which is why she takes an integrative and creative approach to therapy. Depending on the needs of the client, she may also incorporate art, play, and music-based strategies to encourage self-expression, emotional processing, and healing in ways that feel natural and engaging.
Whether working with a child struggling with anxiety, a teen navigating identity and relationships, an adult feeling overwhelmed, or a family seeking stronger communication and connection, Nikki focuses on helping clients feel empowered, supported, and capable of positive change.
Nikki earned her Bachelor of Social Work from University of Calgary and her Child and Youth Worker diploma from Mohawk College. She is a registered member of the College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and is committed to providing ethical, compassionate, and client-focused care.
Specializes In:
Parenting Complex Needs Children with ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder
Neurodiversity Informed Mindfulness
Women’s Health including Peri and Post Menopause
Anxiety and Depression
Interpersonal Relationships
Alex Duff (she/her)
Alex is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) who is passionate about helping youth and young adults feel understood, supported, and empowered. She believes therapy is more than just having someone to talk to and strives to create genuine connections where clients feel safe being themselves, exploring their experiences openly, and working through challenges at their own pace.
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With experience supporting individuals of all ages and abilities, Alex has worked in a variety of mental health and developmental settings focused on crisis intervention, psychoeducation, skills training, child development, and language acquisition research. These experiences have shaped her warm, adaptable, and compassionate approach to care, allowing her to meet clients where they are with empathy and understanding.
Alex draws from cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), mindfulness practices, and client-centred approaches to help clients better understand themselves, build resilience, and develop practical coping skills for everyday life. She strives to create a supportive and collaborative space where clients feel comfortable navigating difficult emotions, strengthening self-esteem, and discovering their own strengths.
Alex is committed to helping clients feel more confident, connected, and capable of managing life’s challenges while fostering personal growth and emotional well-being.
Specializes In:
Life Transitions
Neurodiversity Informed Mindfulness
Social Media Overwhelm
Anxiety and Depression
Interpersonal Relationships
Our Practice
Serving Port Perry, Peterborough, and virtually across Ontario.
Island Waters was created out of a passion for helping others. Our therapy in Ontario has been designed to offer a safe, confidential and welcoming space, which allows others to explore struggles, challenges, and strengths, and to establish realistic and achievable goals.
Finding the right therapist to walk on this journey with you is the most important aspect of counselling, next to taking the first step which is reaching out.
Being ready to begin therapy is a powerful and courageous step, even if you’re unsure, nervous, or hesitant. Readiness doesn’t mean having everything figured out. It means you’re open to exploring your thoughts, feelings, and patterns, and willing to work toward some kind of change or understanding.
Learn more from the Canadian Mental Health Association.
Here are a few signs you may be ready to start therapy:
You’re curious about yourself.
Even if you’re not in a crisis, therapy can help you understand yourself more deeply, your habits, beliefs, and emotional responses.
You want to talk about things you can’t say elsewhere.
If you feel like you don’t have a safe or neutral space to open up, therapy can offer that.
You’re feeling
stuck.
You might not know what’s wrong, but something feels off. That’s a valid reason to begin therapy.
You’re overwhelmed, anxious, emotionally exhausted.
Therapy isn’t just for people in crisis, but these feelings can be important signals.
You’re ready to commit time & energy to growth.
Therapy takes honesty, reflection, and consistency, and being open to the process.
If you’re unsure, consider asking yourself:
What do I hope to get out of therapy?
What’s holding me back from starting?
Am I willing to be honest, even if it’s uncomfortable?
What to expect in your first therapy session
Port Perry Office
This session is meant to be a time for your therapist to get to know you and make sure that you can feel comfortable working with them.
Your therapist will go over your rights and privacy, such as confidentiality, and you are encouraged to ask any questions that you might have.
This first session is also a time for you to assess the therapist to ensure that they are the best fit for you. This first session begins the rapport building and not everyone works well together.
Peterborough Office
The approach that Island Waters is a holistic one, which means in this first session, your therapist will ask you questions about various aspects of your life to get a better sense of your overall well being.
A treatment plan is then developed together to meet your needs in the most effective way. This will include goals, or areas you wish to focus on in your future sessions, and the frequency of appointments. If you feel that the therapist is not a good match for you, referrals can be provided to you.
Please know that questions are encouraged, and there are no wrong or bad questions.
Our Evidence-Based Approaches
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CBT stands for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and it helps us to recognize and change thinking and acting patterns that have been unhelpful.
The basic idea is that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected and by changing negative thoughts and actions, we can improve how we feel.
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DBT stands for Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, and it helps us to understand our emotions and how to manage those emotions so we can be more focused and present in our everyday lives.
This approach helps us to pay attention to what matters to us and “bounce back” more quickly when facing tough challenges.
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Mindfulness therapy is about paying purposeful, nonjudgmental attention to the present moment to manage difficult emotions, thoughts, and behaviours.
It’s about changing your relationship to your thoughts, and learning to notice your experiences with awareness and compassion, rather than reacting automatically.
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Narrative therapy views us as separate from our problems and focuses on the stories we tell about ourselves and our lives.
The main idea is that our “life stories” shape our identities and by reviewing and rewriting these stories, we can find new meaning, strength, and possibility.
