Tara Gralnick, Ph.D., C.Psych

Meet Tara Gralnick

Dr. Tara Gralnick is a registered clinical psychologist with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Toronto. Her work is guided by the belief that meaningful therapeutic change happens in the context of a safe, deeply attuned relationship. With a style that is genuine, empathetic, and non-judgmental, Tara creates a space where clients can explore their inner world and move toward lasting emotional transformation.

Tara is grateful to have received in-depth training in Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), which lies at the heart of her clinical work. She draws on EFT to help clients access the emotional roots of their suffering—especially those shaped by earlier relational wounds—and to transform the painful patterns that continue to echo in the present. She also integrates elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) when helpful for reducing situational distress and supporting clients in gradually moving toward deeper emotional work.

She works with individuals navigating a wide range of concerns, including anxiety (social anxiety, panic, generalized anxiety), depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), complex trauma, psychosis, low self-worth, self-criticism, relationship challenges, perfectionism, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and overwhelming emotions. Tara is especially passionate about supporting clients who have experienced interpersonal trauma and who carry a deep burden of shame and self-stigma. She is committed to practicing with cultural humility and applies an intersectional lens in her work with clients of diverse racial, ethnic, religious, gender, and sexual identities.

Tara’s training has equipped her to hold both the emotional and intellectual complexity of her clients’ experiences. She completed her pre-doctoral residency through the Calgary Clinical Psychology Residency Program, with rotations in hospital-based mood disorders, psychosis, and community mental health. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, where she co-developed and evaluated a novel group CBT intervention for individuals experiencing both social anxiety and psychosis. Her clinical experience also spans diverse settings, including the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), DBT Hamilton, and West End Psychological Services.

Her research reflects her client-centered values: her dissertation focused on developing an intervention to help individuals better understand and shape their universal personality traits as part of their growth process.

In addition to her role at eFIT, Tara works at the Centre for Psychology and Emotional Health. She is deeply passionate about eFIT’s mission to make EFT more accessible, and is honoured to be part of a community that values both rigour and heart in the pursuit of healing.