You keep repeating the same painful patterns in your relationships, no matter who you're with. Maybe you're actively dating, and you find yourself reading into every shift in their tone, chasing reassurance, or losing yourself trying to be who you think they want. Maybe you keep going back to an ex even though it leaves you feeling worse each time. Or maybe you're in a committed relationship that's become a cycle of conflict and resentment, and you're tired of having the same fight on repeat. The exhausting part is that it keeps happening, and it's starting to shape how you see yourself.
If any of this feels familiar, you're in the right place. I'm a Registered Social Worker who helps people in their 20s and 30s make real, lasting changes in how they relate. My style is warm and practical, and I'll challenge you rather than just nod along.
Using attachment theory, we'll trace where these patterns began and build the security to break them.
These patterns can change. As you build real security within yourself, those painful patterns stop running the show, and you get to choose how you show up instead. You can feel calm and confident, whether partnered or single. The first step is a free, no-pressure meet & greet call—just reach out to set one up. I'd love to hear from you!
Client Focus
Session Format: Individual sessions.
Age Specialty: Adult
Demographic Expertise: Asian clients.
Languages: English
Treatment Approach
- Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) Helps people accept difficult thoughts and feelings instead of fighting them, while committing to actions that reflect their values. It blends mindfulness with practical behavior strategies.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) One of the most widely used approaches, CBT helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and replace them with healthier patterns. It is effective for anxiety, depression, and many other concerns.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Combines CBT with mindfulness to help regulate emotions, tolerate stress, and build stronger relationships. Originally designed for borderline personality disorder, it’s now used more broadly.
- Internal Family Systems (IFS) Helps clients heal by working with different ‘parts’ of themselves, like inner critics or wounded children. It fosters harmony within the self.
- Psychodynamic Therapy Explores unconscious thoughts and patterns that influence current behavior. It builds insight into how the past impacts the present.
Approach Description: I practice through an attachment lens: the way you learned to connect early in life still shapes how you show up in relationships now. We'll understand where those patterns began and build a more secure way of relating. I also draw on proven approaches like CBT, DBT, and ACT, tailored to what you need, in order to turn insight into tangible change.
Fees & Insurance
Fees
- Average Session Fee 150
- Accepts Insurance
Education & Credentials
Audrey Kao MSW, RSW
- Female
- License # 834265
- Licensed in ON
- Practicing Since 2019
Education: I completed my Bachelor of Social Work at the University of Waterloo and my Master of Social Work at the University of Toronto with a specialization in Health & Mental Health.
Audrey Kao Practice Details
Therapy Sessions
- Available In-Person in Toronto, ON M5V 1R9 and North York, ON M3B 3M4
- Available Online for residents of Ontario
I offer individual therapy sessions in person in Toronto and online across Ontario via secure video, with both daytime and evening appointments available.