Dr. Melody Ashworth, C.Psych.

Dr. Melody Ashworth is a Clinical and School Psychologist who works with children, teens, and their families. She provides therapy and support grounded in research, compassion, and thoughtful collaboration.

Dr. Ashworth helps children and families better understand emotions, behaviours, and relationships, creating space for meaningful growth and lasting change.

Learn More About Me

What I love most about my work is getting to know children, teens, and their families and walking alongside them as they explore their inner world; their thoughts, feelings, and memories. I am continually amazed by their creativity, imagination, and resilience. Helping them take small steps toward understanding, reframing, and coping with their emotions, and witnessing the pride and growth that follow, is what makes this work deeply meaningful to me.

I value working at Wonderwise Psychology because it is a place where care, collaboration, and shared values are truly lived out each day. Our team remains curious, keeps up with current research, supports one another, and thoughtfully challenges each other to grow. Despite the busyness of the outside world, the clinic offers a space where families can slow down, reflect, and think together about how to navigate difficult moments. As psychologists, we devote much of our energy to caring for others. Being part of a strong, supportive professional community is not just helpful, it is essential.

I have always been curious about the human experience. As a child, I imagined becoming a police detective, trying to solve mysteries about what makes people tick, before realizing I felt things a little too deeply for that role. Nursing followed, driven by a desire to care for others and ease suffering. Eventually, I discovered psychology, which felt like the right blend of curiosity, compassion, and thoughtful problem-solving. I see myself as an “emotions and behaviour detective,” helping children, teens, and families understand the “why” beneath behaviours and discover new paths forward.

My clinical approach begins by creating space for the hard or scary things to say. I ask questions to better understand what may be getting in the way, and then collaborate with families to find a path forward that feels right for them. I support the whole family, recognizing that when parents feel regulated and supported, children are more likely to feel secure as well.

I ground my work in research on child and adolescent development, attachment, and mental health. I look beyond observable behaviour to understand underlying feelings, unmet needs, motivations, and developing skills. I believe in getting to know each child or teen as an individual rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach. 

I draw from a range of evidence-based approaches — including attachment-based, family systems, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioural (CBT), emotion-focused (EFT), dialectical behaviour (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapies (ACT) — adapting my work to meet the unique needs of each individual and family. For younger children and those who struggle to express themselves verbally, I incorporate creative, play-based techniques that are developmentally appropriate and engaging.

Areas of Focus

At Wonderwise Psychology, I provide child therapy and family support for children and teens through individual, parent, and family sessions. My areas of focus include:

• Anxiety

• Mood concerns

• Emotion regulation

• Child temperament, including emotional sensitivity or rigidity

• ADHD

• Learning disabilities

• Trauma

• Parent-child attachment or interpersonal difficulties

• Parenting challenges

• Coping with stressful life transitions

• Adverse childhood experiences, including parental divorce, illness, and loss

I work collaboratively with families to better understand emotional and behavioural patterns and to develop thoughtful strategies that support growth and resilience.

Education & Professional Background

• Ph.D., Clinical and School Psychology, University of Toronto (2014)

• Residency completed at Hincks-Dellcrest Centre (now SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health)

• Registered Clinical and School Psychologist, College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario

• Member, Canadian Psychological Association

I have worked across community, school, and private practice settings. This includes six years at Surrey Place Centre supporting children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental conditions, ten years in private practice at The Willow Centre, and nine years as a school psychologist with the Toronto District School Board.