Emalin (Emma) Fernando

Hi, I’m Emma (aka Emalin), owner of Indigo Care and a Registered Nurse Psychotherapist. I am a second generation Canadian living in Ottawa, Ontario. My personal and professional experiences have given me an unbridled desire to help others to feel heard, feel connected and find ways to care for themselves during some of the hardest times. As a person of colour with lived experience of a complicated perinatal journey, I recognize that there are unique experiences that we face; as those that have lost, those who ache to be parents, those who are suffering with their mental health, those with complicated social histories or situations, those with complicated relationships, those with complex medical situations and those from diverse cultures. I’m here to make space for all of it, in any way it shows up. I want to help others to identify their needs and find ways to nurture themselves while still being present and able to navigate the rest of their life. In my psychotherapy practice, I am committed to providing compassionate, culturally-sensitive, and trauma-informed care to all people in Ontario, including people of colour, immigrants, those with visible/invisible disabilities, those experiencing financial strain and LGBTQ+ individuals. I choose to work with clients at any point in their journey [(in)fertility, conception, pregnancy, birth, postpartum, loss or long after]. I created Indigo Care so that people can have an inclusive, accessible, judgement-free mental health care option. In this session space I hope people feel comfortable to come as they are, be honest, be vulnerable and are interested in working on what is challenging them. In my practice I bring warmth, humour, positivity, understanding, patience and encouragement. If you feel that you could use my services but do not have access to financial means or private insurance, please reach out as I do offer sliding scale options. I feel that cost should not be a barrier to care. I have worked for 18 years in various community, hospital and educational settings as a nurse in Ottawa and the surrounding area. My nursing career has allowed me to care for individuals and their families by providing care, education, counselling and connection to community resources and supports. Advocating for the needs of patients and providing access to quality care has been at the forefront of my nursing practice and it continues to drive me today. I come equipped with a wealth of knowledge in many areas of nursing and use this knowledge base to create therapy care plans unique to each individual client. My experience in nursing has helped me to see the areas in our health care system that still need more attention and helps to guide my interests in nursing and continuing education. Working as a nurse has allowed me to care for people during some of the most challenging times of their lives. It has shown me how impactful compassionate care can be, what it means to treat people with dignity and respect, and how if we can take the time to listen and connect with people, we can have a positive impact during even the most challenging times.