Doctoral Associate
Hazel Ngo
M.A.
Families tend to feel at ease with Hazel. Her calm, gentle presence makes room for whatever they are carrying, however heavy it feels, and children and youth often find they do not have to say much to feel understood. Wherever a family is on their journey, Hazel works to help them feel less alone, more hopeful, and clearer about the next step.
One of my favourite things is biking with my dog on a sunny day. He gets the best seat, in my backpack.
You don't have to have it figured out.
How Hazel works
Hazel believes children and youth often show us what they need, even before they have the words for it. Sometimes what they need most is to feel that someone is really on their side and gets it. From there, it becomes easier to be curious about the hard stuff and to build confidence that they can do hard things.
She is especially drawn to sensitive and anxious children and teens who may not always feel easily understood, and to neurodiverse young people and families, with attention to each child's unique strengths and way of experiencing the world. She has a particular interest in supporting families navigating health-related stress, medical conditions, body-related concerns, or changes in family life connected to illness or treatment.
Her training spans some of the most respected paediatric and community settings in the country, including McMaster Children's Hospital, The Hospital for Sick Children, and a predoctoral residency at the IWK Health Centre. That experience shapes how she listens, and what she notices, in every session.
Sessions with Hazel are flexible. They might look like playful skill-building, collaborative conversation, or simply slowing down enough to notice what is happening inside. She follows each child's pace, paying attention to what is said, what is not yet said, and what matters most to them.
Clinical approach
Warm, collaborative, and rooted in connection.
Hazel's work is grounded in the belief that children are more than a diagnosis, a medical condition, or a presenting concern. She takes time to understand each child's history, relationships, culture, strengths, and current context. Like tending a garden, she pays attention to the conditions that help each child grow in their own way.
She draws on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT), Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Coaching, and attachment-based approaches. In practice, that might mean helping children and families understand what keeps them stuck, making space for difficult emotions, building coping tools, strengthening relationships, and noticing the small steps that move them toward what matters.
No feeling is too big or too much for us to be curious about together. When we make space for feelings, we can begin to understand what matters and what the next small step looks like.
What Hazel works with.
Areas of focus
Languages: English
Background and credentials.
Education and training
PhD, School and Clinical Child Psychology
OISE · University of Toronto
MA, School and Clinical Child Psychology
OISE · University of Toronto
Honours BSc, Psychology
University of Toronto
Professional AssociationsCanadian Psychological Association (CPA)
IWK Health Centre
Predoctoral Residency · Children's Health and Community Mental Health and Addictions
McMaster Children's Hospital
The Hospital for Sick Children
Toronto District School Board
OISE Psychology Clinic
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