Meet Dr Ballou
Dr Eloise Ballou is a psychiatrist, psychotherapist, clinical supervisor and university lecturer.
Her private practice specializes in helping musicians, songwriters and other music industry professionals, as well as creative professionals in the theatre and film industry.
She offers services in Toronto and provides remote services in California and Texas.
She teaches psychodynamic psychotherapy to psychiatry residents at the University of Toronto, where she holds an academic appointment as Adjunct Clinical Lecturer.
She also works as a locum physician, providing emergency and inpatient psychiatric care to remote communities in northern Ontario. She supervises medical trainees at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
She is licensed in California, Texas and Ontario/Quebec (Canada).
She practices medicine in English and French.​​​​
Training
Dr Eloise Ballou completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Fine Art History at the University of Toronto.
She obtained her Medical Doctorate (MD) at the University of Ottawa and completed her psychiatry residency at the University of Toronto.
She is Board-Certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
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Why I became a psychiatrist for musicians
I started my career as a psychiatrist in the emergency room, where people came to me in crisis: something big had gone wrong, and they didn’t know how to fix it. My therapy practice became a place to go deeper, to solve problems creatively while still making a tangible difference.
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One day, I offered my therapy services at a songwriting retreat. From that moment, I knew I’d found my calling.
In my work, I’ve learned that artists are the elite athletes of the emotional world. The stakes are high, the pressure is real, and the work is deeply personal.
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As my practice grew, I realized the traditional therapy model didn’t fit the realities of a serious artist’s life. The musicians I worked with were highly motivated and emotionally attuned, but their schedules, travel, and creative cycles made regular appointments unrealistic. I built a model of support that’s flexible, responsive, and designed for artists who are actively creating and pushing their craft forward.
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As a psychiatrist with experience across the full spectrum of care, I can diagnose and treat mental health disorders, and also work in the grey zone where artistry, psychology, and performance meet — offering both therapy and coaching alongside medical treatment when needed.
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The questions we work on together often sound like:
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“I’ve had success, but I still feel like a fraud. How do I stop feeling like an imposter?”
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“How do I stay connected to my creative purpose while under relentless commercial pressure?”
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“How can I build a healthy relationship while working in such a demanding industry?”
If you’re the grand piano at Carnegie Hall, I’m the tuner that helps you sound your best.
Tell me what’s going on, and we’ll figure out the solution together.