Meet Dr Ballou
Dr Eloise Ballou is a psychiatrist, psychotherapist, clinical supervisor and university lecturer.
Her private practice specializes in helping musicians, songwriters, producers and other music industry professionals, as well as creative entrepreneurs in the tech and gaming world.
She offers services in Toronto and Los Angeles.
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 and Ontario (Canada).
She practices medicine in English and French.
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Training
She 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.
Why I became a therapist for creatives
I started my career as a psychiatrist in the emergency room, where patients came to me in a crisis. They had a major issue and didn't know how to fix it. My therapy practice was a way to go deep, to solve problems creatively while still feeling useful. One day, I offered my therapy services at a songwriting retreat and from then on, I knew I had found my calling.
In my work, I've learnt that artists are the elite athletes of the emotional world. ​
As I grew my therapy practice, I realized the traditional therapy model wasn't a good fit for artists. They were highly motivated and very attuned to their emotions, but were often unable to make regular appointments because of the nature of their work. I decided to build the kind of flexible, adaptive support that artists need.
As a psychiatrist with experience across the whole spectrum of care, I can help diagnose and treat mental health disorders, and offer coaching or therapy alongside medical treatment.
Common questions are:
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"I feel like a fraud, even though I've achieved some level of success. How can I stop feeling like an imposter?"
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"How can I balance my need for creative purpose with the relentless pressure of commercial success?"
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"How can I have a healthy romantic 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 your problem is, and we'll figure out a solution together. ​