Our Team
Your journey of facing and overcoming challenges and becoming more resilient begins at Become Resilient Individuals (BRI) with skilled and qualified clinicians who believe that all people have the capacity to take charge of their destiny and transform their lives. BRI counsellors both teach and model empowerment, self-compassion, owning and re-authoring your stories, and developing greater resilience to shame.
Your counsellor will help you to build a deeper, more meaningful connection with yourself and your community, and find ways to engage with the world with greater strength and vulnerability.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou
Fola Browne, MSW, RSW, BSW, BSc.
Fola is a compassionate and caring counsellor who is committed to helping individuals, couples, and families to build resilience in their lives, Fola truly enjoys supporting each individual’s unique journey of self-discovery, empowerment, growth, recovery from adversity, and success. She specializes in helping people to heal from and overcome adversity, to discover their best selves, to amplify and use their greatest strengths, to clarify their goals, and to make progress toward their desired future.
Fola brings over ten years of valuable experience to her work with clients. Highly skilled and principled, Fola is experienced with a wide range of clients, life challenges, and settings, including schools, the child welfare system, social service agencies, hospitals, mental health organizations, and various provincial ministries. Fola’s values, experience, resourcefulness, and determination allow her to support clients in accessing appropriate services and resources as well as advocate for her clients’ needs and rights.
Fola is dedicated to working to create positive change in how the community views mental wellness. Her goal is to work toward removing stigma related to mental health in the black community, especially for black men. Through BRI's programs, events and partnerships, Fola is committed to encouraging more black men to reach out and seek the benefits of counselling and therapy.
Fola’s evidence-based research also explores how black and brown people and communities can overcome internalized oppression and self-hate. This includes creating more education and awareness around intergenerational racial trauma and childhood trauma as well as how these traumas impact young black women and men. It also involves increasing awareness of how oppression, discrimination, racism and police brutality have negative impacts on mental health and overall well-being for the black community.
To learn more about Fola’s approach, projects, and work, click here.
Read Fola's blog post on how resilience & justice became her life's purpose.
Ashley Quinn, Ph.D.
Ashley Quinn is our Indigenous Lead & Consultant.
Ashley is an Assistant Professor with FIFSW and recipient of the Joseph Armand Bombardier SSHRC scholarship for doctoral research on the factors contributing to cultural identity and the development of community-based outcome measures for Indigenous families involved in the child welfare system. Dr. Quinn’s research interests focus on Indigenous research methods and ethics protocols including further exploration of culturally engaged caregiving in the child welfare system, Indigenous Alternative Dispute Resolution programs for Indigenous families who have had their children apprehended by the child welfare system, the application of Indigenous historical, contextual and contemporary factors in criminal, family and child welfare law matters, and wholistic approaches and Indigenous perspectives in social work education.
Marty Lampkin, MSW, RSW
Marty Lampkin is our Accessibility and Disability Lead & Consultant.
Marty Lampkin (she/her) is a compassionate and dedicated counsellor, clinical social worker, Professor and social justice advocate who grounds her practice in anti-oppression, anti-colonial and decolonizing methods. She understands that interlocking systems of oppression ingrained in society contribute to the personal life challenges that children, youth and adults experience. As a counsellor, she works to explore these intersections through a holistic perspective that helps clients recognize their strength and resilience and reach their personal goals. Her specializations for the past 10 years include working with individuals and families, including those from the Black, Indigenous, and Peoples of Colour (BIPOC) communities, who experience anxiety, depression, mental health concerns, death, loss, grief, trauma, abuse and violence, as well as issues related to self-esteem, body image, identity and racial injustice.
With a Master of Social Work and a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Toronto, Marty is currently a Professor teaching in the Social Service Worker and Community Worker Program at George Brown College. She is dedicated to working with BIPOC communities living with disabilities and marginalized communities impacted by systemic forms of oppression. In particular, Marty specializes in working with adults living with Developmental Disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome and Dual Diagnosis by providing adapted counselling methods. Marty truly sees every person as worthy of respect and dignity, regardless of disability, race, class, sexual orientation, creed, or gender and strives to work collaboratively with each client to support them in reaching their fullest potential through growth and healing.
Marty is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Diane Brown, MSW, RSW
Diane Browne is our Supervision & Team Leader.
Diane is a warm, accepting, and interactive therapist and social worker with over 20 years of valuable experience and a deep passion for supporting individuals and families through significant life changes and their emotional impacts. She specializes in helping people deal with trauma, anxiety, depression, relationships, grief, loss and emergency crises. Diane believes that helping people understand and make peace with their thoughts and feelings through therapy and counselling is vitally important. She sees therapy as a joint venture where knowledge and skills are combined to create solutions. She is dedicated to building successful therapeutic relationships that include authenticity, trust and freedom that helps to produce positive outcomes. Her goal is to provide clients with the safest and quickest relief from their challenges. Her warmth helps to build strong healing relationships and allows her to offer immediate feedback, tasks, and tools that help people to develop more successful coping skills.
Diane is a Registered Social Worker (RSW) with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) who earned a Masters in Social Work (MSW), and a Bachelors in Social Work, from the University of Windsor and Ryerson University. Diane’s approach is person-centred, strengths-based, and anti-oppressive. Her practice is focused on promoting healing and deliverance from trauma, anxiety, and depression experienced in the past and present. She specializes in providing therapy to youths, adults, couples, and families utilizing elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Mindfulness Therapies, Solution-Focused Therapy, Relational Gestalt Therapy, Grief and Loss Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and most recently Covid-19 coping skills. Diane also has additional training in mental health, addictions and behaviour therapies. Using her considerable knowledge, skill, and experience as a therapist and social worker, nothing gives Diane more happiness than helping her clients feel better and stronger about themselves as she supports them in their journey to greater strength, resilience, and wellness!
Diane is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
David Grant, MSW, RSW
David Grant is our Supervision & Team Leader.
David Grant is a dedicated social worker and therapist who specializes in the mental and emotional health of racialized communities, and has expertise working with Black African Diaspora boys and men. David has a strong commitment to helping people heal, especially people of colour whose mental health has been greatly harmed by the effects of colonialism and subsequent marginalization, war, violence and poverty. He believes in partnering with clients to help them achieve their goals. He works with children and young people from age 6 to 24, with couples, and with families, including with parents and children, teens, and young adults.
David earned his Master of Social Work from Ryerson University and his Bachelor of Social Work from McMaster University. With seven years of experience in the social work field and four years as a therapist, David uses a range of therapeutic modalities, including Solution-Focused Therapy, Faith-Based Counseling, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Psychodynamic Therapy. In addition to Western approaches, David also educated himself in other cultural paradigms of healing that he views as equally viable in helping communities heal through trauma, including African and Indigenous-centered understandings of healing. David brings a trauma-informed lens combined with other culturally and ethno-religious specific lenses to his work, including African, Indigenous, Muslim, and Jewish.
David is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Meagan Minott, MSW, RSW
Meagan is a Master’s level social worker with over 8 years of valuable experience who is passionate about supporting each individual on their unique journey toward healing and recovery. Meagan has a humble and down-to-earth approach that emphasizes mutual respect, cultural sensitivity, and personal empowerment in her work with clients.
Meagan’s professional specialty is providing mental health services to adults and seniors, as well as to youth from early childhood through adolescence and early adulthood. Meagan is registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) and her practice is deeply grounded in supporting clients through anti-oppression, anti-racism, and anti-stigma principles.
Meagan is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Read her full bio.
Kelvin Asamoah, MSW, RSW
Kelvin embodies a passion for supporting people to face and overcome adversity, build resilience, and achieve their goals. Kelvin specializes in supporting children, youth, and adults who have experienced trauma, displayed at-risk behaviours, problems with self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and social and relational issues.
Kelvin is a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist who was educated at York University and has also taken training in child developmental stages and issues. With ten years of experience in social services, Kelvin’s varied experiences as a counsellor and educator helps him to support children, youth, and adults to become stronger, healthier, and more resilient.
Kelvin is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Nisha Thomas, MSW, RSW
Nisha is a Registered Social Worker (RSW) with Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW). Nisha received her Master of Social Work from University of Toronto and her Bachelor of Social Work from Ryerson University. Nisha has completed specialized training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy and Single Session Therapy. Additionally, Nisha has a passion of integrating Narrative Approaches in her practise.
Over the last ten years, Nisha’s practicum and professional experiences have included grass roots community mental health, child protection, hospital social work, corrections & rehabilitation, community counselling, children’s mental health, clinical research trials and school board social work. Nisha’s experience includes working with a variety of issues, including but not limited to depression, anxiety, challenging relationships, conflict resolution, self-esteem, self-harm, managing stress, life transitions, and gaining coping skills. Additionally, Nisha recognizes the complexities that the intersections of one’s social identity (i.e. – race, gender, class, sexuality, etc.) can bring to any issue and integrates this into her practise framework.
Nisha is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Andriyana Chychkevych, MSW, RSW
Andriyana is a warm, caring counsellor and a Master’s level Registered Social Worker. Having lived and studied in Ukraine, Switzerland, France, and North America, she brings a uniquely multicultural perspective to counselling. Due to her extensive personal experience with the process of immigration, Andriyana understands the importance of inclusion and delivering culturally appropriate care. She enjoys helping clients to identify their unique strengths and build greater resilience for future success.
Andriyana holds a Master of Social Work from the University of British Columbia and an International Bachelor of Psychology Degree from York University. With over 5 years of post-graduate experience in community mental health, clinical hospital settings and long-term care, Andriyana has professional experience working with concerns such as anxiety, depression, stress, relationship issues, and crisis intervention. Andriyana uses techniques from a variety of therapies including Narrative Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy and Motivational Interviewing. She also incorporates elements of mindfulness, distress tolerance, self-soothing, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotional regulation.
Dorcas Oduro, MSW, RSW
Dorcas is a caring and dedicated social worker with experience supporting clients with a wide range of issues including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, family conflicts, and mental health. In her counselling practice, Dorcas creates a safe space where clients feel comfortable enough to explore deep questions and difficult issues with the goal of both understanding how past experiences impact present situations and also how to make progress toward important goals in the present and future. Dorcas works to help individuals, couples, and families to examine and improve the important relationships in their lives from trauma-informed, anti-oppressive and strength-based perspectives.
Dorcas completed both her Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees in Social Work at York University and utilizes a range of therapeutic approaches to help clients cope, change, and thrive, including Cognitive-Behavioral, Solution-Focused, and Narrative therapy. Dorcas carefully tailors her approach to counselling to best suit the unique situation, needs and strengths of each client. She enjoys helping clients to realize their value, challenge and change problematic thinking and behaviour, set healthy boundaries, and cope with difficult situations in order to build greater resilience and success.
Dorcas is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Schindler Dumfeh, SSW, BSW
Schindler is a caring, dedicated, and resourceful social worker who specializes in providing outstanding counselling and mental health services to youth, adults, and families using a strength-based and client-centered approach. She brings over ten years of experience in supporting and empowering diverse clients with a wide range of needs including coping with and recovering from trauma, addiction, relationship issues, family difficulties, homelessness, and mental health challenges.
Schindler completed her Bachelor of Social Work at York University after completing the Social Service Worker Program at Humber College. In her counselling practice, she utilizes evidence-based approaches such as CBT, Motivational Interviewing, and a trauma-informed lens to help clients cope with and overcome difficulties. With a deep commitment to serving, counselling, and advocating for people who have experienced marginalization and oppression, Schindler’s approach to working with clients is respectful, collaborative, empowering, and uses an anti-oppressive lens.
Schindler is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Janelle Hannon, MSW. RSW
Janelle is a passionate and positive counsellor who brings a strengths-focused approach to help clients feel safe, overcome difficulties, build self-esteem and increase confidence. She understands that life can be messy, difficult, confusing, and draining and believes that people who reach out for help are showing strength and resilience in refusing to let life difficulties defeat them. Janelle enjoys supporting clients in finding ways to stand up, dust themselves off, and grow. Her mission is to support clients in discovering the unique methods that will help them thrive through life's challenges and she does this by building strong therapeutic relationships with her clients based on respect and trust. She enjoys partnering with clients to help them work through hardships, reflect, process, and heal from difficult experiences as they move towards growth and success.
Janelle uses an anti-oppressive, trauma-informed, and person-centered approach. As an undergraduate, she participated in local research study that examined the different factors that put individuals at risk homelessness. Upon finding that mental health and addictions was a significant factor, she was driven to complete a graduate certificate in Mental Health and Addictions and then a Master of Social Work at the University of Toronto with specialization in Social Justice and Diversity. Janelle went on to support individuals and their families with substance use as well as those with domestic violence concerns. She also worked in clinical hospital settings and grassroots organizations supporting geriatric clients and radicalized adolescents, young adults, and those in the LGBTQ2S+ community. She has completed extensive training in human trafficking, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy and Motivational Interviewing. Janelle's passion and positive energy radiate in her work as she creates a safe space for clients to be vulnerable, grow, and heal.
Janelle is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Safia Abdulle, MSW, RSW
Safia is a caring and empathetic therapist and social worker with a passion for fostering authentic relationships where clients feel understood, supported, and empowered. Her approach to therapy is client-focused, strengths-based, and anti-oppressive. She is committed to providing space for emotional vulnerability, while also helping clients to develop practical tools to cope with difficulties, grow, and heal. Safia helps clients to recognize their strengths and resiliency, while also cultivating the skills to work towards liberation. For Safia, resiliency involves harnessing our strengths, individually and collectively, in order to flourish under life’s complex and challenging circumstances.
Safia specializes in providing therapy to children, youth, and adults utilizing elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Narrative Therapy, Mindfulness Therapies, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Safia has additional training in children’s mental health and behaviour therapies and brings over 10 years of experience working in social services and with vulnerable people combined with over 6 years of experience as a therapist. With a Masters in Social Work and a Bachelors Degree in Developmental Psychology, Safia is a Registered Social Worker (RSW) with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW).
Safia is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Brittany Webster, BASc
Brittany Webster is a dedicated therapist and counsellor who believes that everyone deserves to be seen, heard and understood. With a profound passion for helping individuals to develop greater self-love, Brittany creates a safe space for individuals to be honest and to discover their best ways to heal, evolve in self-knowledge, and strengthen their individuality. In her role as a therapist and healer, she offers empathy, respect, and a trusting relationship in which clients are supported to discover their own unique healing pathways, strengthen the tools they need to live more authentic lives, and become more empowered. A graduate of the University of Guelph-Humber’s Family and Community Social Services Program, Brittany has six years of valuable experience in the social work field working with youth, women, elders, and the child welfare system. The therapeutic modalities that Brittany specializes in using include Faith-Based Counseling, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness Therapy, and African Hair Therapy.
Brittany specializes in working to enhance the mental health of Black women of African descent. She understands the powerful effects of trauma on thoughts, feelings, behaviour, and self-perception and recognizes racial trauma as a continuing reality for Black individuals that contributes to mental health distress. Since conversations about mental distress and mental illness continue to be taboo and in many ways stigmatized within the greater African Diaspora community, Brittany is dedicated to supporting members of the Black community to prioritize their mental health, to heal, and to become stronger and more resilient. She works tirelessly to uplift Black people in many ways, including by encouraging them to value their mental health and recognize the interconnection between mind, body and spirit in order to live more psychologically healthy lives.
Brittany is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Grace Chanicka, MSW, RSW
Grace is an experienced, caring counsellor and social worker with a passion for helping people manage life difficulties. With a background in child welfare, she offers over 15 years of experience in family-centered, strengths-based work with children, youth, and families. Grace specializes in engaging families in telling their stories in order to identify their strengths, worries, trauma histories, and stressors. She recognizes that respect, listening, and helping individuals to find their own solutions is important for their mental health and well-being. Using solution-focused and brief therapy approaches, Grace partners with families to create a safe, empowering relationship and help them solve problems, create safety for children, and improve their lives.
Grace completed a Master of Social Work Degree at the University of Waterloo and a Bachelor of Social Work at York University. Her professional experiences include hospital social work in a rehabilitation setting, including working with issues such as stress, grief and loss, terminal illness and palliative care, depression, anxiety, and suicidal behavior. Recently, Grace has supported patients recovering from Covid-19 and their families to help them manage the psychological, behavioural, and social aspects of illness, using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy strategies, grief counselling, crisis intervention, and assessing for suicidal risk.
Grace is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Ilham Jilani, MSW, BSW, RSW
Ilham is a compassionate, culturally competent, and religiously sensitive social worker who specializes in providing counselling and mental health services to youth, adults, seniors, and families. Ilham connects well with people from all walks of life and creates a safe, caring, non-judgmental, and confidential environment where clients feel supported and comfortable being themselves. She uses a personalized approach tailored to each client’s needs and is passionate about supporting her clients on their unique journey to recovery and healing from trauma.
Ilham holds a Bachelor of Social Work degree and is currently completing her Master’s in Social Work at Ryerson University. She offers over six years of valuable experience working with diverse clients experiencing mental health challenges, self-esteem concerns, anxiety, depression, loneliness and overall stress. She utilizes a range of therapeutic approaches in her practice, including Solution-Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and Narrative Therapy. Working from a client-centered, trauma-informed and strengths-based lens, Ilham is passionate about social justice, destigmatizing mental illness, and seeking equity for individuals, families, groups and communities. Her practice is grounded in anti-oppression and anti-racism principles.
Ilham is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Brittany Clayton, MSW(C), BSW, RSW
Brittany is a warm, genuine, embracing and dedicated social worker who specializes in counselling youth, adults, and seniors. With 12 years of experience, she has provided one-to-one counselling support to diverse people who are experiencing complex challenges related to mental and physical health, substance use, homelessness, ageism, racism, homophobia, gender-based violence, family conflict, public system failure, and oppression. Using a strengths-
based and trauma-informed approach, Brittany helps people recognize the power and capabilities they possess and build strategies for self-empowerment and self-improvement. By encouraging and celebrating the strengths and achievements of her clients, she fosters self- advocacy and self-sufficiency.
With a wide range of lived experiences, Brittany is approachable, relatable, and offers knowledge and experience as well as emotional and practical support to her clients. She has a genuine concern for her clients’ overall well-being and cultivates relationships with her clients that help them to create meaningful change. She practices reflective listening and by supporting clients in exploring their concerns, questions, patterns, behaviours, and resiliency, she helps them to achieve a better quality of life by envisioning and building the life they desire.
Brittany is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Vanessa Woods, BSW, RSW
Vanessa is a caring and dedicated social worker and counsellor who offers over seven years of professional experience focused on mental health counselling, children’s mental health, child protection, hospital social work, court assistance, conflict resolution, relationship counselling, and community counselling. Her approach is client-centered, anti-oppressive, and solution-focused. She also integrates Narrative approaches to help clients heal from trauma, achieve internal transformation, and build greater strength and resilience. Vanessa is a registered Social Worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) and holds a Bachelor of Social Work from York University.
Vanessa takes a warm, genuine, and personal interest in each of her clients and works to convey to them that they are not alone in their struggles. She is dedicated to creating and providing to her clients a guilt-free and stress-free space where they can relax, open up, and find greater strength and power within their struggles, adversities, and vulnerability. With a structured and goal-oriented approach to therapy, Vanessa skillfully uses the most appropriate tools and techniques to tailor her approach to each client’s unique situation, concerns, and emotional needs. She is committed to helping clients become more resilient and live their best life by supporting them in harnessing the inner strengths that help them overcome the adversities and fears that often get in the way of healing, happiness, peace, and success.
Vanessa is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Trisha Oghenekowho, MSW, BSW, RSW
Trisha is passionate about supporting individuals from all walks of life to become more empowered, resilient, calm, and capable in their daily lives. She specializes in working with clients to help them expand their “toolbox” of coping strategies in order to manage and overcome stressors that can act as barriers to living a healthier, more successful and more fulfilling life. Trisha’s warmth, calmness, and welcoming presence create a safe space where people can be their authentic selves, discuss what is most important to them, and figure out their best path forward. She is also a very skillful listener who lends her entire self to helping her clients navigate through life’s toughest challenges.
Trisha is an experienced social worker who offers over 12 years of experience working with children, youth and adults. In her therapy practice, Trisha draws flexibly from elements of Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Narrative Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Strength-Based, and Trauma Informed Therapy. She holds both a Master of Social Work and Bachelor of Social work from York University and is a Registered Social Worker with membership in the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. Trisha also regularly participates in various mental health courses and trainings, and over the years has completed a multitude of trainings in child, youth, and adult mental health.
Trisha is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Renee Robinson, MSW, BSW, RSW
Renee is an authentic, empathic and experienced counsellor who seeks to provide a safe, supportive, and transparent environment for every individual she comes in contact with. With a Masters in Social Work, Bachelors in Child & Youth Care, and Diploma in Child and Youth Work, Renee’s extensive education, training, and experience in the field of child, youth, and adolescent mental health helps her to support and empower adolescents and their families. Renee specializes in working with adolescents and their families from all backgrounds who experience anxiety, depression, diagnosis of a mental illness, addictions, suicidal ideation, truancy, academic difficulties, sexual abuse, bullying, low self-esteem, identity and cultural issues. She deeply understands child and adolescent development, the impact of difficult experiences and issues on the self and on the family, and how to support individuals to make progress on their issues and challenges.
Renee is a Registered Social worker and member of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) who brings 16 years of varied professional practice in the areas of child and adolescent mental health, behavioural and academic issues, individual and family counselling, parent and family wellbeing, depression, anxiety, marital conflict, health concerns, intergenerational trauma, long-term care, elder care, in-home support, and community practice. She uses Narrative Therapy and Trauma-Informed practices to foster the voices, stories, and strengths of individuals in ways that support their healing, growth, and healthy development. She also uses an Anti-Oppressive lens to inform assessment and therapy, including the use of inclusive and anti-oppressive language, and consideration of the micro and macro factors impacting the current situations of her clients. Renee is a Certified Behavioral Therapist who integrates Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Approaches, and Family Systems Therapy in her work with adolescents and families.
Renee is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Monique Pitt, MSW, BSW, RSW
Monique is a creative and compassionate social worker who aims to serve her clients through a judgement-free approach to counselling. She first works with her clients to understand their concerns and then supports them in developing and pursuing a plan that promotes their healing and growth. She aims to help clients to break unhealthy patterns, to develop greater coping skills, and to lead more fulfilling and fruitful lives. Her work with clients addresses challenges such as anxiety, coping skills, depression, domestic abuse, life transitions, peer relationships, relationship issues, self-esteem, sexual abuse and stress. Monique’s goal is always to help clients consider their experiences as building blocks rather than roadblocks.
Monique earned a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and a Master of Social Work (MSW) from McMaster University. During her studies, Monique conducted research on Black youth and poetry and in her practice, she strives to diversify the counselling space. She recognizes the need for counselling sessions to be customized to fit the unique needs, interests, and backgrounds of each client and she strives to create a space that will facilitate change for each client in ways that are suitable for them.
Monique is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Claudette Brown, BSW, RSW
Claudette is a warm, empathetic, and dedicated Social Worker with seven years of experience in the field, including work with clients facing difficulties related to anxiety, depression, relationship concerns, family conflicts, sexuality, life transitions and life crisis. For Claudette, cultural competency is an important part of all effective therapeutic relationships, and she is passionately committed to providing much-needed and deserved support services for Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities who have been under-served. As a Sex Educator, Claudette is also dedicated to expanding knowledge and destigmatizing the taboo subject of sex education within the Black community. She strives not only to meet the diverse needs of her clients but also to ensure that all clients are comfortable in therapy.
Claudette consistently brings her naturally warm and authentic self to each session and practices from a strength-based, anti-oppressive lens. She truly believes that each client possesses unique strengths but that during difficult times it can be hard for clients to see these strengths. She enjoys helping clients to see and enhance the strengths they already have, and also bring to light strengths that they may have overlooked. In this way, Claudette helps her clients to build more resilience and become the best possible versions of themselves. She has experience using a variety of therapeutic practices to assist her clients, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing.
Claudette is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Abigail Geam-Worlanyo, MSW, BSW, RSW
Abigail is a genuinely caring and compassionate therapist and registered Social Worker who enjoys helping clients to build on their own personal strengths and needs in order to achieve the positive lasting changes that they seek. She holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work and offers over eight years of experience in helping individuals, couples, and families to manage difficult life experiences. Abigail’s personal journey toward mental health and well-being for herself inspired her passion and dedication to help others on their own unique journeys. She enjoys working to ignite hope with her clients and helping to empower them to become more resilient in all areas of life. She specializes in working with and supporting children, youth, adults, couples, and families who are experiencing anxiety, depression, loneliness, anger, social and relational issues, broken relationships, and issues related to body image, identity, abuse, trauma, and self-esteem.
Abigail’s approach to therapy is eclectic and carefully tailored to meeting each client’s specific individual needs. She uses a person-centred and strength-based approach along with a trauma-informed lens to help create a safe and respectful space for each client and to build a strong and effective therapeutic relationship. Abigail’s training and practice includes a wide range of therapeutic modalities including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Self-Compassion, Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Mindfulness-Based Therapy.
Abigail is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Michael J. Smith, MSW, BSW, RSW
Michael J. Smith is a thoughtful, dedicated, and experienced clinical Registered Social Worker/Psychotherapist. He is enthusiastic about developing a strong and trusting therapeutic relationship with clients which helps to support and empower them in facing and overcoming life difficulties. Michael brings a decade of experience working with individuals and families, including people of all ages and from a wide range of religious and cultural backgrounds. His experience as a clinical social worker includes providing psychoeducation, individual and group counselling, and life skills coaching to children, youth, adults, and seniors experiencing anxiety, depression, stress, and emotional dysregulation. His work in a range of community mental health settings including school boards, hospitals, family health teams, youth justice, childcare, and community agencies makes him well-prepared to support the varied needs of his clients.
Michael specializes in supporting and empowering clients to manage symptoms such as persistent and intense feelings of sadness, low energy, worry, anxiousness, and fears, which may be associated with mood disorders. He understands the need for clients to gain greater control of mind, body, and spirit in order to feel more safe, motivated, hopeful, and worthy. He works to support and empower people to feel and become more able to pursue their ambitions as they climb away from feelings of anxiety and depression toward the better life they desire and deserve. Michael recognizes the importance of supporting people in their healing and recovery from adversity as they rebuild their lives. He values each client’s unique journey and is a firm believer in the saying that “even broken crayons still colour the same.”
Michael is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Linda Awuni, MSW, BSW, RSW
Linda is a kind, compassionate, and committed Registered Social Worker who brings over ten years of experience in the helping field, including working with children, adolescents, youth, adults, and families who are in distress. Linda provides a safe and non-judgemental space where her clients can begin to heal and to cope better with life’s challenges. She recognizes that all of us face ups and downs in life, and that this can cause serious impacts on our lives and lead to challenging thoughts and emotions about ourselves and our experiences. She believes that people do not have to go through these difficulties alone and helps her clients both to gain insight into their emotional responses and to manage these responses better. Authenticity, respect, and a genuinely open-minded nature are at the core of Linda’s approach as she works collaboratively with each client to ensure their needs are met.
In addition to earning a Master’s Degree in Social Work from York University, Linda also completed a Master’s Degree in Critical Disability Studies and is well-versed in supporting individuals with disabilities. Linda’s experiences also include working effectively to improve and resolve a wide variety of issues, including depression, anxiety (generalized and social anxiety), OCD, conflict resolution, self-esteem, grief, self-harm, stress management, and life transitions. She has also supported those diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and ADHD. Linda uses a range of treatment modalities, including Narrative Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, as well as Strengths-Based and DBT-informed approaches. Linda understands that every individual is unique and tailors treatment to meet each client’s specific needs and goals.
Linda is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Josset Johnson, MSW, BSW, RSW
Josset is a warm, compassionate, flexible, and committed counselor and social worker whose empathy and warmth help to create a safe, nonjudgmental space where clients can process complex issues, get help in overcoming difficult life challenges, and find healing. She offers 13 years of valuable professional experience which includes working effectively and proficiently to resolve a wide variety of issues, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, relationship issues, self-esteem, self-harm, stress management, life transitions, and enhancing coping skills. Central to Josset’s work with her clients is that she is trustworthy, authentic, and respectful. She considers it a privilege to be able to accompany people on their journey of self-understanding, change and healing as they navigate through life difficulties.
With a Master of Social Work Degree from the University of Windsor and a Bachelor of Counselling Degree from Northern Caribbean University in Jamaica, Josset is also a Registered Social Worker (RSW) with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW). She has completed specialized training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Strength-Based Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy and Single Session Therapy. Additionally, Josset integrates Narrative Approaches in her practice to assist clients in telling their story and living the kind of life they envision for themselves. She approaches her practice from a strength-based and trauma-informed lens and cultivates a therapeutic relationship with her clients that fosters meaningful exploration, self-discovery, and healing.
Josset is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Natalie Comrie, CYC
Natalie Comrie has been providing therapeutic counseling services to children, teens, adults and families for over 20 years. Natalie provides counseling with an emphasis on self-esteem, attachment issues, relationship problems, communication repair, trauma, and self-care. Known for her commitment to relationships, she strives to create a safe space where man, woman and child can grow and be themselves. Natalie creates a close, supportive relationship in the counseling setting to assist each person in moving forward through open discussion, problem solving, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and the development of personal insight. She provides each client with workable suggestions and also arms them with the tools needed to make positive decisions.
Natalie offers a diverse set of skills and training which aid her in varying the treatment offered to fit the particular person and situation presented. Her education background includes completion of a Child and Youth Worker Diploma, Professional Counseling Skills Certification, Krasner Hypnosis Certification Training, Domestic Sex Trafficking: High-Risk Sexual Behaviour Safe Guards for Children, Certification in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Combatting Anti-Black Racism Certification and Indigenous Circle Approach to Cultural Confidence. Natalie’s holistic approach to counseling assists clients to grow through their pain with the tools needed for success. She also understands the barriers that clients face when putting themselves in the position to receive counseling, and how it is important for clients to take their time in choosing who is right for their journey and to stand in that power. For Natalie, this is an important element of growth.
Natalie is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Julia Gibran, MSW, RSW
Julia is a registered Social Worker (MSW, RSW) and Educator (Bachelor of Education) who specializes in using mind-body practices such as yoga, mindfulness, expressive arts and counseling to engage with, empower, and promote healing for individuals, families and communities. Her therapeutic style is grounded in the principles of compassion, confidentiality and holistic healing. She is also dedicated to finding the middle path and to helping clients find and maintain balance in their life. Sessions with Julia involve an anti-oppressive, resilience-building and body-based approach that also includes tangible tools and practical daily applications that clients can use right away.
Julia completed a Master’s Degree in Social Work with a focus on Indigenous Trauma and Resilience and her work with clients honours the importance of culturally informed trauma therapy. This means that Julia strives to empower clients by engaging with their existing personal and cultural wisdom as well as with modern therapy practices. In this way, the unique strengths of each client are activated and expanded to promote healing, growth, and balance. Her approach allows clients to creatively weave their distinctive personalities into a therapeutic practice that is unique and meaningful for each individual. For over a decade, Julia has enjoyed supporting clients and communities on their journey to greater resilience, healing, compassion, and growth through her work in schools, hospitals, studios and retreats.
Julia is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Benjamin Bamijoko, MSW, RSW
Ben is a thoughtful, committed, and culturally sensitive counsellor who is passionate about working with diverse populations and creating a warm, safe, welcoming, and non-judgmental space where each client feels heard, respected, and understood. He provides counselling to youth, adults, individuals, couples, and families and brings over 14 years of experience as a clinician on the frontline and in leadership teams. Ben’s wide range of experiences includes supporting people struggling with addictions, abuse, anxiety, depression, stress, life transitions, trauma, grief and loss, relationship concerns, behavioral problems, and parenting issues.
As a registered social worker (RSW) with a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from the University of Calgary, Ben is also authorized to perform psychosocial assessments by the Alberta College of Social Workers. His approach to counselling is highly collaborative, client-centered, and individually tailored to meet each unique client’s specific needs. Building a strong therapeutic relationship with each client that is grounded in trust, understanding, and mutual respect is important to Ben, and this helps empower clients to engage in reflection, personal growth, and change. Since people do not always have control over what life presents, Ben understands that at times, life’s impacts bring stress, worry, frustration, and anxiety. He works to provide clients with the right support, help, and guidance so that they can cope with challenges and re-discover their path to a more fulfilling life.
Ben is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Sean Rousseau, MSW, BA, RSW
Sean is a positive, practical, and very experienced Registered Social Worker with over 25 years of varied experience supporting diverse communities. She truly believes that each client deserves to enjoy greater healing, growth, happiness, success, and satisfaction in life and works to empower individuals, families, and couples to realize their full potential by identifying their goals and taking small steps towards achieving them. Sean also helps clients to identify and celebrate the many small successes that help to maintain motivation and create meaningful lasting change. She specializes in supporting clients to make progress on challenges related to anxiety, depression, trauma, anger management, stress management, self-esteem, grief, loss, parenting, child development, behaviour issues, communication, conflict resolution, relationship issues, and work/life balance.
With a Master of Social Work, Honours Bachelor of Social Work, and Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from York University, Sean is registered with both the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Services Workers (OCSWSSW) and the Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW). She has also completed additional training in Dialectic Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Brief Intervention for School Clinicians (BRISC), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Solution Focused Therapy, and Trauma-Informed Therapy. For Sean, actively listening, demonstrating empathy, being in tune with clients, and acknowledging and validating clients throughout therapy is an essential part of the process of building trust and a strong therapeutic relationship. Closely collaborating with clients and working with them toward their goals is also central to the empowerment process that Sean engages in with each client.
Sean is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.
Zeynep Acar, MSW, RSW
Zeynep is a registered member of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and the Ontario Association of Social Workers. She completed her Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW) at the University of Toronto with a collaborative specialization in aging, palliative, and supportive care across the life course.
Zeynep completed a clinical practicum at the Multi-Care Kidney Clinic at St. Michael's Hospital, where she provided direct social work services to patients diagnosed with chronic and end-stage kidney disease. After graduating with her MSW, Zeynep worked as a clinical social worker for various inpatient and outpatient units at St. Michael’s Hospital. She is currently working with women who completed breast cancer treatment at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.
Zeynep has experience working with individuals and families dealing with mental health challenges, such as depression, anxiety, adjustment disorders, grief and bereavement, body image issues, suicide, trauma, end of life care, relationship issues and domestic violence. In addition to her clinical work, Zeynep has been actively involved in several research studies at Stanford University and the University of Toronto.
Zeynep is currently accepting clients for video counselling sessions.