Professional Background + Experience

My experience spans clinical support, school mental health leadership, research, consultation, and collaborative work with educators, multidisciplinary teams, and system leaders on mental health initiatives. These experiences continue to shape my work as a psychologist and reinforce something I believe deeply: mental health is connected to identity, relationships, systems, access, and belonging.

I've worked across community mental health, private practice, and education settings providing psychotherapy, single-session therapy, psychological and psycho-educational assessment, and school-based mental health initiatives. My work has also included leadership roles, tragic event response, consultation, protocol development, and collaborative projects centred on student voice. Through it all, I hold onto a practical, collaborative, human approach to care with room for both the hard stuff and the hopeful stuff.

    • Ed.D. in Counselling Psychology, University of Toronto (2024)

    • M.Sc. in Counselling Psychology, University of Calgary (2011)

    • Additional training in psychological assessment, school-based interventions, cognitive behavioural therapy, emotion-focused skills training, acceptance and commitment therapy, motivational interviewing, humanistic solution focused coaching, single session therapy, brief therapy, narrative therapy, and mindfulness approaches.

    • College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario (CPBAO) - 2020 to present

    • College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) - 2014 to present

    • Canadian Psychological Association (CPA)

    • Ontario Psychological Association (OPA)

  • Check out the publications section of my website for information on publications, podcasts, and collaborations (linked here)

My Approach

My approach blends Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and Solution-Focused strategies which are three evidence-based approaches that emphasize personal values, strengths, and practical, action-oriented steps. Sometimes that means aligning actions with values or doing more of what's already working. Sometimes it means building psychological flexibility, or simply being okay with exactly where you are right now.

Identity & Belonging: I care deeply about creating spaces where young people from diverse identities, cultures, and backgrounds feel respected, supported, and able to show up as themselves. I've worked alongside queer, trans, non-binary, racialized, Indigenous, immigrant, and newcomer young people, as well as those who are neurodivergent. I recognize that everyone holds multiple, intersecting identities. My approach is grounded in curiosity, collaboration, and cultural humility, with an understanding that each person's experience is shaped not just by who they are, but by the communities and systems they move through every day.

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Research + Collaborative Work

Some of the most meaningful parts of my work have involved learning alongside young people on projects focused on equity, belonging, student voice, advocacy, and meaningful change in schools and communities.

My doctoral research explored student voice in school mental health, and how educational systems can move beyond tokenism toward authentic, youth-led collaboration. I contributed to the development of a student engagement toolkit with School Mental Health Ontario, and co-led a federally funded school-university research partnership on anti-racism with and for Black and racialized students, alongside Dr. Leila Angod of Carleton University.

For more on this work — publications, podcasts, and collaborations — visit the Publications page.

These experiences keep me grounded in authenticity, responsiveness, and a deep respect for the lived experience of young people. Together, we can explore hard questions, make space for both strengths and struggles, celebrate joy, and sit with the messiness of being human.

About me

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You've read the professional details. Here's a bit of the human behind them.

I grew up here in Simcoe County. In high school and early university, I spent summers working at a camp on Georgian Bay, and school years lifeguarding and teaching swimming lessons. These are early experiences that sparked my love of working with young people and being part of their growth and independence.

My first job after my undergrad in psychology was as a 911 operator and dispatcher. Supporting people through acute crisis was meaningful, formative work. It led me to graduate training in counselling psychology so I could support people not just in urgent moments, but through the everyday challenges, changes, and transitions of life.

I completed my master's at the University of Calgary, where I studied hard and soaked up everything Alberta had to offer — snowboarding, hiking, camping, plenty of adventure. Family eventually brought me back home to Simcoe County, where I returned to school again in 2020 to complete my doctorate at the University of Toronto while working full-time, parenting, and living through a pandemic.

I'm a mom to two wonderful kids and our beloved family dog, June. Weekends usually find us at the local ski hill, outdoors, playing sports, or just enjoying cozy time together.