Grief, loss, depression, and at one-point, debilitating anxiety. I often joke with my clients that while I appear pretty darn boring and conservative now, I once lived a quite reckless life where I was witness to violence, overdoses, and suicide.

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Back then, I wouldn't have agreed with this statement, but now, I see how the lessons from loss and trauma, the resilience that anxiety instilled in me, and the strength that depression forced me to find, have profoundly shaped my practice and how I connect with people in the therapy room.

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Honestly, this field saved my life. I navigated alone and tried many therapists until I finally found one who truly listened. He changed everything for me. While he would attribute my progress to maturity, I'd counter with, "And yet, I still quote you and live by your wisdom." Until then, I had never viewed my life through the lens of trauma or clinical diagnosis, nor understood growth and validation. He was the first to ask about my entire history and believed me when I shared it.

From 2008, I worked in hospital Social Work, with adults and pediatrics, individual psychotherapy, pediatric eating disorders, running groups and providing supervision. I am a Registered Clinical Social Worker (815511) in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. I am also a member of the Association of Social Workers in Ontario. I received my undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto focusing my studies on Psychology and Fine Art History, specializing in neuroscience and neurodiversity. I completed a Masters of Social Work graduate degree in 2008, with Wilfrid Laurier University. I have early roots with community volunteerism, the shelter system, and the school board.

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Read more about my professional trainings.

I do not shy away from questions about my lived experience which surround themes of anxiety, trauma, OCD, depression, fertility, and eating disorder. For those who have known me in treatment, know I carefully disclose about my life's journey with the intention to provide compassion, empathy, and connection.

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From shame to comic relief, I might share about a past worry around becoming a stereotype, the spinster social worker and her 7 cats! Those were not my words, but were the words of many others. This hasn’t quite occurred. My life has taken me to single motherhood (SMBC) having received the long-awaited gift of a daughter, the first true joy, as well as building my chosen family alongside my cats Gessa and Saphina, both foster fails. 

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I wish I could say I adore cooking yet this is not the case. I am a bland and boring chef! So..., when I tell my FBT parents who struggle with what to put on the dinner table, I completely understand the challenge therein.

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I newly discovered in my 30s what a Sci Fi geek I am. A neo-Trekkie. If only I could transport myself through the space-time continuum, visit an alternate universe and return with the very best of both worlds. This left brain of mine additionally has a love for puzzles, documentaries, and any discussion around feminism, equality, or animal activism. 

My decision to expand my private practice and establish Sparrow Treatment and Recovery in 2020 was influenced by a series of significant life events. Although I had always balanced a private practice with clinical hospital social work, the convergence of becoming a Single Mother By Choice (SMBC) and the pandemic—contributing to what I refer to as an epidemic of eating disorders among our youth—prompted a profound reassessment of my personal and professional goals. This period followed what I call my Fertility Years.

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I found myself exhausted and frustrated, realizing that the systemic constraints of institutional work no longer aligned with my needs and life choices as a parent to a young child.

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Amidst the overwhelm and frustration, I chose to build something new. I embraced change, redefined my standards of perfectionism, and sought out a more supportive and chosen family. I took a leap, and now, ...

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I happily find myself here. Running the show.