Rachel received her Art Therapy Diploma from The Toronto Art Therapy Institute in 2005. She is delighted to be a new team member at Mind Matters Psychotherapy and Education!

Rachel’s thesis was entitled Art Therapy As A Medium To Express Insecurity In Latency-Aged Children.

After completing her coursework at TATI, she was hired to join the Birth-to-Six Specialized Therapy Unit at The Hincks-Dellcrest Centre, which is now The Garry Hurvitz Centre for Community Mental Health at SickKids Hospital in Toronto. Rachel worked with individual children, families and with parent-child dyads.

In addition to her training and credentials in art therapy Rachel has 16 years of experience teaching predominantly children and adolescents from 18 months old to 16 years, at the Avenue Road Arts School in Toronto.

Rachel’s teaching culminated in her position as the Associate Director of the School.

She has facilitated art workshops with seniors and found the experience truly gratifying. In her career, Rachel has incorporated bringing art to underserved and low-income children and youth of all ages in the GTA, including with Arts For Children & Youth Of Ontario, now VIBE Arts.

Engaging clients in the art-making process as a therapeutic modality is a natural and intuitive way to bring forth a fundamental awareness of their inner worlds.

Rachel is passionate about art as a reflection of inner psychology and a source of perspective and self-compassion. Her evaluation of creative instincts propels her to be a life-long student and a voracious reader of various psychological literature snd modalities including mindfulness, trauma response, vagal nerve toning to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, mind-body connection, and the psychology of chronic pain.

Rachel collaborates with her clients to understand their experience with complex emotions such as shame, anxiety, grief and trauma and to help disentangle the body’s natural defence systems and find healthier coping methods.

Rachel looks to the past, as much as current research to bring appropriate techniques into her art therapy room for her clients.

At Mind Matters, Rachel offers Art Therapy and Counselling to individuals of all ages experiencing anxiety, depression, stress, relational and behavioural issues, attachment challenges, emotional regulation, issues regarding self-esteem and identity, and issues related to coping with and processing trauma and PTSD. Rachel has extensive knowledgable of art & play therapies and techniques and she is a member of CATA, OATA and OAMHP.

Rachel received her Art Therapy Diploma from The Toronto Art Therapy Institute in 2005. She is de... Read More

I am passionate about people and their overall well being. I work with youth and young adults who are transitioning from one phase in life to another (i.e. high-school to college/university or recently diagnosed with an illness or mental health disorder) and who are finding the change overwhelming and sometimes difficult to manage. I also work with individuals, families, and couples who are facing some of life’s tough realities such as the breakdown of a relationship, divorce, loss, grief, and bereavement. I also support people with a range of other mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, addictions, and trauma.

I have extensive training in cognitive behavioral therapy (diagnostic specific), talk therapy, motivational interviewing, emotion-focused family therapy, emotion-focused couples therapy, mindfulness, trauma informed therapy, and bereavement counselling. I work from a client-centred collaborative approach, where compassion for self and others is encouraged.

I work with clients to help them to develop their ability to reflect, accept, and move forward in their lives in a healthy and meaningful way. My goal is to support clients in their life’s journey, where awareness and understanding provides growth, builds confidence, allows for forgiveness, fosters healthy relationships, and encourages overall well being.

I am passionate about people and their overall well being. I work with youth and young adults who... Read More

Stephanie is currently completing her M.A in counselling psychology at Yorkville University. Her previous experience comes from 20 years of working in a unique community setting with people representing a variety of diverse cultural backgrounds and ages. She is no stranger to supporting children, youth, young adults and seniors, as well as their families as they navigate socioeconomic, psychological and biological pressures contributing to their overall quality of life. This includes walking with those who face depression, anxiety and grief.

Stephanie wants you to know that your brokennesses is welcome here. This means that she is dedicated to creating a safe space for you to walk through the highs and lows and will honour and adapt to your needs as your healing journey evolves.

You can expect Stephanie to incorporate trauma-informed interventions while maintaining flexibility. When Stephanie is not with you or her other clients, she is mostly likely spending time with her 4 kids with a coffee in hand

Stephanie is currently completing her M.A in counselling psychology at Yorkville University. Her ... Read More

Alex strives to provide a safe, supportive, warm, and non-judgmental environment to encourage self-discovery, exploration of emotions, and healing.

Alex is currently completing her M.A. in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University and holds a B.A. in Psychology from Brock University. Alex has experience working in therapeutic settings such as domestic violence shelters and group homes. She has also volunteered as a Crisis Responder with Kids Help Phone and has worked as a support staff in the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board. Alex has experience working with children and youth with anxiety, depression, self-esteem issues, and trauma. Alex has seen the positive effects of using creative and experiential approaches to therapy and strives to incorporate this into her work when appropriate.

Alex is passionate about creating a therapeutic relationship with clients based on collaboration, empathy, and authenticity. Alex works from a client-centered, trauma-informed framework and alters her approach to best fit the needs of each unique client. Compassionate support and positive regard are offered every step of the way for each’s clients journey to embracing positive change. Alex uses a strength-based approach to highlight individual resiliency and is dedicated to making sure clients feel heard, valued, and respected while empowering them to meet their goals and achieve healing at their own pace.

Alex strives to provide a safe, supportive, warm, and non-judgmental environment to encourage sel... Read More

I work with adults and youth who experience depression, anxiety, work-related stress, self-esteem concerns, physical stress, injury-related stress, relationship conflict, loss, and pain. Knowing how challenging life can be, it is important that we have a safe community and people to assist us when sometimes we cannot manage our experiences alone. Thus together within therapy, we will work as a team to explore present patterns and behaviours that result in feelings we wish to change and build a strong and compassionate belief of self, exploring new strategies and techniques along the way. I approach every client individually with an empathetic and trauma-informed approach. I understand the importance of the mind-to-body connection when we experience stress. My goal is to treat this stress and improve overall wellness through Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, Solution Focused Brief Therapy and Narrative Therapy. Currently, as a qualifying psychotherapist, I welcome you to counselling and the ability to share your story. It’s amazing what we can do when given a little knowledge and some help. I look forward to meeting you soon.

I work with adults and youth who experience depression, anxiety, work-related stress, self-esteem... Read More

Heather is committed to providing a safe, non-judgmental space where clients of all ages can heal and explore who they are. Her goal is to work collaboratively with clients to help them understand their emotions, discover new parts of themselves, and find creative ways of coping and moving forwards. Because no two people are alike, Heather believes there can be no one-size-fits-all approach to therapy. For this reason, she draws on a variety of modalities including Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) / Parts Work, Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and more.

Heather began her career in the mental health field as a support group facilitator and has since completed her Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University. She uses her undergraduate education in visual arts to enhance her work with clients by incorporating creative forms of self-expression into her sessions, when appropriate.

Heather is trained in a variety of therapeutic approaches which allows her the flexibility to customize treatment to the needs of each unique individual. She works primarily from an attachment-based, trauma-informed perspective. Heather is certified in Emotion-Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT) and is in the process of becoming a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP-II). Outside of her work with clients, Heather enjoys singing and playing guitar, going for walks with her dog, and spending time with her family and friends.

Heather is committed to providing a safe, non-judgmental space where clients of all ages can heal... Read More

Gemma has completed her MA in Counselling Psychology at the University of Ottawa. Gemma has assisted with research on mental health, relationships, bullying, and childhood maltreatment. Gemma completed her undergraduate degree in Forensic Psychology at Ontario Tech University. Gemma works with those who experience trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, self-esteem concerns, and life transitions. Gemma is passionate about working with clients to understand their problems and themselves and find new ways to move forward. She adopts a collaborative approach with clients to ensure that you feel seen, heard, and valued, and that your needs are being met along the way. Gemma aims to build a strong therapeutic relationship and uses a client-centred approach along with mindfulness-based approaches, internal family systems, somatic experiencing and emotion-focused therapy. She uses these approaches combined with a belief that our early childhood experiences can impact how we interact with our daily lives and regulate our nervous systems. I look forward to meeting you and working together to create a deeper under

Gemma has completed her MA in Counselling Psychology at the University of Ottawa. Gemma has assis... Read More

Courtney is passionate about working with children, youth, adults, and couples, and strives to form a unique and special therapeutic relationship with each of her clients that will foster opportunities for meaningful change through exploration, reflection, acceptance, growth, and healing. Working from a psychodynamic, attachment-theory, and person-centered lens, Courtney remains committed to being flexible in her treatment approach for her clients. Whether it’s trauma/stress related, mood disorders, PTSD, grief/loss, anxiety, depression, life-transitions, or other life stressors, Courtney recognizes that each client brings with them their own personal experiences. With this in mind, Courtney works to incorporate a variety of therapeutic elements and techniques to individualize and personalize the therapy journey. Courtney is committed to creating a non-judgmental, and compassionate therapeutic space for her clients to exercise their authenticity and autonomy. Viewing her role as an opportunity to accompany her clients on their journey of healing and self-discovery, she works to help her clients explore their own past and present experiences, while also helping them identify underlying emotions, breaking down barriers, and identifying unhelpful patterns and attachments in their life.

Courtney holds an M.A. in Counselling Psychology and a B.A. (Hons) in Criminology and Justice Studies, and brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience from various organizations within the broader public sector. Courtney recognizes the importance of community involvement and has volunteered with emergency services and with Durham Girls Inc.

Outside of work Courtney enjoys spending time with her family, which includes a fluffy goldendoodle named Murdoch. She also enjoys going to the gym, running, camping, and curling up with good book, preferably a mystery.

Courtney is passionate about working with children, youth, adults, and couples, and strives to fo... Read More

Hannah’s goal is to provide all her clients with a safe, supportive, and empowering environment to promote healing. She knows that each client’s journey is different and reaching out to begin healing can be a difficult task. For this reason, she believes that establishing a safe, and trusting therapeutic relationship is the first step. She utilizes a client-centered, empathy-based approach, built around the client’s collaboration.

Hannah is currently completing her M.A in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University. She holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology and Health Studies (Honours) from Queen’s University, where she also completed a Global Health and Disability exchange program in the UK. As a new mental health professional, Hannah is looking forward to supporting children, youth couples, adults, and families on their healing journeys.

Hannah’s goal is to provide all her clients with a safe, supportive, and empowering environment t... Read More

Sarah holds a Master’s degree in Psychology from the University of Lagos, Nigeria, and a Master’s in Christian Counseling from the Canada Christian College, Whitby, ON.

Sarah currently volunteers as a crisis responder at the Distress Center Durham, where she provides emotional and listening support to callers in crises or distress. She had previously worked at the Lagos state Domestic violence and sexual assault referral center, providing psychosocial support to survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

Sarah believes there is a way out of every complex and challenging situation, and she is passionate about assisting people (young and old) in finding the way.

Sarah believes in nurturing hope and is passionate about guiding clients to find the answers to their challenges using eclectic, client-centered, and cognitive behavioral therapeutic interventions.

She has experience in trauma, individual, couple, and group family, and marriage counseling. Sarah is a calm, patient listener who loves dancing and helping people.

Sarah holds a Master’s degree in Psychology from the University of Lagos, Nigeria, and a Master’s... Read More

Marcie is currently completing her M.A. in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University. She holds a B.A. (Hons) in Psychology from Trent University. She is an advocate for mental health and has long-standing ambition to become a counsellor. She is passionate about working with children, youth and families and aspires to continue working with this population once completing her degree. Marcie’s passion for supporting children and youth stems from her extensive experience working with adolescence within the nonprofit sector at both the Boys and Girls Club, and the YMCA. She has seen the important role mindfulness and relaxation techniques can have on children and youth and strives to incorporate this into her work when applicable. Marcie works from a biopsychosocial, trauma-informed framework and believes that there is no standard approach to therapy. She instead alters her approach to meet each individual client’s experiences, goals, and needs. In addition, she believes attachment styles often play a role on current struggles and, in understanding them, we can better identify root causes, or contributors, of negative emotional experiences. Marcie wants to walk alongside her clients and support them through hearing and understanding their stories and implementing coping mechanisms that will best support them

Marcie is currently completing her M.A. in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University. She h... Read More

My counselling style is collaborative, and I strive to walk alongside my clients on their growth and healing journeys. Using a strengths-based approach, I support and empower clients as they move through their mental and emotional health struggles and work towards their counselling goals.

As a Masters level Clinician, I have been trained in various therapeutic approaches, and tailor the treatment approach that best suits the client needs.

I have a specific passion for supporting women and couples who are dealing with infertility, loss and postpartum mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.

Above all, I am a firm believer that creating a strong therapeutic relationship and cultivating a safe, non-judgemental space for my clients are essential elements for meaningful work together

My counselling style is collaborative, and I strive to walk alongside my clients on their growth ... Read More