Group facilitators

Alex Nicolls (he/him)

BA (Hons), DTATI (Cand.)

Having completed my lecture phase at the Toronto Art Therapy Institute, I am excited to co-facilitate art therapy groups through Sheena’s Place. I believe in the ability of creativity and imagination to bring about healing and health in people’s lives. I am looking forward to using the collaborative and empowering experiences that can be found in roleplaying games to support group members in developing their own skills and strengths. I hope to create positive, inclusive and non-judgemental experiences for all.

Ariella Meinhard (she/her)

MSW, RSW

I am a registered social worker, with an MSW from York University. I also have a professional background in traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and yoga. My current psychotherapy practice is rooted in an understanding of mind-body connections and trauma-informed approaches. I am trained in modalities such as Internal Family Systems, attachment-focused therapy, dreamwork, and mindfulness-based practices. I work from an anti-oppressive and client-centred perspective, and I see therapy as a deeply collaborative process grounded in mutual respect, compassion, and curiosity.

Ary Maharaj (he/him)

M.Ed., RP

Through compassion, non-judgment, respect, and honesty, I work to create a group environment that gives you some breathing room to think about your important life transitions, explore your intersecting identities, navigate your relationship with your body, and hold space for the many emotions we all experience. There is much we have in common, and we are all unique. In facilitating the BIPOC Support group, we try not to generalize or compare our perspectives with that of others, but instead, work to acknowledge each person’s experience and how systemic, social factors — like racism and other systems of oppression — can impact our health and our everyday experiences. I strive to create spaces that allow us to feel a sense of safety, so that instead of using time to defend ourselves, we can use that time to define ourselves.

Ashley Seaman (she/her)

B.Ed Educator, OCT

I am a certified Educator (B.Ed, OCT), an Educational Partner of the Toronto District School Board, and I have been teaching since 2008.  My background in the Theatre Arts as a program developer, performer, educator, producer, and department head has shaped my passion for emphasizing the role of the Arts in a happy, healthy life.  A deliberate exploration of the Arts also helped to guide me through my own healing process; I am 11+ years fully recovered from an eating disorder.  My goal as a facilitator is to use my expertise as an Educator with gentle playfulness to invite participants to cultivate a deeper sense of acceptance, compassionate presence, supportive connections, and hopeful perspectives to support folks along their journeys.  (Oh, and sometimes to create space for joy together, even in dark times, because fun is fun!)

Caitlin MacLean (she/her)

BA (Hons), TATI Student

I am excited about co-facilitating art therapy groups at Sheena’s Place as I am passionate about art and helping others improve their mental health and well-being. Art speaks for us when we don’t know or have the words yet; there are endless ways for creative expression and communication. I hope to create a space where group members feel welcome, seen, and heard through a person-centered, collaborative, and anti-oppressive approach.

Chelle Yvonne Carter (they/them, she/her)

MSW, RSW

I am a Black/biracial, Mad/disabled, non-binary/pansexual person committed to resisting white supremacist and colonial violence through holistic, intersectional, anti-oppressive, and trauma informed practices and principles. With a personal history of distressed and disordered eating and unstable body image, as well as sexual violence, psychiatric violence, self harm, and addiction, I am acutely aware of how such lived experiences often occur together, and fundamentally shape how we move through, cope with, and make sense of the world in relation to our identities.

As such, I love accessing creativity and pleasure as methods of self and collective care, healing, and resilience in response to mental, emotional, somatic, spiritual, and sexual harms that manifest through systems of oppression. I believe my academic, professional, and personal experience uniquely position me to engage with the communities that Sheena’s Place serves; it is an honour to be trusted with, and to hold space for their stories.

Christine Hsu (they/them/she/her)

Ontario College of Teachers Certificate (OCT), Adult Education Certificate (St.Fx), Personal Training Specialist (Canfitpro), Inclusion Training (Variety Village),  Bachelor of Physical & Health Education, Bachelor of Education, Certified Training & Development Professional (pending)

I am a queer, nonbinary, genderfluid, woman of colour and work in a variety of different communities wearing different hats. These hats include being a healing-centred movement coach with a body liberation approach, and an anti-racism/anti-oppression trainer and diversity & inclusion consultant. My very being and work centres on minimizing harm in the world/relationships, honoring courage, radical vulnerability, and radical acceptance, and being active both in body movements and sports, and in dismantling white supremacy, capitalism, and patriarchy. You’ll most likely find me cycling around in the city and squealing over seeing cute puppies all year round.

 

Colleen Smith (she/her)

MSW, RSW

I come to Sheena’s Place with over 20 years of experience working in mental health, along with a solid background in DBT.  I’ve spent years learning to practice and apply the DBT Principles- and have come to one very clear conclusion: change is the only constant!  I started with Sheena’s place a few years ago in hopes to support this incredible population to learn and apply DBT in a tangible and meaningful way.   I’ve been fortunate to learn and grow alongside each of you, and look forward to many more sessions of exploration and discovery from this vibrant and caring community.

Cynthia Shea (she/her)

MSW, RSW

I connect with clients at Sheena’s Place to teach Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) Skills – focusing especially on using them to support your eating disorder recovery. I work to make DBT understandable and relatable so that you can then consider how to use DBT skills to support your own recovery.

Deepika Birdi (she/her)

RP (Qualifying), dTATI (Candidate)

Deepika is a dedicated and compassionate therapist with a passion for using creative expression as a tool for healing and self-discovery. With over 15 years of experience in the mental health field, she has cultivated a deep understanding of the intersection between art and psychology.

She works as a therapist with children, youth, and families facing trauma, emotional challenges, and various mental health issues. Deepika works in intensive and school settings with neurodivergent clients employing the principles of person-centered and narrative therapy. Through the use of various art modalities, Deepika creates a safe and nurturing space for clients to explore and communicate their thoughts, emotions, and experiences.

Debbie Anderson (she/her)

Art Therapist & Registered Psychotherapist, BA(Hons), dTATI, RP

I like calling the art therapy I do Artful Self Discovery. I love facilitating art-making that becomes a type of symbolic speech to help you understand your self. I find art can make feelings and experiences less threatening. I enjoy facilitating art groups online and at Sheena’s Place.

Emily Huynh (she/her)

MSW, RSW

I have deep appreciation for the art of storytelling: no matter how mundane, stream-of-consciousness, carefully crafted, or cathartically cried aloud, stories create pathways for imagination, critical reflection, and mobilization. They have the power to pull on our souls and weave together relationships, moving us towards collective resistance and healing.

In facilitating Accessing Pleasure, we hold space for stories and fantasies of the old, new, alternative, and emerging. With a strong awareness of how social structures impact our individual and collective understanding of issues like neurodiversity, body diversity, and cultural differences, I strive to create open and nonjudgmental spaces for group learning and exploration.

Emma Baril (she/her)

RYT 400

I have been practicing yoga since 2005 and formally studying yoga since 2013. My teaching uses gentle movement to explore showing up with curiosity and compassion.

Giselle Segovia (she/her)

RD, MHSc

As a registered dietitian and recipe developer, I am passionate about educating and empowering others to build a positive relationship with food and their bodies that is not only nourishing and pleasurable, but is also accessible, culturally inclusive, supports overall wellbeing, and is above all – compassionate. I have experience teaching food skills and providing food services to folks affected by eating disorders as well as developing nutrition education content to help debunk harmful diet culture messaging online. I practice using a non-diet approach and weight-neutral lens, and am passionate about exploring the complex role that food plays in our lives and the ways in which we can find harmony and connection through food and eating.

JDP (they/them)

JDP has been doing fat activism, workshops, and peer counselling for over 10 years.

Jennifer Li (she/her)

MSW, RSW

As a Chinese-Canadian, queer, cis-gender social worker with lived/living experiences of eating disorders, I am committed to upholding an anti-oppressive and anti-racist lens in my professional practice and daily life. Whether that is work, play, or everything in-between, I live with the understanding that individuals are not inherently “pathological”, but rather it is the structures and social systems that highly impact one’s emotions and experiences.

I acknowledge that my position as a social worker is one that has advanced on the basis of privilege. I hold a BSW from Toronto Metropolitan University and an MSW from the University of Toronto, and am registered with the OCSWSSW

Kaley Roosen (she/her)

Ph.D. C.Psych

I am a clinical and health psychologist who has been working with folks with eating disorders for the past 10+ years. As a disabled woman, I am passionate about offering disability-affirming, anti-oppressive and trauma-informed support and therapy to folks with mental health challenges, complex trauma histories, eating distress and chronic illness/disability. My practice and scholarly work combines psychology theory with critical understandings of disability and illness. I have worked in hospital settings and am currently working in private practice while continuing my ongoing commitment as an advocate and ally in disability justice work. I am also aligned with body liberation work and understanding eating disorders as social justice issues.

Kat Parker (they/them)

BSW, MSW, RSW

As an Indigenous, neurodivergent, Queer Social Worker with lived experience of an eating disorder, I am committed to an anti-oppressive practice that recognizes the systemic barriers that inherently impact access to care. My practice is rooted in the idea that each person deserves to define their own goals related to their well-being, including the integration of non-Western approaches to treatment/care. I use a trauma-informed approach that aims to deconstruct the hierarchies that exist within the “helping” professions. By prioritizing relationality and the importance of trust in this work, I strive to work alongside folks in a way that allows each person to identify their unique needs and how they feel most supported in the space.

Kelsey Gatta (she/her)

MSW, RSW

I am a registered social worker with an educational background in nutrition and psychology. As a result, I address eating disorders from a holistic perspective — whereby I aim to merge psychotherapeutic theories with behavioural and nutritional sciences, while providing social and familial contexts. I understand that there is always a sound reason as to why individuals engage with disordered eating and subsequently experience difficulties with recovery. Because of this, I am guided by a client-entered approach, in that I believe people are often the best experts of their own stories. I apply a trauma-informed and anti-oppressive lens in working with individuals and seek to operate from a non-judgemental, compassionate stance. I am so happy to continue as a facilitator with Sheena’s Place.

Kyle T. Ganson (he/him)

PhD, RSW

Kyle T. Ganson, PhD, RSW, is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. His research focuses on eating disorders, muscle dysmorphia, and muscle-building behaviours among adolescents and young adults, particularly boys and young men. Dr. Ganson has authored over 125 peer-reviewed academic papers in leading adolescent health, eating disorder, body image, and substance use journals. His research has been featured on the CBC, CTV News, U.S. News and World Report, Healthline, Fatherly, and Runner’s World, among others. Dr. Ganson teaches clinical social work courses to MSW students, including a course on eating disorders assessment and treatment. He has over 10 years of direct clinical social work practice experience and currently has a private practice in Ontario.

Laura Hartley (she/her)

BA, MES

I’m a queer, feminist, facilitator, educator, activist and community builder. I have been honoured to be a part of the Sheena’s Place community as a facilitator for the past 7 years. I believe in the power of group programs and the arts to create spaces for personal growth, healing and transformation. I bring an empathic approach and aim to create warm, inviting and inclusive spaces where everyone feels comfortable and inspired to step into their own creativity and power.

Leanna Scheitrowsky (she/her)

RP (Qualifying), dTATI (cand.)

I am an art therapy facilitator that practices a trauma-informed, person-centred, relational-cultural approach to psychotherapy. At Sheena’s Place, I am excited to co-facilitate the D&D Integrated Art Therapy and Art Journaling groups. My goal as a facilitator is to create inclusive, non-judgemental, accessible, anti-oppressive spaces where group members can connect and hold space for each other through collaborative storytelling RPGs (role-playing games) and/or art invitations.

Lorraine Hewitt (she/her)

MSW, RSW

I am a registered social worker with an MSW from the University of Toronto, and a former placement student at Sheena’s Place.  I also have an extensive history as a sex educator, working to provide people with resources and support in a non-judgemental setting.  As a social worker I take an anti-oppressive, strengths-based approach to practice that maintains hope in personal potential while being critical of structural barriers.  I’m committed to creating space for people to feel supported along their personal journeys.

Margaret Powell

BScOT, Reg(ON), MEd(Psych), BCN

Since 1997, I have had the privilege to facilitate many groups at Sheena’s Place. It is my perspective that eating disorders, disordered eating and body image disorders are both biologically and circumstantially derived, and thus I strive endlessly to stay as abreast of current knowledge re the neuro/enteric/developmental factors as well as listening for the influences of individual and societal challenges/experiences when working with people to understand where they are at re their recovery. As a facilitator, my goal is to contribute my clinical experiences and to collaborate with group members to find ways to move towards lives less enchained by the tyranny of eating disorders.

Maureen Mahan (she/her)

RN, MEd

I have had the privilege of facilitating support, skill building, and art-based groups at Sheena’s Place for over 20 years. As a facilitator, the importance of listening to and understanding what it has meant for group members to be living with eating related concerns, is essential. The groups I facilitate focus on sharing coping strategies and promoting mutual support and encouragement on the journey to individual wellness. My background is in nursing with an MEd from OISE which included studies in counselling psychology.

Nicole D’Souza (she/her)

MSW, RSW, TCTSY-F, Certified Yoga Teacher

I am a Trauma-Centre Trauma Sensitive Yoga Facilitator and a Social Worker. I recognize that trauma can make it challenging to connect to one’s body and breath and through this group I hope to offer choices and invitational language that can support you in your journey. We will also explore through conversation some of these techniques that will be used, to create an understanding of the five core principles of TCTSY.

Sara Desroches (she/her)

MSW, RSW

After losing my brother while completing my Master’s degree in Social Work, I became passionate about grief therapy and group-based grief support. I work to de-stigmatize grief and loss, ensure folks are empowered to live a life worth living even during bereavement, and provide a safe space for folks to tell their grief story. In my work as the Program Director of Gilda’s Club Simcoe Muskoka in Barrie, ON, I believe in marrying evidence-based therapeutic modalities with the authentic belief that each person is their own expert, while acknowledging the systemic forces that can make each experience unique. I have had the privilege of facilitating groups with Sheena’s Place since 2017. I work from a trauma-informed, evidence-based, client-centred lens.

Sezgi Ozel (she/her)

MScOT, OT Reg. (Ont.)

I am a Toronto-based Occupational Therapist with a keen interest in mental health. I have been facilitating groups at Sheena’s Place since 2017. My groups focus on skill-building and use of strategies to promote wellness, and I like to facilitate discussion amongst members to draw on member experiences. I have facilitated groups on self-care, self-compassion, assertive communication, and navigating recovery.

Sookie Bardwell (she/they)

MA, OCT

Steven Bowa (he/him)

BA

Steve is a member of the Sheena’s Place team, serving as Registrar and Communications Specialist. Before working at Sheena’s Place, his interest in the mental health field began when he studied at University of Ottawa where he received his BA in Psychology. Now after three years of supporting the team behind the scenes, he is excited to also be providing support to participants as a facilitator.

Sophie Raniere (she/her)

Registered Psychotherapist

I am a white, cis, queer woman with lived experience of mental health challenges. I work from a feminist perspective that is collaborative and non-pathologizing, rooted in the belief that clients are doing their best within often oppressive social structures. I have a particular affinity for working with fellow fat folks looking to divest from diet culture and internalized fatphobia.

Zac Grant (they/them)

MSW, RSW

I am a white, queer, nonbinary, settler, activist, and lifelong learner. I approach both my work and personal life from a variety of perspectives that prioritize person centred approaches with anti-oppressive and decolonial practices, trauma informed care, and grief healing. I have over 10+ years of experience working in addiction and mental health, homelessness and housing, grief and loss, community development, creative healing modalities, and LGBTQ2S+ communities. I believe we are all experts of our own lives and that there are many ways to work towards wellness and reaching our personal life goals.