Andrea is a Registered Psychotherapist whose passion lies in helping families and communities support people of all ages who are grieving the illness or death of someone close to them. As a Registered Nurse with a Masters degree in Thanatology and years of nursing and counselling experience in Canada and abroad, Andrea brings to her work a rare mixture of medical and psychosocial expertise. She has worked at the Dr. Jay Children’s Grief Centre where she was the director of Camp Erin Toronto. Andrea developed the 5 Day Certificate Program in Children’s Grief and Bereavement at SickKids CCMH, and was a founding member of Ontario’s Children and Youth Grief Network. Andrea is a member of the International Work Group for Dying, Death, and Bereavement (IWG), as well as a member of the clinical team at Canadian Virtual Hospice. Andrea, the co-owner of AWC Grief Support, lives with her family in Guelph Ontario.

Colleen, a Registered Psychotherapist with a Masters in Counselling Psychology, is the co-owner and clinical director of AWC Grief Support. Over the past 20 years Colleen has worked in agencies such as Dr. Jay Children’s Grief Centre and Woodview Children’s Mental Health and Autism Services. Colleen has extensive experience helping people of all ages and abilities face challenges related to serious illness, grief and bereavement.  She also possesses the rare expertise of helping those with Autism Spectrum Disorder navigate grief.  She is trained in a variety of modalities including cognitive behavioural therapy, art therapy, play therapy and EMDR. Her private practice is located in Hamilton.

As our Intake Coordinator, Leiah oversees our AWC Intake Team who will be your first point of contact when you reach out to AWC. With a deep respect for the human experience of grief, Leiah will confirm how we are able to support you and will answer any questions that you and your family may have about our therapy services. Leiah, Andrea, and Colleen work together closely to determine which therapist will be the best fit for your needs.

As our Education Coordinator, Leiah is also the first point of contact for organizations and individuals interested in grief-specific education presentations and workshops, including grief-debriefs following the death of someone in the workplace or community. Through her lived experience with grief and her commitment to helping others, Leiah has developed a passion for well-informed grief and bereavement support.

Catherine has provided administrative support to a variety of industries as well as professional therapists. She was a Corporate Training Manager in the travel industry for many years and recognizes the importance of our community initiatives to create awareness and provide education about navigating through grief. As a certified life coach specializing in Assertiveness Training for Women she brings the skills of empathy and effective communication to our team. She supports our team with the financial side of administration and will be providing additional support on the administrative side as our team of clinicians and clients continues to expand. Catherine works remotely from her home office in Guelph.

Aly Bird is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying). She holds a Master's of Science degree in social planning and a Master's of Arts in counselling psychology. Aly has training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and has been working with themes of grief in therapeutic relationships since 2018.

Aly comes to this work from significant lived experience and intimately knows that grief is very different for every human being. Therefore she believes in providing therapy that is attuned to each individual client's needs, goals, and their unique presentation of grief. She enjoys building long-standing therapeutic relationships as well as offering short-term therapy and even single sessions for those who desire them. Aly specializes in working with a variety of populations including teens and younger adults who have experienced the death of someone close to them or will soon experience such a thing; individuals who identify as atheists or spiritually agnostic; romantic partner/spousal loss in younger adults; and individuals who want to explore dating after the death of a significant other.

Beyond providing therapy, Aly is the author of Grief Ally: Helping People You Love Cope with Death, Loss, and Grief and an active speaker promoting grief literacy and how to be an effective support person to the bereaved.

Ami is a Registered Social Worker with a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Toronto and a Master’s in Early Childhood Studies from Toronto Metropolitan University.

Ami is passionate about supporting children and families and brings patience, creativity, playfulness, and a non-judgmental stance to engage with clients. Ami cares about creating a space that honours and cultivates compassion for all grief experiences. Her work is grounded in trauma-informed, strength-based, and anti-oppressive frameworks. Ami is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and draws on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), mindfulness and solution-focused approaches. Her experience spans school, healthcare, camps, and private practice settings.

Ami has an in-person and virtual practice in Toronto.

Anna is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), meditation teacher, and advocate for compassion-based care. She is passionate about providing support to families and individuals of all ages who are grieving the illness or loss of someone. Inspired by her volunteer work with children in orphanages in Asia and her experience as a hospice volunteer, she offers a non-pathologizing view of grief, supporting clients and normalizing grief as a deeply human experience. Her trauma-informed approach provides a safe space for clients to explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences about death and dying. 

As a meditation teacher, Anna brings evidence-based mindfulness practices to her sessions to help clients nurture a compassionate inner voice and remain rooted in the present moment. She honours each person’s unique process and encourages creative self-expression through art, playfulness, writing, and connecting with the body. Recognizing that words alone may not suffice. Anna has an in-person practice in downtown Ottawa.

Aviv is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) and Certified Canadian Counsellor (CCC) with AWC Grief Support and holds a master's degree in Counselling Psychology. She is dedicated to supporting clients, particularly those with children, who are dealing with life transitions and bereavement, as well as individuals living with illness. Aviv utilizes a range of therapeutic tools, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). She approaches her work through an attachment-focused and trauma-informed lens, helping clients uncover and enhance what gives their lives meaning.

Brian is a Registered Social Worker with a Masters degree from the University of Toronto and over a decade of experience working with children, youth and families. Drawing from a variety of therapeutic models (Narrative Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR Level 1 certified) he believes that you are the expert on your life and his role is to facilitate conversations; to ask questions that bring out your strengths and that challenge you to get supportively uncomfortable. Brian also has a passion and focus on providing Legacy Work (Legacy Info Here). Brian is a full-time school social worker providing support to children, youth and their families through a variety of struggles. He is also a member of the Critical Events Response Team providing students, families and schools with support during times of crisis. Brian also has experience facilitating grief groups for youth. Brian practices in the Kitchener-Waterloo area.

Ceilidh, a certified Child Life Specialist and Grief Counsellor, holds a PhD in Family Relations and Human Development from the University of Guelph. Since 2001, she's worked in hospitals and grief organizations including The Hospital for Sick Children and the Dr. Jay Children’s Grief Centre, supporting families dealing with serious illness, death, and grief. With a background in child development, psycho-education, and creative play, Ceilidh tailors her approach to each individual's unique needs. She's also an Assistant Professor at McMaster University, researching grief experiences in the context of serious illness, death, and supporting families. Ceilidh has authored handbooks and led the creation of activity books for Canadian Virtual Hospice to support children living with their own or someone else’s serious illness, dying, and death. Ceilidh practices in Guelph, Ontario.

Claire is a Registered Social Worker, providing counselling support to individuals and families in hospital, rehabilitation and community settings since 2000. Throughout her career, Claire has focused on working collaboratively and empathically with people facing challenges around life-changing injury, loss, grief and bereavement. Claire has developed extensive experience supporting those who have experienced a sudden and unexpected loss of a significant person in their lives to help them face the often complex and overwhelming responses that can follow. In a community-based counselling agency, Claire developed an attachment and trauma-informed practice for supporting individuals with experiences of trauma/abuse in their early lives. Claire incorporates narrative therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), emotion focused therapy (EFT), and mindfulness practices into her practice in the east end of Toronto.

Diane is a Registered Psychotherapist and the AWC Grief Support Clinical Lead, with a master’s degree in Mental Health and Behaviour Medicine from Boston University School of Medicine, and has provided psychotherapy services for children, youth, and families in a variety of community mental health settings since 2006.  She is passionate about collaborative, creative, and compassionate care for those who are experiencing serious illness, grief, and bereavement.  Diane has a specialized focus in trauma, perinatal grief, and supporting bereaved parents and siblings.  She is an Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Certified Therapist, EMDR Consultant-in-Training, and Certified Trauma Integration Clinician (ATTCH Niagara).  Diane also incorporates Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), solution-focused, and narrative therapies into her work and practices in the Durham region of Ontario. 

Esther is a Registered Social Worker who specializes in autism spectrum disorder, children’s mental health including trauma exposure, and grief therapy. She currently works as the National Program Director for Autism Speaks Canada, and supports grieving children and youth as a volunteer for the Dr. Jay Children’s Grief Centre.  Esther’s advocacy work includes her training the Toronto Police Service, working with Military Family Services, and building national programs supported by the Federal government. Esther was the proud recipient of the Dr. Jay Children's Grief Centre's 2018 Harold Heft Award as a result of her contribution to supporting grieving children and families.

India is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) with Masters degrees in both Medical Anthropology and Pastoral Studies. Having worked in health and human rights abroad, and in personal support for individuals living with different abilities and/or significant illness here in Canada, she has witnessed first-hand the ties between spiritual well-being and mental and physical health. It was these experiences that ultimately led her to the vocation she now pursues in spiritually-integrated psychotherapy. India brings an approach that is holistic, humble, and heart-centered in nature to each interaction, walking alongside her clients as they encounter some of life’s most challenging seasons. India practices in the west end of Toronto.

Jenn is a Registered Social Worker with a Master of Social Work degree from Wilfrid Laurier University.  Since, 2001 Jenn has enjoyed working with children, youth and adults in supporting their wellness. Jenn uses a variety of modalities to help individuals to identify and strengthen their existing coping skills.  Her strength-based approach helps individuals work towards well-being and finding ways to maintain a connection with loved ones who they are grieving. Jenn has a specialized focus in helping individuals heal from the traumatic aspects of loss using Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) and is a Certified EMDR Therapist as well as an EMDR Consultant-in-Training.  In addition to being a grief therapist for AWC Grief Support, Jenn is a school social worker who offers counselling to children and youth around a variety of issues. She developed her passion for supporting individuals with grief through her role on the Critical Events Response Team, where she supports students, teachers and families with grief, loss and crisis.  Jenn also has training in CBT, mindfulness, attachment and DBT. Jenn practices in the Kitchener-Waterloo area and is available to provide supervision and consultation to clinical professionals as well.

For over 20 years Joelle has worked with diverse young people, adults, couples, families, and communities in mental health settings, camps, public and independent schools, and independent practice. She is experienced in counselling, crisis response, group facilitation, mediation, clinical supervision, designing and leading professional development, and parenting workshops.

Joelle is a passionate mental health advocate who develops strong and effective partnerships that build on the innate skills and knowledge people of all ages have to navigate grief, bereavement, and challenges in life. Her approach is warm, relational, collaborative, and strengths-based. Joelle’s counselling practice is informed by therapeutic modalities that include Narrative, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness, and Self-Compassion practices.

Joelle is a Registered Social Worker and holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Toronto. She is a member of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) and the Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW). Joelle practices in person and online from her office in Toronto.

Kate is a Registered Social Worker with a Masters of Social Work specializing in Gerontology and Palliative Care from the University of Toronto. Throughout her career, Kate has worked in a variety of settings including home and community care, community outreach, oncology, palliative care and bereavement support. Outside of her work with AWC Grief Support, Kate also works as a hospice bereavement consultant and supports patients and their families through Lung Cancer Canada. By supporting families through some of life’s toughest transitions, she strives to create space for reflection by honouring the legacies of those who have died. Kate is passionate about supporting individuals and their families through the end-of-life journey as well as educating the broader community about how best to support those who grieve the loss of their person. Kate provides support virtually to clients across Ontario.

Kindra is a Registered Social Worker with a Master of Social Work Degree from McGill University. Kindra’s passion is supporting individuals and families living with serious illness or grieving a loss.

In therapy, Kindra uses a meaning oriented, attachment focused, and trauma informed approach. Her goal is to walk beside an individual and families on their journey with loss.

Kindra has 15 years of experience in different health care environments, complimenting her therapeutic approach.  She has specialized training and experience working with illness, traumatic events, and death. 

Kindra practices in Ottawa, Ontario.

Kourtney recognizes the devastating impact grief and trauma can have on one’s life and how deeply painful, lonely, and isolating of an experience it is. She compassionately supports and guides individuals towards taking actions towards their healing, while (re)discovering their strengths, values, and goals as they navigate a path forward. Kourtney is passionate about supporting individuals entrenched in the heartache and range of difficult feelings that accompany grief and loss, changes in health, and non-death related grief. Kourtney believes it is never too soon or too late to heal your heart.

Lisa-Marie Salas is a psychologist with a masters in Counselling Psychology from McGill University. She has dedicated her career to working with families and individuals who have experienced trauma and loss. She began her career as a children's counsellor in a domestic violence shelter, then worked for nineteen years in a college counselling department. Along the way she discovered a strength and passion for supporting grieving individuals.

Lisa-Marie has had the trusted position of working with families who have experienced the sudden death of someone to illness, accident or suicide. She also works with families who have a new diagnosis of illness, both in dealing with the current emotional toll and assisting to prepare for next steps psychologically. 

As a feminist psychologist and a trauma specialist, pacing is created and led by the presenting family member, and trust is earned with respect and time. She most frequently works with people presenting with symptoms of grief, trauma, and/or anxiety.

Lisa-Marie has trained extensively in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Play Therapy, and Hypnosis. Although she originally trained in France with the British Association of Play Therapists, she is now completing her supervised hours to become a registered Play Therapist in Canada. She has also had the privilege of attending trainings on Narrative Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Internal Family Systems.

Lisa-Marie values the creation of a safe and respectful space for individuals and families, and as such strives to maintain a culturally safe and inclusive environment for her clients.

Lisa-Marie lives is Montreal, on the traditional land of the Kanien’keha:ka people. Her heritage is Venezuelan originally, she attended many years of french school in Quebec, and she grew up in California.  

Liz, in her role as Family Liaison Coordinator with the Office of the Chief Coroner and Ontario Forensic Pathology Service for the past 9 years, has been interacting with and supporting families who have experienced the sudden unexpected death of a family member, often interfacing with police, first responders and last responders during these tragic events. Prior to this Liz was a pioneer in the child life profession, advocating for children and families as a Child Life Specialist in the healthcare environments.

Liz holds a diploma and honours degree in Early Childhood Education, a Master of Education, and a Master of Counselling Psychology. She is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying),  Child Life Specialist, a Registered Early Childhood Educator and a certified trainer in Compassion Fatigue and the FBI Officer Resilience Training Program.

A creative and multi-passionate person, Nathalie-Roze is an empathic grief therapist with an arts background and a rich knowledge of Thanatology – the intersectional study of Death, Dying, Loss and Grief. She’s supported a broad mix of clients navigating significant death and non-death losses, including chronic and terminal illness, anticipated deaths, traumatic bereavement (suicide, overdose and homicide loss), caregiver burnout, estrangement, pet loss, Eco-grief, PTSD and Long-Covid. Clients appreciate her balance of warmth, depth and gentle humour as well as her mindful and integrative approach that prioritizes their emotional safety, agency, resilience and growth. N-R is also attuned to the uniquely layered needs of diverse grievers with ADHD, trauma histories, anxiety and or gender-expansive identities, and has companioned many through painful losses and unwelcome change. She works co-creatively through a trauma-informed, feminist and anti-oppressive framework with curiosity and compassionate presence; positioning each person as the expert of their own experience.

In addition to her Thanatology degree, Nathalie-Roze has a BA/BFA, art therapy training and a UK teaching degree. She’s an MEd in Counselling & Psychotherapy candidate at OISE(University of Toronto) and has also completed grief and trauma training via the GTA Distress Centres, the Portland Institute for Loss and Transition, The 519/Rainbow Health and the SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health. N-R is a writer and maker who facilitates grief writing and memory art workshops. Nathalie-Roze works with clients of all ages at her Danforth office in East-Toronto.

Neal is a Registered Social Worker, who has dedicated himself to youths, adults and families in order to empower them to live with confidence, honesty and connection.  With more than 14yrs of clinical and practical experience, Neal has been able to lend a “voice” to those individuals or family members, who are in crisis, who feel silenced, or who require a sympathetic ear. Neal’s training is broad. He completed his Bachelor of Education prior to earning his Master of Social Work Degree, then taught for 10yrs at several junior high institutions in Toronto. Neal strives to create a safe environment for all of his clients so that they can receive the utmost benefit from his therapy sessions. Neal practices in Thornhill.

Nicola is a Registered Psychotherapist, Certified Play Therapist, and educator. She strives to work from an intersectional approach and is committed to fostering inclusive and safe spaces for all. Her involvement with organizations such as Campfire Circle, Camp Quality, Gilda’s Club, and Regent Park/Duke of York Children’s Foundation has shown her the power of creative expression, compassion, and humor in navigating the complexity of grief. These diverse experiences have shaped Nicola into a versatile educator and grief therapist, capable of meeting the unique needs of individuals across various life stages. 

In her role as an educator, Nicola empowers families, professionals, and communities to feel more confident in supporting people who are grieving. As a therapist, she draws from mindfulness and compassion-based approaches, narrative therapy, and parts work. She is trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and ITATM (Integrative Attachment and Trauma Treatment Model).

Nicola practices in Toronto.           

Nikki is a Registered Social Worker with a Master of Social Work degree from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Child and Youth Counsellor diploma working as a Grief Therapist at AWC Grief Support. Nikki has worked in the mental health field for over 20 years in treatment centres, schools and private practice.

Nikki is passionate about supporting children, youth, adults, and families who are living with a life-limiting illness or grieving a death. Nikki’s experience supporting grieving children has included grief organizations, such as Camp Erin, Camp Keaton, The Nightingale Centre, Bob Kemp Hospice and Hospice Mississauga. Nikki has a wealth of knowledge and experience in critical incident debriefing and counselling in schools and workplaces when a death or traumatic event has occurred. 

Nikki uses a collaborative, strength-based and client-centred approach to counselling with clients in an effort to foster hope and healing. Nikki incorporates forms of creative expression into her sessions through writing, drawing, play, art and laughter to help clients explore their unique emotional responses to death and dying. Nikki is trained in and draws upon elements of emotion-focused therapy, cognitive behaviour therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, narrative therapy and mindfulness practices to help clients develop coping skills along their grief journey. 

Nikki provides virtual therapy to clients across Ontario and in-person therapy at her office in Sudbury.

Rebecca Brown has a Master Degree in Social Work and a career spanning more than 36 years within the medical, child protection and trauma fields. Rebecca is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine, Western University, and delivers workshops and conferences throughout North America on the topics of Vicarious Trauma, PTSD, Compassion Fatigue and resilience building to First Responders and professionals in the trauma and health fields.

The majority of her career was in the child protection field as a Supervisor of a front line child protection team and was Coordinator of the Critical Incident Debriefing Program. She was a Provincial Trainer for the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies and taught the curriculum on Wellness and Self-Care. Her expertise includes providing Psychological First Aid through international disaster relief, such as the Paradise, California Wildfire. Her clinical time is shared between Primary Health Care (Sauble Family Health Team) and her private practice which includes certification in Equine Assisted Therapy (EAGALA) where she is the Coordinator of the Equine Facilitated Wellness Program at Prance – Therapeutic Equestrian Centre on the shores of beautiful Lake Huron. Rebecca has additional training in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and is certified by the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. With her experience in traumatic stress, Rebecca provides support to those experiencing complex and complicated grief following suicide, trauma or tragedy.

Rebecca has just published a book about her own personal and professional journey and is thrilled to share it with the world, “Shelter from Our Secrets, Silence and Shame; How Our Stories Can Keep Us Stuck or Set Us Free”.

Ruby (She/Her) is a warm, intuitive therapist, who strives to work from an anti-oppressive, anti-racist, anti-colonial, and intersectional framework. Her approach to therapy is collaborative, creative, humorous, and compassionate.

Ruby’s years of experience have given her a sense of reverence for the therapeutic process, and she is constantly humbled by what her clients teach her about what it means to be human, and how healing is possible for all of us.

Ruby brings a relational approach to her work, as she believes that we are not meant to heal alone, and acknowledges the therapeutic relationship itself, as a key tool for transformation and healing. Ruby offers her clients a gentle and affirming space to explore new possibilities for healing from. Ruby’s work is supported by the teachings of EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy), IFS (Internal Family Systems), DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy), Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, and somatic therapies. Outside of her work with AWC Grief Support, Ruby loves: music, design, movement, open bodies of water, expansive conversation, adventure, learning new things, reading, and good food.

For over fifteen years, Simone has worked with children and youth developing accessible and inclusive arts and recreational-based programming. She has spent the last seven years applying this passion to the pediatric hospital settings with organizations such as Camp Fire Circle, The Hole In the Wall Gang Camp, and Crescent Foundation in Canada and the US. In her role, Simone developed and facilitated psychosocial programs to help children, young adults, and families affected by chronic and life-threatening illnesses cope with the ebbs and flows of an illness.

Simone’s work in pediatric hospitals often used creative arts-based interventions in her sessions with patients, siblings, and families. She believes that creativity is a powerful tool that allows us to express ourselves when words can be difficult to find. In a session with Simone, you can expect drawing, sculpting, writing, collaging, or painting to be integrated into the work.

Simone has a Master's in Social Work from the Factor-Inwentash School Of Social Work at the University of Toronto, specializing in the Children and their Families stream and approaches her work from a culturally responsive lens to cultivate inclusive experiences. Simone works in Toronto.

Stephen is a Registered Psychotherapist with a Master’s in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology/Sociology from the University of Guelph.

Stephen has experience with grief that comes from his own personal life, as well as from providing grief therapy for his clients in both his personal practice and in his work in hospice. He believes strongly in creating a safe and compassionate environment to provide grief support. He believes that each of his clients is unique, and tailors his approach to best meet their needs.

Stephen takes a person centred and trauma informed approach to his work and draws on elements of ACT, CBT, DBT, IFS, Narrative, mindfulness, and solutions focused modalities. Stephen offers both virtual and in person sessions at his office in Markham.

Tracy is a Registered Psychotherapist and Grief Counsellor specializing in relational, attachment-focused approaches to supporting individuals and families living with life-limiting illness or grieving a death.

Tracy holds certificates in adult bereavement, children's bereavement and in mindfulness and mental health. Her clinical experience includes work with hospice and palliative care teams, including supporting individuals considering or receiving medical assistance in dying (MAID) and their family members.

Tracy's respectful, person-centred approach to therapy is customized to each client and informed by Attachment Theory, TIST (Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment) and IFS (Internal Family Systems) along with elements of CBT, DBT and motivational interviewing.

Tracy is trained in The Flash Technique, The Center for Prolonged Grief's Prolonged Grief Treatment (PGT) protocol, and ITATM (The Integrative Trauma Treatment Model).

Tracy's end-of-life work is informed and influenced by Joan Halifax, Frank Ostaseski and BJ Miller among others.

Tracy practices in Toronto.