Hi!
I’m Jenna – a therapist, consultant and trainer. I’m dedicated to improving the well-being of people in our communities, and to improving how we understand and respond to the impact of trauma and discrimination on mental health. You can read my therapist bio below, or skip ahead to my consultant bio.
My Education
I’ve completed degrees in Social Work (MSW, University of Toronto), Psychology (MA, Carleton University; HBA, York University), and Women’s Studies ( HBA, York University). During my Social Work training I completed two in-depth internships at trauma-informed organizations (i.e., Women’s College Hospital, The Jean Tweed Centre). I was a student of the Assaulted Women’s and Children’s Counsellor/Advocate Program (George Brown College) and I do a bunch of professional development courses each year.
As a therapist…
I’m a Registered Social Worker (reg. #: 830219). I work virtually. I support diverse adults navigating anxiety, trauma and chronic pain/illness. Occasionally, I offer groups.
I’ve been working in mental health since 2005 as a community worker, and as a psychological researcher. Prior to my training in Social Work I facilitated art-based mental health groups, and supported survivors of sexual assault and individuals who were recently in crisis as a peer.
You might find it helpful to know that I am neurodivergent affirming, and that I am knowledgeable, experienced and affirming of 2SLGBTQ+ identities, SW, and diverse expressions of gender and sexuality (including non-monogamy and kink).
I’ve had training in a lot of different types of therapy, including: cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), sensorimotor psychotherapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, mindfulness, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), trauma therapy, motivational interviewing, therapeutic writing, narrative therapy and sex therapy training.
In addition to my formal education, as a therapist I’m deeply informed by my lived experiences, as well as my work as a researcher.
As a consultant…
All of my skills come together to best support you in achieving your goals. I’m an experienced researcher, evaluator, facilitator, and educator.
My diverse skills were not just learned in the classroom. Throughout my 20s I worked on many under resourced community projects that were sustained by passion, a hunger for learning, and a do-it-yourself attitude. Today I have well over a decade of varied experience in not-for-profit, academic, hospital and government settings.
Here is the humble brag paragraph… I’m an award winning qualitative researcher. I’ve presented my research internationally and I’m a published author. As an evaluator I’ve collaborated on numerous mixed-methods projects, and I’ve completed training with the Canadian Evaluation Society. As an educator/facilitator, I have experience designing and leading trainings, workshops, lectures, courses, meetings and team building retreats. I’ve been awarded for excellence in teaching. Most recently I collaborated on the development and implementation of a provincial-wide training to increase the capacity of service providers providing trauma-informed care to 2SLGBTQ+ folks.
Primarily my work has focused on gender-based violence, mental health and addictions, trauma-informed approaches, 2SLGBTQ+ health, diversity, equity and inclusion, organizational development, and employee/stakeholder engagement.
Check out my LinkedIn profile for more details.