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Our Moderators

Therapy Session
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Abbey Morris

​Specialties:

Eating Disorders

Abbey is a registered Yoga & Meditation Instructor and Mindfulness Educator living in Niagara Ontario. Abbey's passion for supporting others and promoting a mindful lifestyle derives from the transformative healing potential she found through yoga & meditation while struggling with an eating disorder. She excels with supporting teens in finding a healthy way to engage in the world of social media

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Daphne Ballantine

Specialties:

Women's Group for Self-Love and Self-Esteem

Daphne is a compassionate peer support specialist who supports others who wish to implement a wellness-oriented lifestyle. She believes that everyone can achieve wellness, both personally and professionally. Daphne has over 20 years of providing training programs that promote growth,  empowerment, and teamwork. She believes people have the ability to achieve anything when they receive the right support and leadership. 

 

Daphne’s passion is to promote people’s wellness and boost employee satisfaction. She has co-authored a national warm-line training for people who want to transform their lives. She has a knack for helping others who need a new way to live. Daphne has offered her expertise in co-creating the nation’s first Integrated Forensic Peer Support Curriculum, and she believes in the power of togetherness and collaboration. Daphne is also the author of "365 Days of Peer Support: Sharing Hope Through Experience." 

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Ellie Scott

Specialties:

Anxiety and Stress

Ellie Scott (They/Them) is an anxiety guru specializing in helping their clients by blending analytical skills with gifted intuition. When Ellie was in kindergarten, they began dealing with a lifetime of anxiety and by first grade
would end their school days with debilitating tension headaches. Though they spent a lot of their time struggling, 2019 was the year they began learning healthy life skills to help tame their
anxiety and build the life of their dreams. Ellie graduated with their Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and obtained their
Master’s degree in Management and Organizational Leadership from Warner Pacific University. Since graduating, Ellie has performed numerous business analyses for the past 20 years, 13 of
which was spent in leadership.
When they are not working, they are a parent to their grown son AJ and a fur parent to their kitties Mazikeen and Loki. They also enjoy riding Jezebel, their e-assist bike, and reading Tarot
cards as a hobby

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Kofi Ansu-Gyeabour

Specialties:

Relationships

Kofi is a social worker with a diverse range of experience in this field. For 15 years he's worked with individuals, caregivers, children, extended family members and collaborated with various agencies and service providers. Kofi runs the Relationships Group Saturdays at 1pm ET

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Matthew Ratz

Specialties:

Managing Bipolar to Live Your Best Life

Matthew is a mental health peer-support specialist, nonprofit leader, educator, and author living in the suburbs of Washington, DC. As a person with lived experience, Matthew uses his own story as a channel for others to heal through. Professionally, Matthew commits his time and energy to expand opportunities for professionals with mental illness in the DC Metro area and across the US. He’ll be running "Managing Bipolar to Live your Best Life" group Tuesdays at 5:30pm ET, once per month

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Melissa Walker

Specialties:

OCD 

Melissa runs her OCD session Mondays at Noon ET. She believes in meeting clients where they are at in their mental health journey, and working from there. With lived experience of OCD, Melissa is committed to supporting folks to reach their goals and create a life where they are in charge. Melissa is trained in Exposure with Response Prevention for the treatment of OCD by the Centre for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

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Sana Nayab

Specialties:

New Immigrants and Refugees

Sana is an accomplished and goal-oriented professional with more than 8 years of experience working in non-profit settings providing front-line services and assistance to refugees and other people of all ages. With excellent knowledge of cultural norms, applicable laws, and procedures, as well as the economic and social needs of refugees, immigrant, adolescents, and their families, basic information, counselling, and assistance is given from an empathetic place. Sana has a master's degree in education and a master's degree in international relations. She is currently accelerating her studies in the programs for addictions and mental health as well as studied the programs for social service workers and international human rights law. In peer support, specific consideration is given to each refugee's particular needs, including their experiences with trauma, loss, and absence from their homes while minimizing the effects of potential mental health issues by utilizing a recovery strategy

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Willie Nicol

Specialties:

Anxiety & Stress

Willie gained a Law Degree from the University of Glasgow, Scotland, before having a career as a Police Officer for thirty one years, followed by nearly seven years in corporate security management. Drawing on that experience and the skills he had acquired, four years ago he set up his own business as a personal development and change coach. He is a certificated Life Coach, Hypnotherapist and Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP).

He will be running the Anxiety & Stress group Fridays at 10am ET

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Bernisha Thomas

​Specialties:

Healing and Recovery from Trauma &

Relationships

Bernisha is a writer and mental health peer-support specialist from Ontario, Canada, and studying Psychological first aid through Johns Hopkins University. With 7 years of experience in peer support group moderation in relationships and trauma spaces, Bernisha channels her plethora of lived experiences to help others begin the journey to connect with and heal themselves. She’ll be running the Healing and Recovery From Trauma Group Tuesdays at 7:00pm ET

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Dedric Davidson

Specialties:

OCD

Dedric runs the OCD session Fridays at 7pm ET. Dedric is a Clinician at The OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center in Salt Lake City, Utah and does CBT, among much else with those suffering from OCD

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Gabriela Dagenais

Specialties:

 The Entrepreneurs Group

Gabriela is a bilingual advocate for mental health, a registered nurse psychotherapist with the College of Nurses of Ontario, and a former mental health nurse.

She has worked in psychiatry and emergency medicine in Ottawa and volunteered at the Francophone Help Phone Line (Tel-Aide).

In 2020, Gabriela made a career change from nursing to marketing—and opened her own business as a social media manager. She wants to help women take their lives into their own hands by supporting them on their career change or/and entrepreneurship journey

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Latisha Kwabiah

Specialties:

Relationships

 

Latisha is a graduate from the Social Service Worker program at George Brown College and has her diploma in Early Childhood Education through Georgian College. She'll be running two groups, our second group on Relationships Mondays at 10am & our third group on Healing and Recovery from Trauma Sundays at 4pm ET. Latisha has an extensive background working with children, youth and adults that have experienced various levels of abuse, anger, and trauma. She has experience in counselling and crisis support within a trauma-informed, anti-racist and anti-oppressive framework

 

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Maurice Beauchesne

Specialties:

The Men's Group

Maurice has a strong foundation in the fields of community and justice service, along with addiction and
mental health. He resides in Ottawa and works as an addiction counsellor aiding vulnerable populations.
Maurice understands the importance of a client-centred approach as he has lived experience with
addictions and mental health. As a person who has experienced anxiety and catastrophic thinking, he
understands how essential it is to have some form of support, especially for men. Maurice offers a safe
and non-judgmental environment for men to discuss how they are feeling, their mental health issues
and anything that is on their minds

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Monja Brink

Specialties:

The LGBTQ Group

&

Stopping Addiction and Starting aNew Life

As someone with her own personal journey with addiction and mental health, with a passion for aiding others through a journey of healing, Monja believes without a doubt that everyone deserves to belong and thrive.

With International experience and extensive knowledge in the field, Monja offers support to others with their own struggles with their recovery process.

As a recovery mentor, she can aid individuals to reconnect to their inner self and receive peer support in a safe and non-judgemental space, from others who really understand and accept them for who they are

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Sophie Bifield

Specialties:

Narcissistic Abuse Support Group

Sophie holds a degree in psychology from Queen’s university, is a registered holistic nutritionist and certified health & life coach. Throughout her own personal high-conflict divorce, Sophie was introduced to a silent community of people struggling emotionally & financially to get back on their feet. Those people inspired her to develop programs to help navigate through their own life challenges. Sophie’s heart-centred approach offers tools & strategies designed to help rebuild health, wealth & happiness

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Colleen Qvist

Specialties:

Changing Your Thoughts and Mindset Depression

Colleen is a Credentialed Master Coach CMP. She has 30 years' experience of working in and with organizations and focusing on growing people and in turn organizations. She creates a space for people to be vulnerable and and to feel non-judged as they come to terms with change, connection, managing their stress, achieving BIG goals and finding the meaning in their lives

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Elena Hatzakos

Specialties:

DepressionParenting

Elena Hatzakos is a published Licensed Clinician and an Advanced Life Coach who founded a practice that merges the two fields meant to improve one's quality of life. Elena, a veteran of the field for over a decade is also a mommy of two boys. She is here to help you build a network of support to keep you grounded and loving all aspects of your life.

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Julie McLennan

Specialties:

 ADHD Peer Support Group

Julie has worked in the field of mental health for 25 years and is registered with the Canadian College of Professional Counsellors and Psychotherapists 

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Laura Moll

Specialties:

Living with Chronic Pain, Illness & Disability

 Laura created this session which is close to heart, as she has personal experience with it, “Living with Chronic Illness and Disability”. Laura is a Certified Social Worker and Grief Therapist with extensive knowledge and experience in research and counselling in the fields of aging, disability and rehabilitation. Laura is experienced in psychosocial/psychoeducational assessment, counselling, practicing as a group facilitator and experienced lecturer

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Maurice Thibodeau

Specialties:

Find Your Next Step- Life Design and Direction

Maurice Thibodeau is a creator and a connector. As a Certified Master Hypnotherapist trained in Accelerated Emotional Release Therapy and a professional facilitator, Maurice's magic is in his ability to connect with people and pull out their wisdom. In a session with Maurice, you'll know more about yourself and have greater clarity of where to go next. He sees his job as partnering with you to find it what you need most. In group sessions, all participants benefit from the process, each learning and being present for the others.  Maurice is a father of 3, husband of one, a lover of animals and nature, with a passion for business and entrepreneurship. He loves connecting with people and making ideas come alive. He lives on 80 acres North of Winnipeg, MB, where they host festivals and private personal development retreats in the summer. He is the creator of the Life Inventory Assessment - an assessment that helps individuals become clear on their life priorities and direction

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Paula Quinsee

Specialties:

Connected Couples

Paula is the Founder of Engaged Humans, facilitating connection between couples, men and women. She is a certified Imago Relationship Therapy Educator and Facilitator, NLP Practitioner, PDA Analyst, Coach and Trainer. Paula is also the author of 2 self-help guides: Embracing Conflict and Embracing No, regularly appears in the media and is an international speaker, advocate for mental health and activist for gender-based violence. For more info:  www.engagedhumans.com

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Suramya Agrawal

Specialties:

Anxiety & Stress

Suramya has an expertise of working with issues of transitional age, 5+ years of working with adolescents and young adults who never cease to impress her. She has successfully handled both clinical and non-clinical issues; such as anxiety, trauma, adjustment issues, peer relationships, transitional challenges, to name a few. With the experience of working in high paced, extremely demanding clinical settings she has thoroughly polished her skills of initial interview, assessments and several modes of therapy such as Narrative, EFT, SFBT, Mindfulness, Art & Play therapy. She loves the challenges of working in the mental health industry as it only makes her a better professional and better person

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