About Our Counsellors

Kathryn Jennings, Ph.D. Doctor of Philosophy

Kathryn Jennings is a certified member of the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists, and works with clients who have difficulty managing their anger.

She guides clients towards a deeper understanding of the origins of their anger and helps them to resolve underlying issues related to this powerful emotion. Clients are also given powerful techniques to use to manage their anger in a positive and effective manner.

Kathryn Jennings has over two decades of counselling experience working with men and women on issues such as anger, physical abuse, sexual abuse, depression and domestic violence.

Vilma   Blenman    B.A., B.ED., M.ED

Vilma is a graduate of OISE/University of Toronto, with a Masters of Education in Counselling Psychology. She is a member of the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists. Vilma has a private practice in Pickering.

Before transitioning to counselling, Vilma taught high school for over 20 years and has expertise working with high-risk adolescents and their familiies. She has also led numerous training workshops with teachers to help them develop better cross-cultural communication and conflict resolution skills.

Vilma uses a variety of approaches, including Brief Solution-Focused and Narrative to help individuals and couples explore and resolve the under-lying issues that inhibit growth and change. Her motto and goal is; ''Helping you grow as you go.''

Jennifer   Brown    M.A.

Jennifer is a graduate of the Adler School of Psychology, and is a member of the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists.

Jennifer's experience includes providing psychotherapy to adults with a range of challenges such as depression, anxiety, as well as interpersonal and adjustment issues. Her approach to therapy is client-centered, as well as a combination of psychodynamic and cognitive behavioural frameworks. She focuses on helping clients to identify and explore strategies to shift negative behaviours and thought processes, and to improve emotional development.

Andrea   Browne-Lloyd    B.A, B.ED, M.ED

Andrea is a graduate of McGill's Educational Psychology and Counselling Program and is a member of the Ontario Association of Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists. She has many years experience helping clients become aware of underlying emotions that trigger inappropriate anger reactions. She works to empower her clients to be sensitive to these triggers and to engage in a healthy thought process that helps clients manage their anger appropriately.

Andrea works with children, adolescents, families, couples and individuals using a solution focused, client centered approach to explore options and make choices to positively impact their lives.

Lesline   Clarke-McEwan    M.A.

Lesline Clarke McEwan is a graduate of Carleton University (B.A Psychology) and the University of Ottawa/Saint Paul University (M.A.). She is a member of the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists.

Lesline uses a variety of approaches including Brief Solution-Focused and Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy. Her experiences include anger management counselling to assist individuals to gain skills and knowledge to manage destructive anger responses and express anger in acceptable ways. She assists clients with the following: Relationships, Stress Management, Depression & Anxiety, Coping with Trauma & Abuse, Coping with Chronic Illness, Grief & Loss, Life Transition Issues, Communication, Immigrant Children Adjustment, helping them move forward emotionally, psychologically and spiritually.

She is experienced in counselling diverse populations including culture, ethnicity, and sexuality. Respect for her clients and their strengths are at the core of her practice.

Patricia   Coffey Myers    M.A., C.C.C.

Patricia is a Canadian Certified Counsellor and works with individuals and couples. She has a special interest in helping clients with relationship difficulties (with spouse, children, family of origin, co-workers, self) and the issues related to these difficulties including depression, anger, loss of intimacy, loneliness, addiction, co-dependency, burnout, anxiety, and low self-confidence.

Her therapeutic approach integrates experiential, emotion-focused, family-systems and CBT interventions and is grounded in an interpersonal, relational approach that provides a safe, empathic and trusting relationship between she and each of her clients. Her work with couples is focused on developing emotional accessibility and responsiveness in order to create greater intimacy and security.

She is also trained as a pastoral counsellor and can work with clients wishing to incorporate spirituality into therapy. She has a Masters Degree in Pastoral Counselling from St. Paul University and a Commerce degree from the University of Ottawa.

June   Davies    BPE, MA Counselling Psychology

June Davies holds an undergraduate degree in Physical Education from Lakehead University, a Masters of Arts degree in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University, and a Graduate Certificate in Addiction Counselling from June Davies holds an undergraduate degree in Physical Education from Lakehead University, a Masters of Arts degree in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University, and a Graduate Certificate in Addiction Counselling from Durham College. She completed a 2-year clinical externship in Brief and Narrative Therapy at the Hincks-Dellcrest Institute. June is a member of the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists. Her private practice serves people in York and Durham Region.

June’s career has covered a broad spectrum: teaching, coaching, sport administration, organizational development, politics, and now counselling – all with the common theme of helping people to experience increased physical, mental, and social well-being. June helps clients to identify and reduce or eliminate the barriers that get in the way of what they want for themselves and the personal/professional/community relationships that comprise their lives.

Maria   DeRubeis    M.S.W., R.S.W.

Maria received her Bachelor of Social Work degree in June 1985 and her Masters of Social Work degree in 2004 from the University of Windsor. She has a certificate in Couples Counseling from the Toronto School of Social Work.

She has practiced in the Windsor/Essex area for the last 22 years. Maria has worked in non-profit agencies such as Bulimia Anorexia Nervosa Association, Hiatus House, Sexual Assault Crisis Centre, and Catholic Family Services. She is currently employed with the Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board.

Maria established her private practice in 1998. Her office is located in the Market Square Office Tower on Ottawa Street in Windsor. She provides individual, couples, and family counseling. Maria’s expertise is in working with individuals who have experienced trauma or loss, childhood sexual abuse, depression, anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), grief/loss, stress, and anger management. Maria works predominantly from a Solutions-Focused perspective, guiding clients towards accepting themselves, recognizing and utilizing their strengths and becoming active participants on the pathway to healing.

Maria joined the Ontario Association of Social Workers as a student and has been a member since 1984. Maria is also a registered social worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.

She currently writes a bi-monthly column entitled ''Challenges & Choices'' for the LaSalle Silhouette.

Maria has been on the board of directors for: Bulimia Anorexia Nervosa Association, the LaSalle Women's Association, and the Sacred Heart School Council. She is currently the President of the OASW Southwestern Branch board of directors.

Maria's perspective on therapeutic work is that ''you'' are the authority on your own experience; the work of the therapist is to use his/her skills to help steer you to removing the obstacles to your expertise.

Peter   Dikih    MEd, BSc

Peter has over 11 years of experience providing personal, psychological, academic, career, employment, rehabilitation, and pain management counselling.

A graduate of the University of Western Ontario, Peter obtained an Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Physiology and Psychology and a Masters of Education degree in Counselling Psychology.

Peter is passionate about helping individuals, couples, and families become whole, healthy, and vibrant. When counselling, he considers the whole person - their mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, social, and vocational condition and well-being.

Peter guides each person to lead a healthy and adaptive lifestyle. He is not satisfied with simply helping individuals to cope with life, but rather to find healing or solutions to their problems, so that they can enjoy a fulfilling, healthy, and balanced life. Peter uses a client-centred, solution-focused, and cognitive behavioral approach.

Peter is a member of the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists.

Ron   Irwin    Ph.D.

Ron received his Ph.D. from York University in 1995 in Developmental Processes where he studied largely Piagetian, Eriksonian and Jungian theories and research. He is a member of the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists, and Psychotherapists.

Ron has maintained a private practice in downtown Kingston for six years, specializing in men's counselling, but also works with women, families, teenagers, and children. His current focus is on the problems associated with addictions of every sort (including sexual and internet addictions), as well as anger, aggression, depression, anxiety, ADHD, and relationships.

Ron takes a developmental lifespan perspective in handling client’s problems with living and employs an integrated approach that synthesizes stress management, relaxation training, cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), analytic insight, and narrative interpretation, combining these in a fashion that brings together aspects of Western psychology and Eastern contemplative traditions. Ron is on the editorial board of the Journal of Adult Development, has published numerous journal articles and book chapters, and is currently finishing his second book, scheduled to come out this year with Wisdom Publications.

Faye E.   Meadows    M.Div.

Faye Meadows graduated with a Masters of Divinity in 2004, and opened a private practice in the late fall.

She has worked with issues of domestic violence during her training and quickly learned that every act of aggression was an expression of an underlying emotion. She also learned that every person had a story, a story that often manifested itself in actions hurtful to the person's ability to function in relationship, either with others or themselves, in a healthy way. She has focused much of her work on helping clients understand their anger while learning healthier ways to communicate their feelings, needs, and wants.

It is in this light that she offers her services in a safe, trusting environment to those individuals wanting to effect change in their way of being in relationship.

Amanda   Oosterveer    M.Sc.

Amanda is a graduate of Niagara University with a Master of Science in Mental Health Counselling. She is a member of the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists and has a private practice in St. Catharines and a satellite office in Niagara Falls.

Her practice is founded on principles of mutual respect, self-empowerment and integrity. Amanda respects the right and responsibility of people to make their own choices. She provides a comfortable setting where people can address their difficulties with anger.

Amanda works with clients to explore their patterns of anger and help them to develop effective ways to manage those situations, by utilizing Solution-Focused Counselling, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy & other strength-based approaches within the counselling process.

Mike   Stansfield    M.A., (C)O.A.C.C.P.P.

Mike received his honours bachelor's degree from Laurentian University in Sudbury and his master's degree from Toronto University.

Much of his early career as teacher, consultant and psycho-educational consultant was spent working with emotionally disturbed children and their families. Behavioural and anger management was often a significant part of the treatment programs for both children and parents.

As a psycho-educational consultant in the Sudbury/Manitoulin district, Mike began to become increasingly more involved with counselling adults. This, of course, would include individuals, couples and children. Recognizing a need for more individual and family counselling in the Sudbury area, Mike later established his own counselling and assessment practice, with an emphasis on cognitive behaviour therapy.