About Our Counsellors

Kathryn Jennings, Ph.D. Doctor of Philosophy

Dr. 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.

Dr. 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.

Bev   Berman    RC, B.A.Sc (Hons), C(OACCPP), CT, CTS

Bev Berman is a graduate of Loyalist College and the University of Guelph. She is a Certified Member of the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists, Certified in Thanatology (ADEC), and a Certified Trauma Specialist (ATSS). She has over 20 years of experience working with children, adolescents and adults.

Bev is client centered and uses various therapeutic approaches. With this client base, she fosters growth and change by inviting clients to explore and understand the ramifications of limited and/or damaging expressions of anger. Clients are encouraged to broaden their experience by developing their repertoire of thoughts, meanings and behavioural reactions. Through the realization and development of options, clients are better able to choose to manage themselves and their interactions with others in a more responsible, dignified and compassionate manner.

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.

Scott   Burgess    M.A.

Scott earned a Masters degree in Counselling Psychology at the Adler School of Professional Psychology. The degree builds upon a post secondary degree in communications and twenty years of experience in the communication field, including gender and diversity training for executives and major organizations. His personal philosophy is humans have the capacity for, and ability to transform their lives if they are willing. The required attributes for this change are courage, conviction, and a commitment to action.

Scott includes Adlerian and cognitive/behavioral theories in his practice to identify mistaken beliefs and maladaptive behaviors. Then specific processes create the desired changes.

Scott states, ''The process of transformation is a joy to be a part of, and it gives me great satisfaction as a person modifies a flawed lifestyle and create a more empowered and satisfying life.''

Vince   Citano    M.A.

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

Vince's experience includes working with adults and adolescents and helping them understand anger and create awareness of situations that lead to it. Vince's approach is one that is client-centered and direct which assists individuals in creating healthy coping techniques that are unique to their own personality style. Vince also has extensive experience in supporting individuals in coping with anger in the workplace and individuals that use substances as a means of coping with anger issues.

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.

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.

Aron   Kadis    Honours B.A., M.A.

Aron is a graduate of York University, and the Adler School of Professional Psychology, and is a member of the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists.

Aron's experience includes helping clients learn how to manage their anger and utilize more effective ways of interacting, leading to improved, healthy interpersonal relationships.Clients are encouraged to understand how their pattern of communication has developed, ultimately enhancing their capacity for empathy, self-examination, and finding more positive, and successful ways of reacting.

Sherry   Maxwell    B.A., M.A.

Sherry Maxwell received her Bachelors Degree in Psychology from the University of Waterloo and Masters of Theological Studies Degree from the Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, Wilfred Laurier University. She also received Clinical training at Interfaith Family Counselling Centre and Lutherwood Family Counselling Centre.

Sherry is a member of the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists. Along with her private counselling practice in Cambridge, she is employed with Community Justice Initiatives of Waterloo as Coordinator of their Family Group Decision Making Program and as a contract counsellor with the The Anger Management Counselling Practice.

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.

Glynis   Sherwood    MEd, CCC

Glynis Sherwood is a Canadian Certified Counsellor who works with individuals, couples and families in the greater Vancouver area. She helps clients understand their anger while learning how to express their thoughts, feelings, needs and wishes in a constructive manner.

Glynis collaborates with clients to help them enhance their coping skills and connections with others. She takes a problem solving approach to counselling, assisting clients to overcome emotional distress, end hurtful relationship patterns, resolve career challenges and reclaim their lives from addictive behaviours. Glynis is particularly drawn to helping clients discover solutions that build on existing strengths and lead to lasting peace of mind. She supports clients to break free from negative relationships to themselves and others, so they can create the life they desire.

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.