Meet the Circle of Support

Associate Therapist

Registered Social Worker (MSW, RSW) 

Jessica is a trauma therapist who is deeply passionate about working with individuals during the prenatal and postpartum periods. Her clinical focus revolves around the intersection of trauma and perinatal experiences, addressing issues such as infertility, pregnancy and infant loss, birth trauma, NICU trauma, and childhood trauma.

With over 15 years of experience, Jessica has worked with diverse populations seeking therapy to heal from a wide range of traumatic experiences. She specializes in perinatal therapy. Additionally, she has extensive experience working with survivors of violence, childhood trauma, addiction, and mental health challenges. She is dedicated to helping trauma survivors honour their experiences as they journey toward self-discovery and healing.

Since 2021, Jessica has been a valued associate at Maternal Health Niagara, where she demonstrates a deep commitment to her work and brings both compassion and humor to her practice. 

Jessica holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in Family Studies from the University of Guelph (2010), a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto (2012), and a Master’s degree in Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University(2014). She has received further training in trauma-specific interventions and has devoted most of her career to supporting parents.

Jessica practices anti-oppressive and trauma-informed care. She employs an integrated, evidence-based approach to nurturing self-compassion and healing. Her therapeutic techniques include cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, somatic experiencing, mindfulness-based stress reduction, cognitive restructuring, and narrative therapy. She has also completed Levels 1 and 2 of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).

In her practice, Jessica emphasizes that you are the expert of your experiences and needs. Together, you will explore a blend of therapies that feel safe and validating as you compassionately nurture your wounded parts. She offers individual therapy in a virtual environment, focusing on strategies tailored to promote your well-being as you embark on the rewarding healing path.

Outside of her professional life, Jessica enjoys spending time with her children and pets. She loves playing soccer, walking, indulging in donuts, and tending to her plants.

AVAILABILITY:

Monday: 9:00 am- 4:00 pm

Tuesday: 9:00 am- 4:00 pm

Wednesday: 9:00 am- 4:00 pm

Thursday: 9:00 am- 4:00 pm

Friday: 9:00 am- 4:00 pm

Location

Ontario

Virtual Only

Maternal Health Niagara associate since 2021

Associate Therapist

Registered Social Worker (BA, BSW, MSW, RSW) 

Randi has completed a diploma in Social Service Work, a Bachelor's and a Master of Social Work degree. Randi is a lifelong learner who continues to passionately build her knowledge about the impact that childhood trauma and hurtful adult partnerships can have on current parenting challenges. Throughout her studies, Randi primarily worked with caregivers and children aged 0-6 through a lens of relational and attachment-based trauma-informed care. From this, it sparked her clinical passion for providing parenting support to caregivers of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. She focuses on self-compassion and well-being while parenting, promoting secure attachments, and exploring the role our relationships with our caregivers growing up may play when responding to children's emotional spectrum. Randi believes all caregivers possess the strengths and tools to help their children thrive, and through a collaborative therapeutic process, those skills and expertise can flourish!

Randi has experience supporting parents in recovery from substance use, women parenting and co-parenting after hurtful and/or abusive relationships, and supporting pregnant and parenting youth. Randi uses warmth and curiosity, bringing her authentic self to the therapeutic dynamic. Randi recognizes that the parenting journey can be tough! Randi will work with you to explore the role that your unique experiences may play in the parent-child dynamic as you support your child throughout evolving stages of development. She will honour and recognize your needs as a parent/human. 

Randi recognizes the importance of healthy adult relationships and has experience supporting caregivers in healing early attachment wounds that may show up in your current adult relationships. Randi can work with you to identify specific challenges you may face, such as fostering open communication with your partner, setting healthy boundaries, resolving intimate partner conflict, and honouring your relational needs. These domains may not have been modelled for you growing up and can make these skills much more challenging to integrate within adult relationships.  

Randi has experience integrating a working blend of trauma-informed cognitive behavioural therapy principles, attachment theory and strengths-based perspective through anti-oppressive and intersectional lenses. Randi values mindfulness and grounding strategies in her practice and helps caregivers integrate them with their children using child-friendly techniques.

Randi believes that work/life balance is crucial to self-fulfillment and personal well-being. In her spare time, Randi loves to read fiction, do yoga, spend time outdoors and listen to comedy podcasts. 

AVAILABILITY: 

Tuesday: 2:00 pm- 9:00 pm

Wednesday: 2:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Thursday: 1:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Friday: 10:00 am- 5:00 pm

Location:

Ontario

Virtual only

Maternal Health Niagara associate since 2023

Associate Therapist

Registered Social Worker  (RSW, MSW,  BSW, BSc )

Heidi is a somatic therapist who focuses on the connection between the mind, body, and spirit. She believes everyone has inner wisdom and strength waiting to be uncovered; sometimes, we need support. Heidi recognizes the transformative power within each individual to overcome challenges.

As a Registered Social Worker and a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner in training, she is deeply committed to her clients, fostering an atmosphere of warmth, creativity, compassion, and empathy. Heidi guides her clients toward finding balance in their lives by working with nervous system regulation. She understands that the body holds and stores trauma, and through Somatic Experiencing, healing becomes possible by improving access to internal resilience and releasing trauma at the body level. Heidi emphasizes the importance of her clients discovering the answers within themselves and adopts a gentle approach to help them connect with their bodies.

Heidi practices from anti-oppressive and strength-based perspectives, integrating modalities such as mindfulness-based therapies, Somatic Experiencing, body-based techniques, attachment theory, and FLASH. 

Clients can use the skills learned to support their nervous systems between sessions.Heidi invites clients to be mindful and to learn to trust their needs between sessions.

Heidi holds multiple degrees, including a Bachelor of Social Work from York University, a Master of Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University, and a Bachelor of Science in Clinical Exercise Physiology with a joint major in Spanish Language and Culture from Concordia University. Her diverse educational background has shaped her comprehensive approach to therapy. She has experience working with women and families in physical health, rehabilitation, and emotional and mental well-being, utilizing various modalities to create a holistic therapeutic experience.

Additionally, she is trained as a postpartum doula with Doula Canada and has completed the Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders course through the Seleni Institute. Her training includes grief and trauma, and she continuously engages in professional development. 

In her leisure time, Heidi enjoys being in nature, playing hockey, dancing, and travelling. 

Heidi is bilingual and speaks both English and French.

AVAILABILITY: 

Monday: 9-5 pm

Tuesday: 9-12 pm

Thursday: 11-7 pm

Friday: 9-5 pm

Location: 

Ontario & Quebec

Virtual

Maternal Health Niagara associate since 2022

Associate Therapist

Registered Social Worker (BSW, RSW)

Krystin has worked in the Social Service field for over a decade. She is devoted to supporting people in crisis and debriefing after a traumatic event(s). Krystin's experience working in various mental health and community settings has derived her clinical knowledge of mental health diagnoses, including depression, anxiety, panic attacks, emotional dysregulation, bipolar, and psychosis. From these roles, she has sound knowledge of navigating services and empowering clients through advocacy.

As a crisis response worker, Krystin provided direct interventions for people experiencing perinatal distress, including postpartum depression, psychosis, and perinatal/infant loss. It is from seeing people "where they were at" that she saw the direct impact on the individual and family. She joined Maternal Health Niagara in 2023 to continue this work with people during the perinatal period. She has completed the "Maternal Mental Health Now, Bringing the Light to Motherhood" training.

Krystin's clinical interest is assisting people in navigating and processing Trauma, including childhood. She aspires to provide a comforting, grounding, safe, and empathic environment. Krysin's approach blends modalities such as Poly Vagal, IFS components, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), crisis intervention, Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Mindfulness into her trauma-focused care. She is also trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Krystin has training and certification in trauma-informed practice in the Motivational Interviewing approach from the University at Buffalo and Trauma and body training levels 1 and 2 from the Trauma Informed Practice Institute. Krystin also has certification in Concurrent Disorders from the University of British Columbia.

In 2014, Krystin completed her social service work diploma at Niagara College. During her crisis intervention/support counselling work, she pursued her degree in Social Work. She graduated with her Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Manitoba(2022). She is a registered member of the OCSWSSW and the OASW. 

Outside of practice, Krystin enjoys hiking, going to the gym/practicing yoga, trying new activities, and spending time with her family/friends. Krystin believes in a work/life balance and upholding mind, body, and spirit as a form of self-care.

AVAILABILITY: 

Tuesday 10-6 pm

Wednesday 3-7 pm (bi-weekly)

Location:

Ontario

In-Person

Maternal Health Niagara associate since 2023

MSW Student

Supervised by Emily Pollak, MSW, RSW

Shannon has several years of experience in social services, supporting individuals through crises in the criminal justice system. Shannon has a degree in Psychology, a post-graduate certificate in Addictions: Treatment and Prevention and is currently a Master of Social Work Student at Wilfrid Laurier University. 

Shannon is a parent to two young children. Her motivation for perinatal mental health is rooted in her own perinatal mental health journey. Shannon focuses on creating a non-judgemental space for clients to navigate the complexities of the perinatal period with curiosity and compassion. Shannon has completed perinatal mental health training and has experience supporting individuals through infertility, grief and loss, identity shifts in parenting, overwhelm, burnout, mom guilt and rage, and career and relationship challenges.

Shannon is dedicated to meeting individuals where they are and supporting them to attain personally meaningful goals through a collaborative, client-centered approach. Shannon practices from a trauma-informed lens, respecting clients' boundaries and asking their permission to pursue various themes in their stories. She believes she is a humble visitor in the client's life where the client is the expert and the therapist's job is to encourage clients to notice things along the way. Shannon practices with gratitude and is honoured to be invited into the client's world.

Shannon is down to earth and practices in a casual, conversational style. Her aim is to welcome each client and nurture the therapeutic relationship as the vehicle for supporting growth and healing.

Outside of the office, Shannon can enjoys playing volleyball with her partner, reexperiencing the world through her children, playing with her rescue Husky mix, Hopper and baking.

Shannons's placement completion is Feburary 25, 2025. 

Stay tuned! Shannon will be returning in the fall of 2025!