Susan Russell
Susan is a Registered Social Worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. She holds an undergraduate degree in Social Development Studies at the University of Waterloo (1992), a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Toronto (1995) and a Postgraduate Fellowship Certificate in Family Systems at C.M. Hincks Institute, currently known as SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health (1996). Susan is a Certified Play Therapist with the Canadian Association for Play Therapy, a Foundational Level I Theraplay Practitioner and an EMDRIA Approved EMDR Trained clinician (EMDR Certification in progress). Susan is also a co-developer of a children’s anxiety program (2005) which incorporates components of yoga, CBT and expressive arts.
Susan has over 25 years’ experience in a hospital outpatient clinic assessing and treating children and adolescents struggling with symptoms of depressed mood, anxiety, emotion dysregulation, suicide ideation, self-harm, trauma, grief and loss, separation and divorce, selective mutism, OCD, ADHD and ODD. She uses an eclectic evidence-based approach to therapy blending CBT, DBT, family, play, sand and attachment-based therapies, expressive arts and mindfulness techniques to help clients achieve their goals.
Susan strongly believes that early intervention in a child’s life is essential to their growth and development. Through the therapeutic relationship, and with parents’ support and involvement, children and adolescents can learn to regulate their emotions, increase their self-esteem and confidence and develop a sense of mastery to navigate life’s many challenges. Susan strives to create a safe and nurturing environment for all her clients by meeting them at their level to understand, validate and support them in an empathetic, non-judgmental and playful way.
Tyler Tompsett
Tyler is a Registered Social Worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW). Tyler completed a Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc) at Ontario Tech University, followed by a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) at McGill University and a Masters of Social Work (MSW) at the University of Toronto.
Tyler has extensive experience working with children, youth, families, and adults. In addition, Tyler has experience using a wide range of treatment modalities, such as, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Narrative Therapy, Mindfulness, Solution Focused Therapy and Strength Based Therapy.
Tyler’s area of focus includes mental health, depression, anxiety, ADHD, OCD, PTSD, grief, relationship issues, disability and 2SLGBTQI+. Tyler has a passion for advancing the importance of inclusive education. Tyler is approachable, caring and dedicated to the wellness of all clients.
Maryam Javed
Maryam is a Master’s level practicum student at Durham Psychological Wellness Centre who brings over five years of experience supporting mental health in clinical, community, and research settings across Canada and the UK. Her clinical work at DPWC is being supervised by Dr. Emily Simkins-Strong, Ph.D., C. Psych.
Maryam has supported children, adolescents, and adults in hospital-based community mental health settings as well as schools and private practice, helping clients navigate challenges including trauma, anxiety, depression, ADHD, and difficulties with relationships and self-esteem. She brings a warm, compassionate, and playful style to therapy, creating a space where clients feel safe, supported, and understood. Her goal is to make therapy collaborative, approachable, and tailored to each person’s unique needs.
Maryam draws primarily on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and integrative, evidence-based approaches. She values authenticity, curiosity, and creativity in the therapeutic process, and strives to help clients feel empowered to explore, heal, and grow at their own pace.
Please ask about our low fee for service rates for students providing psychological services under the supervision of a registered psychologist
Jessica Shock
Jessica is a registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Services Workers (OCSWSSW). She works with youth, adolescents, and adults facing a range of difficulties, including mood and anxiety disorders, trauma, emotional dysregulation, relationship challenges, and life transitions. Jessica has worked with individuals and families in various school, inpatient and outpatient mental health settings.
Jessica obtained her Master of Social Work from the University of Windsor and her undergraduate degree in Child and Youth Care from Humber College. Prior to this, Jessica received her advanced diploma in Child and Youth Work from Humber College. While completing her undergraduate and master’s degree, Jessica worked in various inpatient and school-based children mental health settings. Jessica has training in various evidence-based treatments, such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Motivational Interviewing (MI), mindfulness and harm reduction.
Jessica truly focuses on building a therapeutic relationship that celebrates individual strengths and collaborates with clients to foster their mental well-being while working on the courage to face life’s difficulties. She works with individuals to build practical coping strategies while focusing on building inner clarity of your life experiences. Jessica understands that therapy is not a one size fits all approach, due to this she uses various modalities to help you reach your goals. She will support you in your personal journey by offering compassion, goal-oriented treatment that builds on your strengths to allow you to discover your best self.
Dr. Kelty Berardi
Dr. Kelty Berardi is a registered Clinical Psychologist licensed to work with children, adolescents, adults, and families. She has clinical expertise in a variety of areas including Child and Adolescent development, Eating Disorders and Body Image, Anxiety Disorders, Mood Disorders, OCD, PTSD and trauma-related disorders and diagnostic and personality assessment. She has training in a variety of therapeutic modalities including, but not limited to, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Family Based Treatment for Eating Disorders and various trauma focused interventions.
Dr. Kelty Berardi completed her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Windsor in 2008. Dr. Berardi has several years experience working in hospital-based eating disorders programs providing assessment and treatment to clients presenting with Eating Disorders across the lifespan. Dr. Berardi has provided consultation and in-service presentations to other treatment providers and helped develop and implement treatment programming for Eating Disorders. Additionally, Dr. Berardi has worked in a variety of clinical settings, including general and child hospitals, community centres, and mental health facilities. She has experience treating and assessing children, adolescents and adults presenting with a range of psychological difficulties and disorders.
Dr. Berardi aims to provide clients with evidence-based treatment that is tailored to meet their unique needs, and as such, focuses initially on developing a comprehensive conceptualization of her client’s presenting difficulties. She endeavours to create a safe collaborative and empathic therapeutic environment focused on building resiliency and fostering meaningful change.
Dr. Emily Simkins-Strong
Dr. Emily Simkins-Strong is a registered Clinical and Counselling Psychologist licensed to work with children, adolescents, adults, and families. Dr. Simkins-Strong provides assessment and treatment for individuals struggling with a range of difficulties, including depression, anxiety and OCD, emotion regulation struggles, learning difficulties, and family relational difficulties. Dr. Simkins-Strong has clinical expertise in the treatment of trauma-related struggles, including complex / developmental trauma, PTSD, and attachment disturbances. She has training in psychodynamic therapy, Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), family therapy, and various trauma- and attachment-focused interventions.
Dr. Simkins-Strong completed her Doctorate in Clinical-Developmental Psychology from York University in 2013. She has over 10 years experience working in a hospital-based children’s mental health program, providing assessment and treatment to children and youth struggling with a wide range of mental health concerns, as well as their family members. She has also worked in children’s mental health centres, secure treatment / youth justice facilities, and private practice. Dr. Simkins-Strong also enjoys providing clinical supervision, consultation, and education to graduate students and other mental health professionals.
Dr. Simkins-Strong believes that it is important to begin treatment with a strong understanding of a person’s struggles, and how their difficulties interact with the environments in which they live, learn, work, and play. Dr. Simkins-Strong aims to create a safe, warm, playful, and accepting space in the therapy room. She believes that family and caregiver involvement is crucial in for treatment with children to be successful, either as supports to their child’s individual therapy, or through their direct participation in parent coaching and / or family therapy sessions. Overall, Dr. Simkins-Strong strives for therapy to be a space to foster curiosity and empathy, to help clients learn more about themselves, and then use this understanding to create meaningful change.
