About

Fariba Touyeh (Psychological Associate)

Personal Statement: I view psychotherapy as a collaborative process and we all need to commit to the journey of self-discovery. My life journey has carried me through some emotional difficulties and life challenges such as immigration and career changes. I was curious as to why people experience emotional suffering and wanted to find a path for the ​healing process. I studied sociology and psychology to develop a detailed understanding of the mind, brain, and human behaviour. Finally, I realized that the healing of emotional pain happens through self-discovery, understanding one’s personal strengths and weaknesses, encountering and finding ways to overcome obstacles, and embracing the change of life.

Education & Experience: I have a Masters Degree in Psychology and Honors Degrees in Psychology and Sociology. I am a Registered Psychotherapist and a Psychological Associate registered with the College of Psychologists of Ontario.

I have worked in both private and community settings providing therapy to individuals from different cultural backgrounds. I am a certified clinical traumatologist and I am aware of the ways in which complex trauma affects many aspects of life, including school, work, and family domains.I have assisted a significant number of clients impacted by traumatic events such as car accidents, traumatic brain injury, divorce, cancer, grief, and family suicide and alcoholism. I also offer psychotherapy in Farsi and I have conducted workshops and psycho-educational seminars for the Persian community.

I incorporate cognitive behaviour therapy and mindfulness approaches to address a variety of issues including anxiety, depression, phobia, chronic pain, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, anger management and perfectionism. I provide a nonjudgmental setting to help individuals explore their authentic self, navigate their personal goals and embrace their personal strengths. I help individuals improve their overall wellbeing, increase resilience, and find a feeling of inner peace. I encourage my clients to develop self-compassion, a way of relating to ourselves more kindly rather than being stuck in self-criticism or negative judgments. I guide my clients to cultivate mindfulness strategies which involve learning to maintain our awareness in the present moment rather than getting lost in anxious thoughts and ruminating about problems.

Professional Affiliations: Ontario Psychological Association

 

Teddy Cheung (Psychological Associate: Neuropsychology & Clinical Psychology)

We are our heart and brain: I believe the mind and the brain work together. It is indispensable to understand one in order to understand the other. Like the awe when observe a plant to grow from a seed to full blossom, I found myself being attracted to the unfolding or the development of the self, personality, and various abilities by the nurturing of families, schooling and society under the vehicle of the football-size organ: the brain. I find psychological assessment a valuable tool for scientific measurements, and therapy a gift for healing the heart, trauma and broken relationships.

Education & Experience: I received my PhD in Psychology and Neuroscience from the University of Toronto. I received a Masters of Clinical Psychology from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and have been working in the field of clinical psychology from 2007 to 2017. I specialized in clinical psychology and clinical neuropsychology. I attended further training in Emotion Focused Therapy offered by the York University-Hong Kong Catholic Marriage Advisory Council. I completed the post-qualification training at the Great Ormond Street Hospital’s Institute of Child Health in London, UK. While I was in Hong Kong, I helped established an early autism training centre and have served in different specialties in two public hospitals, including psychiatry, general medical, rehabilitation, and palliative services, covering child/adolescent, adult, and elderly populations. I am registered with the College of Psychologists of Ontario (CPO) in both clinical psychology and clinical neuropsychology.

Currently, I hold a clinical research fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at SickKids, working on novel tech-based interventions for children with neurodevelopmental disorders and impact of COVID-19 on children’s and youth’s mental health among other projects. I was part of a multidisciplinary team in the Neurology Department of the CUHK medical school, for which the team translated and validated the Chinese-version of a Canadian cognitive screening test, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). I am also working on developing App intervention for children with autism in enhancing face and emotion recognition in collaboration with CUHK and Cambridge University.

Life outside of the office: I am a dad of two young boys. When I take off my ‘white coat’, I would bring the boys to wild camping, trekking, skating/skiing and guiding them to explore the merits of the Western and Eastern cultures.

Professional Affiliations: International Neuropsychological Society; Canadian Psychological Association; British Psychological Society; Hong Kong Psychological Society

Ting Jiang (Social Worker)

Personal Statement: My approach contains a safe, compassionate, and non-judgemental space for clients to share their thoughts and feelings. My style of therapy offers guidance and assistance for clients to explore and unpack their insights.

Education & Experience: I graduated from Niagara College with a Recreation Therapy program. I obtained both a Bachelor of Social Work and a Master of Social Work from York University.

During my MSW internship, I provided counselling services at both private practice and non-profit organizations. It helps me explore different modalities to provide a holistic approach to the community. Before starting the private practice, I have over 8 years of experience working with a diverse population in community settings. Currently, I mainly work with young adults and adults with anxiety, depression, PTSD, and trauma. I also provide psychological counselling services to clients who have been involved in Motor Vehicle Accidents (MVA) at the rehabilitation and wellness centre. I draw from different approaches, it consists of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT); Emotion-focused Therapy (EFT), Narrative Therapy, Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI) and trauma-informed practice. I continue to learn a variety of modalities to enhance my therapeutic approach, and to be able to support those who I am working with.

Life outside of the office: I am a mom of two young kids. I spend most of my spare time with my little ones. During my own time, I would like to do some yoga, listen to podcasts, and take care of my plants. Also, I try to see my friends and family as much as possible.

Professional Affiliation: Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Services Workers; Ontario Association of Social Workers.

Gifty Dem (Social Worker)

Personal Statement: Let’s face it: managing your mental health is challenging and trying to support a loved one is even more difficult. Especially if you seek help from others around you and receive neither acknowledgement nor acceptance. As an immigrant, I have witnessed firsthand the trauma, uncertainty, and sometimes shame associated with seeking help. I understand how difficult it can be to not know where to turn, let alone who to turn to, especially when there is pressure from family and society to remain silent. I see the exhaustion and hopelessness that can result from a lack of support when it comes to managing your mental health. It takes a lot of strength to be resilient and courageous enough to know when to seek help. I would like to help you create a safe space where you can develop strong coping skills, cultivate self-compassion, and strengthen your connections with others. My diverse approach is a warm, empathetic environment that is culturally competent and aware of social conditioning. There is no one-size-fits-all approach; in my opinion, your personal healing is a non-linear process. The ability to overcome adversity is a form of strength; we can all learn how to live a balanced life from our past experiences and trauma.

Education/Experience: I am an Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers Registered Social Worker with over seven years of experience working with children, youth, and their families of all ages and diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. I have a Master’s (MSW) from the University of Waterloo and a Bachelor’s (BSW) from Lakehead University, in addition to a Sociology degree from the University of Guelph. I’ve worked and trained in a variety of settings, including child welfare, foster care, education, outpatient community mental health, and hospitals. Many years have been spent advocating for, supporting, and counselling people suffering from depression, anxiety/panic disorders, various psychotic and personality disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHA, behavioural challenges, and other conditions. I specialize in providing supportive counselling and service navigation to children and young people dealing with suicidal ideation, school and academic stress, dual diagnoses, and life transitions.

I use a flexible and inclusive therapeutic approach that includes techniques from Solution Focused Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. My role is straightforward: to help you achieve your goals by assisting you in identifying patterns, reframing negative thoughts, and gathering the tools and resources you need to live the life you desire while also increasing your level of self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-compassion

Professional Affiliations: Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Services Workers

Life outside of the office: I devote the majority of my time to self-care; spending hours in the fitness world, taking on new challenges, and pushing my limits brings me great joy. I also enjoy spending time working on my painting and discovering new restaurants and foods in our neighbourhoods.

Anna Gorbatski (Psychometrist)

Personal Statement:  Since a young age, I have been fascinated by human behaviour and my curiosity and the desire to explore and understand the ways of the human mind has led me to a career in Psychology.  This desire was solidified when I had taken my very first Introduction to Psychology course at university.  After completing the course at the top of my class, I knew that Psychology was my calling and that, without a doubt, I was meant to pursue a career in mental health.  Since beginning my journey as a Psychometrist, I have helped many clients discover their cognitive strengths as well as determine their areas of need in order to optimize their learning experiences, both in a school setting and in everyday life.

Education & Experience: I have been employed in Psychometrics and Psychodiagnostics since graduating York University with my Honours Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and Psychology in 2002, with specialization in Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience.  Since graduation, I have acquired my skills in psychometric assessment from highly qualified professionals in the field, who had provided me with top-notch training and close guidance.  In my nearly 12 years of psychometric experience, I have conducted a variety of cognitive and behavioural assessments of both adults and children, with diverse medical and psychological conditions and for a multitude of purposes, including diagnostics and treatment, academic and career recommendations, educational support determination and school admission.  My experience includes working with children of both pre-school and school age, within private and public education sectors, as well as in clinical settings.

Life outside of the office: I am a busy mom to two children. My evenings and weekends are typically occupied by dance classes, music lessons, hockey games/practices, and of course, homework!  Being a parent has given me invaluable experience in working with children of all ages, and I pride myself on finding the best and most effective approach to each child I assess.

Professional Affiliations: Affiliate Member of The Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists (OACCPP)