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I
am a gay parent, living with my partner and raising my son
collaboratively with my son's mother. I have been an active
member of the LGBT community for the past 12 years. I am a
strong believer in queer community development. I am committed
to personal growth evident in my education, training and conferences
I attend. I have been a practicing therapist for 7 years,
and have worked in the field of addictions and mental health
for 15 years.
My professional training was in the Master of Marriage and
Family Therapy Program at the University of Guelph. This program
is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage
and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), which is part of the
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).
I view
therapy as diverse as the community that I work for. I work
with couples and families to help them create greater intimacy
and connection with one another; and work with individuals
to strengthen their sense of self. I aslo facilitate support
groups. My keen focus on marginalized communities has me presenting
at conferences in Montreal, Ottawa, and locally on topics
such as: Building LGBT Community Supports in Rural Cities;
and Creating Accessible Health Care Services For Queer Communities.
I offer educational workshops with focuses on addressing homophobia
with high school students and offer sensitivity training on
the transgender community for Big Brothers -Big Sisters. I
am committed to queer community development and I have sat
on numerous committees including: Guelph Pride, Guelph’s
LGBT Lending Library, Tri-Cities AIDS Quilt Committee, and
has co-founded the Waterloo Wellington Gay & Bi fathers
peer support group.
Professional
Affiliation
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Associate
Member, Ontario Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
(O.A.M.F.T.)
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Associate
Member, American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
(A.A.M.F.T.)
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Member
of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GMLA)
Education
& Training Attended
| 2001 |
Small
Business Entrepreneurial Program |
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| 1999 |
Master
of Science, Marriage & Family Therapy, University
of Guelph, Ont. |
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- Thesis:
Gay fathers coming out to their children: Reaching
for integrity Interviewed 30 gay and bisexual fathers
and sampled another 135 gay bisexual fathers
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- Beatrice
Craven Scholarship for outstanding academic achievement
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| 1998 |
Intensive
Sex Therapy Training Institute – Dr. Claude Guldner,
University of Guelph |
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| 1994 |
Bachelor
of Arts, Specialized Honours Psychology & Minor in
Family Relations & Human Development. University of
Guelph, Ont. |
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- Thesis:
Evaluating an expressive arts therapy program with
sexually abused boys?
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Professional
Experience
| 2001-present |
Private
Practitioner – Couple Family & Individual Therapist
– specializing in concerns related to the lesbian,
gay, bisexual, trans, and two- spirited (LGBT) communities,
Ont. |
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- Sole
proprietor of a private therapeutic practice (marketing,
networking, promotions, publicity, and business management)
|
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- Providing
therapy, advocacy, activism, and education
|
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- Working
within an eclectic framework of Social Constructionist,
Anti-Oppressive, Family Systems Theory
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| 1999-2001 |
Therapist
- Community Mental Health Clinic, Guelph. |
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- Conducted
crisis intervention, emergency psychiatric assessment,
short-term
therapeutic intervention and out-reach with adults
and children
|
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- Worked
within the framework of the Diagnostic Statistical
Manual
|
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- Integrated
and utilized resources of an inter-disciplinary team
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- Offered
inter-agency and local referrals to consumers
|
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- Delivered
LGBT sensitivity training to child and youth mental
health agency staff
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| 1994-1996 |
Psychiatric
Assistant - Homewood Health Centre: Psychiatric Hospital,
Guelph. |
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- Conducted
the intake history and assessment of psychiatric clients
for an intensive care unit
|
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- Contributed
towards the development of the care plan, crisis intervention,
client education, and implementation of overall care
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| 1990-1992 |
Residential
Counsellor - Stonehenge Therapeutic Community: Long-Term
Drug Rehabilitation Centre, Guelph. |
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- Supervised
the transition of residents from drug dependant behaviours
and facilitated their integration into living in a
therapeutic community
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- Taught
life skills, activity therapy, crisis intervention
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- Supported
clients back into the larger community
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Community Involvement
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Guelph
Pride Committee
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Strengthening
Rainbow Connections E-Newsletter (Editor)- Guelph
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Out
on the Shelf Committee – Queer Community Centre
and Library – Guelph
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Gay
& Bisexual Fathers of Waterloo Wellington –
Co-facilitator & Chair – Guelph
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Journey
Men’s Conference Planning Committee - Guelph
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Halton
Anti-homophobia Committee – Committee Member - Halton
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Rainbow
Visions Conference Promotions Committee of EGALE Canada
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Names
Project: AIDS Quilt Committee - Kitchener-Waterloo
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Rainbow
Chorus of Waterloo-Wellington of LGBT & Friends -
Chorus Member
Conferences Attended
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Bisexual
& Transsexual/Transgender Inclusivity & Sensitivity
Train the Trainer
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Canadian
Queer History – University of Guelph workshop
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Supporting
Our GLBTQ Youth in Safe, Positive Spaces – Brock
University
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Journey
Men’s Symposium – Exploring Paths to Masculinity
- University of Guelph
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Two-Spirited
People: Bridging Our Spirits. University of Guelph
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Rainbow
Visions Conference: Building a Pan- Canadian Queer Agenda
- Montreal
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Trans
Awareness –Training - Mirha Soleil-Ross. Guelph
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Gay
& Lesbian Medical Association Conference. Toronto
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LGBT
Parents and their Teens – LGBT Parenting Network
– Seminar. Toronto
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T.E.A.C.H.
Teens Educating & Confronting Homophobia - Planned
Parenthood – Training. Toronto
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Human
Sexuality Conference. University of Guelph
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Enaahtig
- Native Therapeutic Healing Lodge - Training
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Native
Workshops - Training. University of Guelph
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Invitation
to Responsibility: Males Who Have Been Abusive to Their
Partners – Training – Alan Jenkins. University
of Guelph
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Treating
Issues Surrounding Male Sexual abuse – Training
– Grant Fair. Guelph
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Working
with Men: Identifying and Treating Sexual Child Abuse
– Training - Mike Lew. Toronto
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Non-Violent
Crisis Intervention – The National Crisis Prevention
Institute. Guelph
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Issues
of Social Justice For Therapist – Workshop. Guelph
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