Our therapists approach grief counselling from a non-pathological perspective and utilize a wide range of therapeutic modalities. We support people of all ages who are grieving a serious illness or death, and offer a variety of flexible counselling services. We also provide clinical consultation as well as education to professionals and volunteers who support grieving children, youth, or adults. Select one of our clinicians below to learn more about their expertise.
Colleen, a Registered Psychotherapist with a Masters in Counselling Psychology, is the co-owner and clinical director of Andrea Warnick Consulting. Over the past 20 years Colleen has worked in agencies such as Dr. Jay Children’s Grief Centre and Woodview Children’s Mental Health and Autism Services. Colleen has extensive experience helping people of all ages and abilities face challenges related to serious illness, grief and bereavement. She also possesses the rare expertise of helping those with Autism Spectrum Disorder navigate grief. She is trained in a variety of modalities including cognitive behavioural therapy, art therapy, play therapy and EMDR. Her private practice is located in Hamilton.
Catherine has provided administrative support to a variety of industries as well as professional therapists. She was a Corporate Training Manager in the travel industry for many years and recognizes the importance of our community initiatives to create awareness and provide education about navigating through grief. As a certified life coach specializing in Assertiveness Training for Women she brings the skills of empathy and effective communication to our team. She supports our team with the financial side of administration and will be providing additional support on the administrative side as our team of clinicians and clients continues to expand. Catherine works remotely from her home office in Guelph.
For over fifteen years, Simone has worked with children and youth developing accessible and inclusive arts and recreational-based programming. She has spent the last seven years applying this passion to the pediatric hospital settings with organizations such as Camp Fire Circle, The Hole In the Wall Gang Camp, and Crescent Foundation in Canada and the US. In her role, Simone developed and facilitated psychosocial programs to help children, young adults, and families affected by chronic and life-threatening illnesses cope with the ebbs and flows of an illness.
Simone’s work in pediatric hospitals often used creative arts-based interventions in her sessions with patients, siblings, and families. She believes that creativity is a powerful tool that allows us to express ourselves when words can be difficult to find. In a session with Simone, you can expect drawing, sculpting, writing, collaging, or painting to be integrated into the work.
Simone is currently a Masters of Social Work student at the Factor-Inwentash School Of Social Work at the University of Toronto, specializing in the Children and their Families stream and approaches her work from a culturally responsive lens to cultivate inclusive experiences. Simone works in Toronto.
Ami is a Registered Social Worker with a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Toronto
and a Master’s in Early Childhood Studies from Ryerson University. She has been involved
with organizations such as the Ronald McDonald House Charities Toronto, Holland Bloorview
Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, and Dr. Jay Children’s Grief Centre.
Ami is passionate about supporting children, individuals, and families navigating grief related to
illness or death. She believes in building a strong partnership with each client and takes
approaches that are evidence-informed and reflective of the client’s interests and strengths.
She grounds her work in person-centered, trauma-informed, strength-based, and anti-oppressive
frameworks. Ami brings patience, creative expression, playfulness, and a non-judgmental
stance to engage with clients. Ami cares about creating a space that honors each client’s grief
and cultivates compassion for all grief experiences. Ami has an in-person practice in Toronto.
Diane is a Registered Psychotherapist with a master’s degree in Mental Health and Behaviour Medicine from Boston University School of Medicine and has provided counselling services for children and youth in a variety of community mental health settings since 2006. Diane is passionate about collaborative, creative, and compassionate counselling service with children, youth, adults, and families who are experiencing serious illness, grief, and bereavement. Diane has a specialized focus in trauma and perinatal grief/bereavement. She has completed additional certification in these areas, including the Certified Trauma Integration Clinician (CTIC) designation through the Attachment and Trauma Treatment Centre for Healing (ATTCH); Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR); Maternal Mental Health Intensive: Perinatal Mood and Anxiety and Perinatal Grief and Loss through the Seleni Institute in New York; Practice-Focused Training in Complicated Grief Therapy through The Center for Complicated Grief in New York. Diane incorporates elements of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), solution-focused, and narrative therapies into her work and practices in the Durham region with an office in Ajax.
Rebecca Brown has a Master Degree in Social Work and a career spanning more than 36 years within the medical, child protection and trauma fields. Rebecca is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine, Western University, and delivers workshops and conferences throughout North America on the topics of Vicarious Trauma, PTSD, Compassion Fatigue and resilience building to First Responders and professionals in the trauma and health fields.
The majority of her career was in the child protection field as a Supervisor of a front line child protection team and was Coordinator of the Critical Incident Debriefing Program. She was a Provincial Trainer for the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies and taught the curriculum on Wellness and Self-Care. Her expertise includes providing Psychological First Aid through international disaster relief, such as the Paradise, California Wildfire. Her clinical time is shared between Primary Health Care (Sauble Family Health Team) and her private practice which includes certification in Equine Assisted Therapy (EAGALA) where she is the Coordinator of the Equine Facilitated Wellness Program at Prance – Therapeutic Equestrian Centre on the shores of beautiful Lake Huron. Rebecca has additional training in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and is certified by the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. With her experience in traumatic stress, Rebecca provides support to those experiencing complex and complicated grief following suicide, trauma or tragedy.
Rebecca has just published a book about her own personal and professional journey and is thrilled to share it with the world, “Shelter from Our Secrets, Silence and Shame; How Our Stories Can Keep Us Stuck or Set Us Free”.
India is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) with Masters degrees in both Medical Anthropology and Pastoral Studies. Having worked in health and human rights abroad, and in personal support for individuals living with different abilities and/or significant illness here in Canada, she has witnessed first-hand the ties between spiritual well-being and mental and physical health. It was these experiences that ultimately led her to the vocation she now pursues in spiritually-integrated psychotherapy.
In addition to her work with Andrea Warnick Consulting, India is also a spiritual care and bereavement counsellor with Heart House Hospice. She brings an approach that is holistic, humble, and heart-centered in nature to each interaction, walking alongside her clients as they encounter some of life’s most challenging seasons. India practices in Toronto.
Heather is a Registered Psychotherapist (qualifying) who is completing an internship with Andrea Warnick Consulting as she pursues a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology with Yorkville University in Fredericton, New Brunswick. As a seasoned hospice palliative care nurse both in hospice and the community, Heather has a wealth of experience in working with people diagnosed with life-limiting illnesses and their families. Heather embraces supporting individuals and their families during their time of loss as important and meaningful work. With a compassionate and non-pathological approach, Heather is passionate about having presence in the counselling setting with those who have encountered loss and are moving forward in their own unique journey with grief and bereavement. Situated along the north shore of Lake Ontario, Heather calls the pastoral farming community of Prince Edward County her home.
Kate is a Registered Social Worker with a Masters of Social Work specializing in Gerontology and Palliative Care from the University of Toronto. Over the past ten years, Kate has worked in a variety of settings including home and community care, community outreach, oncology, palliative care and bereavement programs. She currently works at Hospice Huronia supporting residents and their families and provides bereavement support to the community. By supporting families through some of life’s toughest transitions, she strives to create space for reflection and honouring the legacies of those who have died. Kate is passionate about supporting individuals and their families through the end-of-life process as well as educating the broader community about how best to support those who grieve their loved ones. Kate practices in the Barrie and North Simcoe area.
Brian is a Registered Social Worker with a Masters degree from the University of Toronto and over a decade of experience working with children, youth and families. Drawing from a variety of therapeutic models (Narrative Therapy, EMDR, Solution Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) he believes that you are the expert on your life and his role is to facilitate conversations; to ask questions that bring out your strengths and that challenge you to get supportively uncomfortable. Brian is a school social worker providing support to children, youth and their families through a variety of struggles. He is also a member of the Critical Events Response Team providing students, families and schools with support during times of crisis. Brian also has experience facilitating grief groups for youth. Brian practices in the Kitchener-Waterloo area.
Nicola is a Registered Psychotherapist and a Certified Play Therapist. She is passionate about supporting people grieving the death, dying or serious illness of a significant person in their life. Nicola believes writing, art, creative visualization and story-telling are natural mediums of self-expression for people of all ages. In addition, to play therapy, Nicola draws from narrative therapy, mindfulness and compassion-based approaches and CBT. Nicola is trained in EMDR and the Integrative Attachment and Trauma Treatment Model. She works from an anti-racist, anti-oppressive perspective.
Nicki is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) and a Certified Play Therapist. She came to psychotherapy through her belief in the intersection of creativity and healing and the transformational benefits of play as a therapeutic tool. She has supported children and families through organizations such as Gilda’s Club, Camp Oochigeas and Camp Erin. Nicki helped create and facilitate the first-ever child and youth day for the Healing Broken Hearts Bereavement Conference. As a Play Therapist, Nicki has provided individual and group therapy sessions in various schools across the Toronto District School Board. In her role as Soleil, a therapeutic clown at Toronto’s SickKids Hospital, Nicki used humour and play to provide emotional support and learned that joy and sorrow can exist together. This led to her current work as Emerald the clown, creating educational videos for young children on YouTube. She is passionate about connecting to our creativity at any age, especially as teens and adults. Nicki practices in Almonte and the surrounding Ottawa Valley area.
Petra has over ten years of experience working with children worldwide who live with, and are affected by, a life-threatening illness through organizations like SeriousFun Children's Network and Camp Oochigeas. She's also worked with Camp Erin Toronto, a bereavement program for children and youth grieving the death of a significant person. Through these experiences, Petra has developed psychosocial programs to support children's emotional well-being. She has an innate ability to connect with people of all ages who face tough challenges due to illness, grief, loss, and bereavement. Petra practices in London.
Alfredo is a Registered Psychotherapist, researcher and educator with a master’s degree in
Education Counselling Psychology from Western University and an Ontario Teaching Certificate.
Alfredo has provided counselling services for children, youth and adults in a variety of healthcare, educational and community mental health agencies since 2000. And is committed and passionate about providing creative and compassionate counselling services to children, youth, adults, and families who are experiencing serious illness, grief, and bereavement. Over the years, Alfredo has been trained in Grief and Bereavement, Hospice and Palliative Care, Trauma Informed Psychotherapy, Narrative Exposure Therapy, Multisystemic Therapy (MST), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), New Ways for Families approach and Motivational Interviewing.
Alfredo has also acquired relevant learning through his in-depth participation in provincially wide initiatives such as Kanawayhitowin and Neighbours Friends and Families, he offers services in both English and Spanish, and practices in the South Western region with an office in London, Ontario.
Nikki is a Registered Social Worker, Child and Youth Counsellor and Grief Therapist at Andrea Warnick Consulting, who is also completing her Master of Social Work degree at Laurier University. Nikki has a passion for supporting children and families who are living with a life-limiting illness or grieving a death. She has worked in the field of children's mental health for over 20 years in a variety of settings, including treatment and schools. As the coordinator for the Traumatic Event Response Team for a school board, Nikki provides support to staff, students and families when a death or traumatic event has occurred. Nikki has been involved with several organizations supporting grieving children, including Camp Erin, Camp Keaton, The Nightingale Centre, Bob Kemp Hospice Text Support Line and Heart House Hospice. Nikki incorporates creativity into her sessions through play, art and laughter to help clients explore their unique emotional responses to death and dying. Elements of CBT and mindfulness are used to help clients develop coping skills along their grief journey. Nikki's practice is based in Guelph where she is offering virtual and in-person sessions.
Claire is a Registered Social Worker, providing counselling support to individuals and families in hospital, rehabilitation and community settings since 2000. Throughout her career, Claire has focused on working collaboratively and empathically with people facing challenges around life-changing injury, loss, grief and bereavement. Claire has developed extensive experience supporting those who have experienced a sudden and unexpected loss of a significant person in their lives to help them face the often complex and overwhelming responses that can follow. In a community-based counselling agency, Claire developed an attachment and trauma-informed practice for supporting individuals with experiences of trauma/abuse in their early lives. Claire incorporates elements of narrative therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), emotion focused therapy (EFT), and mindfulness practices into her practice in the east end of Toronto.
Jenn is a Registered Social Worker with a Master of Social Work degree from Wilfrid Laurier University. Over the past 18 years Jenn has enjoyed working with children, youth and families in a variety of settings. In addition to being a grief therapist for Andrea Warnick Consulting, Jenn is a school social worker who offers counselling to children and youth in and out of the classroom. She is also a member of the Critical Events Response Team and provides support to teachers, students and families during crisis situations. Jenn works from a CBT framework to help individuals to identify and strengthen their existing coping skills and she provides an empathic space for children and youth to explore their feelings through activities and play. Jenn also has training in mindfulness, trauma, attachment and DBT and experience in facilitating groups for children with a focus on anxiety. She is passionate about offering playful, strength-based counselling to help individuals work towards well-being and find ways to maintain a connection with the loved ones who they have lost. Jenn practices in the Kitchener-Waterloo area.
Ruby (She/Her) is a warm, intuitive therapist, who strives to work from an anti-oppressive, anti-racist, anti-colonial, and intersectional framework. Her approach to therapy is collaborative, creative, humorous, and compassionate.
Ruby’s years of experience have given her a sense of reverence for the therapeutic process, and she is constantly humbled by what her clients teach her about what it means to be human, and how healing is possible for all of us.
Ruby brings a relational approach to her work, as she believes that we are not meant to heal alone, and acknowledges the therapeutic relationship itself, as a key tool for transformation and healing. Ruby offers her clients a gentle and affirming space to explore new possibilities for healing from. Ruby’s work is supported by the teachings of EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy), IFS (Internal Family Systems), DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy), Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, and somatic therapies. Outside of her work with Andrea Warnick Consulting Ruby loves: music, design, movement, open bodies of water, expansive conversation, adventure, learning new things, reading, and good food.
Kourtney has a strong background in hospice palliative care and a wealth of experience supporting individuals and their families through the transitions and heartaches of life-limiting illness, dying and bereavement. She is committed to supporting individuals who have been impacted by grief and is passionate to serve others as they move forward through difficult, sad, and distressing times in their lives. Kourtney has a compassionate, heart-centered approach that focuses on creating a safe, collaborative, and empowering atmosphere.
Kourtney is a Registered Psychotherapist (qualifying) and is completing a clinical internship with AWC as she completes a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology with Yorkville University. Kourtney practices virtually and has an office for in person support located in Harriston, ON.
Esther is a Registered Social Worker who specializes in autism spectrum disorder, children’s mental health including trauma exposure, and grief therapy. She currently works as the National Program Director for Autism Speaks Canada, and supports grieving children and youth as a volunteer for the Dr. Jay Children’s Grief Centre. Esther’s advocacy work includes her training the Toronto Police Service, working with Military Family Services, and building national programs supported by the Federal government. Esther was the proud recipient of the Dr. Jay Children's Grief Centre's 2018 Harold Heft Award as a result of her contribution to supporting grieving children and families.
Lisa is a registered social worker who focuses her professional and creative energy on supporting children, youth and young adults through tough situations with a focus on the intersections of anxiety, trauma and grief. With over 10 years of experience working with children and families affected by life-threatening illnesses in organizations including Camp Oochigeas and SeriousFun Children's Network, she has seen the impact that therapeutic intervention can have on children's ability to engage in life. She uses narrative therapy as her primary therapeutic framework while incorporating elements of play, CBT and mindfulness practices to develop both a collaborative understanding of the individual experience and coping skills to move through these experiences. Lisa is also trained in the Integrative Trauma and Attachment Treatment Model. Lisa's practice is based in Toronto.
Lisa-Marie Salas is a psychologist with a masters in Counselling Psychology from McGill University. She has dedicated her career to working with families and individuals who have experienced trauma and loss. She began her career as a children's counsellor in a domestic violence shelter, then worked for nineteen years in a college counselling department. Along the way she discovered a strength and passion for supporting grieving individuals.
Lisa-Marie has had the trusted position of working with families who have experienced the sudden death of someone to illness, accident or suicide. She also works with families who have a new diagnosis of illness, both in dealing with the current emotional toll and assisting to prepare for next steps psychologically.
As a feminist psychologist and a trauma specialist, pacing is created and led by the presenting family member, and trust is earned with respect and time. She most frequently works with people presenting with symptoms of grief, trauma, and/or anxiety.
Lisa-Marie has trained extensively in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Play Therapy, and Hypnosis. Although she originally trained in France with the British Association of Play Therapists, she is now completing her supervised hours to become a registered Play Therapist in Canada. She has also had the privilege of attending trainings on Narrative Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Internal Family Systems.
Lisa-Marie values the creation of a safe and respectful space for individuals and families, and as such strives to maintain a culturally safe and inclusive environment for her clients.
Lisa-Marie lives is Montreal, on the traditional land of the Kanien’keha:ka people. Her heritage is Venezuelan originally, she attended many years of french school in Quebec, and she grew up in California.
Nicky is a Certified Child Life Specialist with her Master's degree from McMaster University in Child Life and Pediatric Psychosocial Care. She has worked with a variety of organizations supporting children and youth across Ontario, such as Dr. Jay Children’s Grief Centre and Camp Oochigeas. She helped create and facilitate the children's bereavement group at The Nightingale Centre for Grieving Children, Youth and Families in Guelph, Ontario. And she provides in-home support to grieving children, teens and families as a HUUG counsellor through Heart House Hospice's 'Help Us Understand Grief' program. Nicky is passionate about supporting children and families experiencing significant life changes and losses, through serious illness and death. She uses play and creative activities to provide children with an emotional outlet to explore the changes in their lives. Nicky practices in Toronto.
Liz, in her role as Family Liaison Coordinator with the Office of the Chief Coroner and Ontario Forensic Pathology Service for the past 9 years, has been interacting with and supporting families who have experienced the sudden unexpected death of a family member, often interfacing with police, first responders and last responders during these tragic events. Prior to this Liz was a pioneer in the child life profession, advocating for children and families as a Child Life Specialist in the healthcare environments.
Liz holds a diploma and honours degree in Early Childhood Education, a Master of Education, and a Master of Counselling Psychology. She is a Registered Psychotherapist (Q), Child Life Specialist, a Registered Early Childhood Educator and a certified trainer in Compassion Fatigue and the FBI Officer Resilience Training Program.
Neal is a Registered Social Worker, who has dedicated himself to youths, adults and families in order to empower them to live with confidence, honesty and connection. With more than 14yrs of clinical and practical experience, Neal has been able to lend a “voice” to those individuals or family members, who are in crisis, who feel silenced, or who require a sympathetic ear. Neal’s training is broad. He completed his Bachelor of Education prior to earning his Master of Social Work Degree, then taught for 10yrs at several junior high institutions in Toronto. Neal strives to create a safe environment for all of his clients so that they can receive the utmost benefit from his therapy sessions. Neal practices in Thornhill.
Emily Starratt is a Registered Social worker and completed her Master of Social Work at Wilfrid Laurier University. Emily is experienced in providing therapy and support to children, youth and families focusing on grief, loss, parent skill building and attachment. Emily informs her practice with Attachment Theory and Solution-Focused Therapy.
Emily works with parents and children to strengthen their attachment, and work towards meeting your child, youth and family’s goals of mental wellness; pulling from her experience working with children and youth in the school board, hospice, cancer support centre and community children’s mental health organizations. Emily has recently completed the Children’s Grief and Bereavement Certificate and the Circle of Security attachment training. She practices in London, ON.
Joelle is a Registered Social Worker with a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Toronto. For over 20 years Joelle has worked with diverse young people, adults, couples, families and communities in community mental health settings, camps, public and independent schools, and independent practice. She has experience in crisis response, group facilitation, clinical supervision, designing and leading professional development and parenting workshops.
Joelle’s counselling practice is informed by the Narrative Therapy model and also draws upon Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Mindful and
Self-Compassion practices. Joelle is a passionate mental health advocate who develops strong and effective partnerships that build on the innate skills and knowledge people of all ages have to navigate challenges in their lives. Her approach is warm, relational, collaborative and strengths-based. Joelle practices in Toronto.
Michelle is a Registered Social Worker with a Masters degree from Wilfred Laurier university. She has over 10 years of experience supporting individuals, couples and families to navigate through transitions in a way that reconnects with their inner strengths and leads to feeling whole again. She is passionate about providing therapeutic support and comes to her clients with a breadth of experience from a number of community-based organizations.
A central focus of her practice has been in grief and loss support both individually and in group counselling sessions. Michelle has helped numerous clients journey through their grief to create space for healing, while still honouring their connection to those who have died. She is empt at supporting caregivers to adjust to the challenges of their loved ones health issues while dealing with their feelings of anticipatory grief. She also had the privilege of working at a cancer clinic counselling oncology clients and their families at all stages of the cancer journey to find hope for wellness.
After her own journey into motherhood she has formed a passion for helping families with the adjustment to parenthood. She has specialized training in counselling prenatal and postpartum parents in a variety of challenges such as birth trauma, loss and infertility. Michelle strives to understand her clients' experience through trauma informed lenses and uses various therapy modalities including Narrative, EMDR, CBT, and Mindfulness to promote positive change. Her clinical skill, gentle approach and genuine care supports clients to deepen their connections with themselves, their loved ones and their community. Michelle practices in Penticton, British Columbia.
Tracy is a Registered Psychotherapist and grief counsellor specializing in person-centered and mindfulness-informed approaches to supporting individuals and families living with life-limiting illness or grieving a death. Tracy’s experience includes residential and community support for The Dorothy Ley Hospice and Philip Aziz Centre for Hospice/Emily’s House. She has worked with palliative care teams at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and the Scarborough Health Network, where she supported individuals and families navigating medical assistance in dying (MAiD). Tracy is passionate about helping adults and children discover their strength, resilience and capacity to heal after loss. Tracy practices in Toronto.
