Kat Kova (she/her), MSc, Registered Psychotherapist
Kat is currently a PhD student of the Social and Personality Psychology Program at York University. She holds a Masters of Science Degree in Couple & Family Therapy Program from the University of Guelph, an Honours BA Degree in Psychology from York University and a Certificate in Sexuality Studies from York University. She is an Associate Member of BESTCO (Board of Examiners of Sex Therapy and Counselling in Ontario) and has completed the Sex Therapy Intensive Training at the University of Guelph. Her research has been published in the Journal of Sex Research, and she has presented her research at The International Association for Relationship Research, The Canadian Psychological Association, The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, SEXposium, and gave an award-winning talk on her research at the Canadian Sex Research Forum conference in 2022.
She is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT), Narrative Therapy and mindfulness approaches and personalizes treatment according to your specific needs and the concerns you wish to address. Kat is also trained in embodied experiential dreamwork practices, an effective treatment for alleviating suffering from trauma-related nightmares and PTSD symptoms.
Together, you will explore how your past, emotions, thoughts, beliefs and behaviours contribute to your current struggles, while exploring different ways of being that invite greater opportunity for joy, freedom, meaning, and connection. During treatment, we will focus on identifying what is within your control to change or influence, explore solutions, access information/resources, and process the past, integrating it into a more coherent and meaningful whole. Kat provides services in both English and Serbo-Croatian.
Ainur Alipkaliyeva (she/her), Registered Psychotherapist
In addition to having 20+ years of experience working with couples and individuals as a psychotherapist trained in the Gestalt approach, Ainur has also completed the Intensive Sex Therapy Training Program at the University of Guelph.
Ainur’s approach is based on a bio-psycho-social model. Ainur analyzes how individuals’ psychological boundaries, emotional responses, awareness, satisfaction of needs, the nature of their interpersonal relationships, and the influence of childhood trauma and life experiences have shaped their response patterns and belief systems. She helps clients fulfill individual potential through person-centred and experiential psychotherapy, including emotion-focused therapy.
She has experience working with clients suffering from relationship and interpersonal difficulties, abuse, trauma, severe and persistent mental disorders, and psychosomatic diseases. In addition to her individual and couple work, she has also conducted family and group psychotherapy. Ainur also provides clients with Dreamwork, in the Gestalt tradition.
Her interdisciplinary experience including her medical background (obtained a medical degree outside of Canada), professional training and years of experience with psychotherapy provides clients with comprehensive and highly skilled therapeutic care. Ainur provides services in both English and Russian.
Ivana Kolakovic (she/her), Registered Psychotherapist
Ivana is a seasoned relational, trauma-informed Gestalt psychotherapist and crisis worker. She has completed 5-years of Psychotherapy training at the Gestalt Institute of Toronto, 3-years of Somatic Experiencing training for trauma resolution (Montreal), and has a Master of Arts Degree in Women's and Gender Studies (Carleton University, Ottawa). Ivana has also completed the Intensive Sex Therapy Training Program at the University of Guelph.
She has worked deeply with people struggling with a range of emotions/experiences including grief, self-harm, suicidal ideation, anger, childhood abuse and psychosocial trauma (including war), post-immigration experiences, relationship difficulties, self-actualization, and self-esteem issues. She works from a humanistic, embodied and evidence-based framework and has additional training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and peer-based crisis response/suicide care strategies. As a supervisor, facilitator and mental health worker, she has a rich experience providing front line crisis support with the Toronto Distress Centre line, as well as National Canada Suicide Prevention line.
In her therapy sessions, she works in a gentle, honest, intuitive, and creative way, and is passionate about seeing you step into your own power and resilience and beauty. She will support you to become curious about yourself and explore - with a lot of compassion - parts of your journey/psyche that have felt shamed, scared, abused, confused, and silenced, so you can feel clarity, relief, and congruence. Her practice is trans, queer, fat and sex worker affirming, and she welcomes those who want to explore sexuality, gender identity, and alternative relationships. She provides services in English and Serbo-Croatian.
Brooke Koblinsky (she/her), Registered Psychotherapist
Brooke has completed the Master of Education in Counselling and Psychotherapy program at the University of Toronto and an Honours BA Degree in Psychology at the University of Guelph. She has previously worked as a hotline responder on the Toronto Distress Centre and Canadian Suicide Prevention Service hotlines, a research assistant completing geriatric research related to memory and mood disturbances and a job coach for young adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Brooke's approach is trauma-informed, and she has training in Emotion-Focused Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy, Gottman Couple Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and mindfulness and relaxation interventions. Brooke has completed the Intensive Sex Therapy Training Program at the University of Guelph
Brooke strives to provide you with the safety, comfort and routine that may be missing in your life. Using a non-judgmental and collaborative approach, she tailors her treatment to each of your unique needs and desires with the hope of making you feel heard and empowered. With a curious and empathic attitude, Brooke works to assist you in uncovering and using the tools already in your toolbox. She truly believes in the benefits of navigating life in pursuit of your values and focuses on helping you to explore and identity these. While your mental health is just as important as your physical health, Brooke warmly encourages you to invest time and care into fostering it and would be honoured to travel by your side on your mental health journey.
Ashlyn James (she/her), Registered Psychotherapist
Supervised by Kat Kova, RP & Ainur Alipkaliyeva, RP
Ashlyn has completed a Master of Education in Counselling and Psychotherapy from the University of Toronto, Ashlyn also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from the University of Alberta and several years of experience in the mental health field working with individuals, families and couples. She draws from past work as a family wellness coach, child and youth care worker, volunteer at the University of Alberta's distress centre, and her current research position at the University of Toronto, working in life promotion/suicide intervention. Ashlyn is also certified in facilitating peacemaking circles derived from indigenous healing practices that brings people together in a way that creates trust, respect, intimacy, good will, belonging, generosity, mutuality and reciprocity.
She has a special interest in treating people with concerns related to childhood trauma, sexuality, desire, racial identity, life transitions, complex PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Her approach includes elements of attachment theory, social justice and whole person wellness. She uses an integrative approach drawing from Emotionally-Focused Therapy, mindfulness, and Sensorimotor modalities. As a compassionate guide she ensures her approach is strength-based and trauma-informed.
As a mixed race woman her priority is building a warm, validating, trusting, judgment-free, anti-oppressive, safe space to work through your concerns. In doing so, she hopes to help you strengthen your mind body connection, grow from your struggles, heal from your traumas, and learn new coping strategies and tools.
*Ashlyn offers virtual sessions only*
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Kesla Forsythe (she/her), Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Supervised by Kat Kova, RP & Ainur Alipkaliyeva, RP
Kesla holds a Master of Education in Counselling and Psychotherapy from the University of Toronto, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Toronto Metropolitan University, and a Certificate in Addiction and Mental Health from Humber College, as well as having completed the Intensive Sex Therapy Training Program at the University of Guelph.
Kesla has training in Emotion-Focused Therapy, Compassion Focused Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, as well as Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy and Motivational Interviewing. When appropriate, Kesla draws from mindfulness meditation taught by the Toronto Mindfulness Community, including a 4-week secular program on Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for anxiety, stress, and depression, and has participated in two silent day retreats.
Kesla has extensive volunteer and professional experience supporting a diverse range of adults with mental health challenges and substance use concerns. Kesla follows a Harm Reduction framework created by people who use drugs to help clients re-imagine their substance use in a way that provides health and safety and aligns with their goals and values.
Kesla is trauma-informed and uses an attachment-based approach to help access your own insight into your current challenges, understand how your coping mechanisms developed, and guide you at your pace in developing new tools with inner child work. Kesla uses her own authenticity to be a genuine presence as you work through the healing process, gain a sense of stability, and draw out your own empowerment.
Renata Jovcevska (she/her), Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Supervised by Kat Kova, RP & Ainur Alipkaliyeva, RP
Renata hold a Master of Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University and an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree from Glendon College, York University. Renata is also a Trauma-Sensitive Yoga Instructor (Hatha and Vinyasa).
Renata has training in Solution-Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and mindfulness-based approaches. Renata has experience working with trauma and crisis survivors working within a relational and liberatory framework. She uses various grounding and relaxation techniques to help aid symptoms related to anxiety and depression and other mood-related disorders and trauma.
She integrates a socially just and culturally responsive approach in her sessions, in which she honours the unique and diverse identity narratives and life experiences each client holds. Renata tailors her sessions to meet the unique and individual needs of each client in a safe and judgment free environment and will provide you with the space and understanding that you need, and help you reach your unique personal goals in a collaborative and open-minded manner. Renata provides services in English, Spanish and Macedonian.
Laila Crawford (she/her), Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Supervised by Kat Kova, RP & Ainur Alipkaliyeva, RP
Laila has completed the Master of Education program in Counselling Psychology and Psychotherapy program at the University of Toronto. Laila has trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. She also regularly practices using Existential therapy, Acceptance and Commitment therapy, and Sensorimotor Therapy. Laila has counselled people with a diverse range of mental health, emotional and intra/interpersonal issues including, bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, suicide, familial and work conflict, anger, and cross-cultural issues. She also has extensive volunteer experience at the Distress Centres of Greater Toronto, as a crisis counsellor, since 2018.
Laila comes from a multi-ethnic and multi-religious background, which provides her with a unique understanding of various beliefs and perspectives. As such, she is skilled in holding space and engaging with folks belonging to various faith groups, religious orientations and belief systems, and folks from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
Laila believes that every person who enters therapy is capable of achieving what they are seeking. By evaluating one’s lifestyle, habits, and relationships you can achieve the self-awareness needed to understand how to make changes and truly recognize your inner potential. Laila works within a trauma informed and multicultural approach and directs therapy using an existential lens. She believes each client’s lived experiences coupled with the therapist’s openness and warmth help lead clients towards a path of self-discovery, self-healing, and most importantly self-growth.
*Laila offers virtual sessions only*
Katrina DeAngelis (she/her), Certified Life, Leadership & Executive Coach
Katrina is a certified life and executive coach with a Honours BA Degree in Psychology from York University. She has also completed a Certificate in Positive Psychology from Wilfrid Laurier University. She dedicates her free time to research multiple fields to further her understanding of growth mindsets and to help create pathways to deeper personal and professional development in individuals and within groups. Katrina has turned her natural ability and passion for harmony, collaboration and teamwork into a thriving career in life/leadership coaching and executive consulting. Katrina practices and advocates the importance of mindset, communication and curiosity which she infuses into both her coaching and her own life.
Katrina uses a multitude of tools and strategies that enhance relationships, communication, resilience and motivation, both in your professional life and personal life. Katrina focuses on how we can shift our energy and perspective on our experiences to change our story, take action and ultimately change our experience in the world. Katrina utilizes self-awareness and thought patterns to help redirect our behaviour and experience to fully engage and optimize self-development. Katrina will help you gain full clarity of your thoughts and goals, from their origins to their final destination. She will help you to turn your vision for your personal and professional goals into a reality by helping you to develop the right strategies and develop accountability.
Rachel Donaldson (she/her), Administrative Assistant
Rachel is truly the heart of our practice!
She has 6 years of administrative experience and takes care of so many different administrative tasks that allow our therapists to be able to focus on what matters most: your therapeutic treatment and progress. What drives Rachel is a passion for helping clients have the best experience possible when they reach out to us for support and she will almost always be your first point of contact when you reach out.
Rachel will support you throughout your entire experience with us, from answering your first client contact form, email, voicemail or phone call, to the intake process and booking your first appointment, providing you with account/online session login instructions, billing information and answering any questions you may have along the way.
Rachel also has an impressive diploma in Fitness and Health Promotion, but realized that her true calling was offering administrative and social media assistance to business owners and creatives who need some extra help. We are so lucky to have her as part of the team!