Our Mental Health Professionals

Adrien Tempier, BSc, MSc, MSc

Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

Adrien has over ten years of international clinical experience in hospitals, community agencies, and private practice, and has recently returned from the United Kingdom. He is currently a registered psychotherapist (qualifying) and provides sessions under supervision at the Ebb Therapy Group in Ottawa.

Adrien aims to create a compassionate and safe space for clients to share their lived experiences. His practice employs an integrative scientist-practitioner approach, meaning that while he critically reflects on and draws from research evidence to inform his practice, he also stays close to clients’ lived experiences with curiosity and empathy. He helps clients understand the patterns, thoughts, and feelings they have toward themselves and others by exploring how these were formed through past and present relationships. This enables clients to reduce their distress, gain more control over their lives, and develop more meaningful relationships.

Adrien trained in counselling psychology and psychotherapy in both Canada and the United Kingdom, which has broadened and enriched his practice. Following graduate training in neuroscience, he sought a more holistic method of clinical practice that individualizes interventions to match the body-psycho-social-spiritual needs of clients. He specializes in humanistic, transpersonal, existential, relational psychoanalytic, neuroaffective, and cognitive behavioural approaches. He also draws from treatment interventions based on dialectical behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing to support clients’ needs and goals.

Adrien provides therapy in both English and French.

Amira Nazarali, MSW, RSW

Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist

Amira is a Registered Social Worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, and a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers. She approaches counselling from humanistic and existential perspectives, which means that she views clients as innately having the inner resources to confront challenges, gain insight into themselves, pursue their self-determined goals, and create greater meaning and purpose in their lives.

Amira sees her role as providing clients with support, some appropriate tools, and an enabling environment for them to engage in their own individual process of growth. She strives to approach her clients with warmth, empathy, acceptance, authenticity and an appreciation of the uniqueness of every individual’s lived experience in the world.  She believes strongly in collaborative, anti-oppressive and trauma-informed practice.

To best suit the individual needs of each of her clients, Amira draws upon a range of approaches and therapeutic models. These include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Approaches and Positive Psychology. She is open to working with clients of all ages, but has specific experience working with youth and young adults as they grapple with concerns such as depression, anxiety, social and interpersonal challenges, academic and workplace stress, and as they navigate personal identity, life changes and adjustments.

Amira completed her graduate degree in social work at the University of Toronto. She also holds a graduate degree in public health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the UK, with a specific interest in equity and social determinants of physical and mental health. Before her counselling role, she spent time working in the global health and humanitarian assistance field.

Katherine Marr, MA, CCC, RP

Registered Psychotherapist

Katherine believes that human beings are beautifully complex and perfectly imperfect. In her work, she strives to help people reduce their sense of overwhelm, increase their sense of belonging, find freedom from suffering, improve their relationships with themselves and others, and enhance their overall quality of life.

Katherine has been working in the mental health and social services field for over twenty years, primarily within the child, youth, and family services sector. She began her career as a child and youth care worker and program coordinator in schools, community agencies, youth mental health treatment centers, and detox and addiction recovery programs. Since 2011, she has been practicing counseling and psychotherapy in Ottawa, expanding her work to include adults of all ages, managing mental health services, and providing clinical supervision to other therapists.

Katherine holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology from the Adler School of Professional Psychology in Vancouver, B.C. She is a Registered Psychotherapist (RP) with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) and a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA). Additionally, Katherine is a Certified Yoga Therapist with the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT), a mindfulness and meditation teacher, and is nearing completion of her practitioner training in Somatic Experiencing with Somatic Experiencing International.

In her work with children, youth, and their families, Katherine relies on her foundational training in Adlerian psychology and incorporates various approaches, including Emotion-Focused Family Therapy, Family Systems Theory, Collaborative Problem Solving/Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS), Nonviolent Communication (NVC), Positive Discipline, and Positive Youth Development. Most recently, she completed her training as a Forest and Nature School Practitioner with the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada. When working specifically with children, Katherine integrates nature, movement, and art forms into a playful and engaging therapy process.

Marwan Abou Diwan, MSW, RSW, Psychotherapist

Clinical Manager, Centre of Couples and Relationships.

Marwan A. Diwan is an internationally educated social worker who holds a Master’s degree in Social Work and Educational Counselling, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Religious Sciences. He also has a Master’s degree in Living Languages/Translation and offers counseling services in English, French, Arabic, and Spanish. Additionally, he provides clinical consultation and supervision to other clinicians in the community.

Marwan is experienced in working with adult individuals and groups dealing with a wide range of emotional and psychological issues. His areas of specialty and interest include interpersonal relationships, depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues, trauma/PTSD, grief and loss, chronic mental health and Refugee and Vulnerable Newcomers, LGBTQ+, People living with HIV and identity-related issues.

Marwan is trained with a range of therapeutic models including, Humanistic approach, Narrative Therapy, EMDR, Hypnosis, Drama Therapy, etc. In collaboration with the individuals, he works with, Marwan tailors a personal care plan to assist individuals in returning to a place of health, ease, balance and comfort. Marwan work is person-centred and strength-based and respects everyone for who they are and who they want to become. Marwan’s working philosophy is that the individual’s inner and external resources are the main drives for their recovery and will help them in achieving meaningful change in their life.

In his home country, Lebanon, Marwan has combined his clinical counselling work with other professional activities with the Danish law enforcement agencies in the fields of anti-radicalization, communication, leadership, and other soft skills areas.

Nancy Al Kayal, M.A., C. Psych

Certified Psychologist

Nancy is a psychologist registered with both the Ordre des Psychologues du Québec and the College of Psychologists of Ontario.

She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in educational psychology, a master’s degree in clinical psychology, and a diploma in mediation, along with various certifications. Her therapeutic approach is integrative, blending Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cue-Centered Therapy (CCT), Art Therapy, Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT), mindfulness techniques, and methods from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Gottman therapy, and psychodynamic therapy.

Fluent in French, Arabic, and English, Nancy offers therapy in all three languages to individuals, couples, and families of all ages. She believes that everyone deserves to feel safe and comfortable, which helps them focus on their well-being, navigate personal challenges, and promote personal growth.

Sierra Bridgwater, MA, RP

Registered Psychotherapist

Sierra uses a warm, empathetic, and client-centred approach in her work. She aims to create a supportive space to empower clients throughout their therapeutic journey while helping them identify and achieve their unique goals. She holds a compassionate, non-judgemental space to allow clients to feel cared for and validated.

Sierra tailors her therapeutic approach to meet each client’s needs. She uses an integrative person-centered approach which draws on various modalities from Psychodynamic Therapy, Attachment-based therapy, Narrative therapy, and Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFCT). Along with these modalities, she uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) tools and Mindfulness-based techniques.

Sierra is experienced in working with adult individuals ages 18 and over, as well as couples. Her areas of experience include working with interpersonal relationships, relationship conflict and communication issues, trauma/ PTSD, grief and loss, anxiety, depression, stress, and self-esteem. Sierra is an LGBTQ2S+ positive counsellor and aims to honour the experience of all her clients.

Sierra received her Master’s degree in Counselling and Spirituality with a specialization in Couple and Family Counselling from Saint Paul University and her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Carleton University. She is also a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO).

Sophie Jolicoeur-Bécotte, BMT, MT-BC, MTA.

Music Therapist

Sophie Jolicoeur-Bécotte is a Music Therapist–Board Certified (MT-BC) and holds an Honours Bachelor of Music Therapy with a Minor in Psychology from Wilfrid Laurier University. She has also completed advanced levels in vocal performance and piano through the Royal Conservatory of Music. In addition, Sophie has completed training with the International Neurologic Music Therapy Training Institute. This strong academic, clinical, and musical background equips her with a deep understanding of the therapeutic benefits of music, particularly in mental health settings.

As a compassionate and skilled music therapist, Sophie uses the power of music to support mental health and emotional well-being. She has experience providing music therapy in various settings, including adult mental health services and special education classrooms. Sophie’s approach involves creating a safe, supportive space where clients can explore their emotions and experiences through music, fostering healing and growth. At The Counseling Group, she offers specialized music therapy sessions designed to help individuals navigate challenges, reduce stress, and improve overall mental health. If you or a loved one are seeking a personalized and innovative approach to mental health support, connecting with Sophie could be the first step toward a more balanced and fulfilling life.

No musical experience is needed — just an open heart!

Stephanie Wolfert, MSW, RSW

Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist

Stephanie’s work with clients is collaborative, client centered and non-judgmental. She strives to create a safe and comfortable space for clients to identify and reach their goals. Stephanie supports clients in exploring challenges they face and moving towards their goals. She uses approaches including Dialectical Behaviour, Cognitive Behavioural, Narrative, Solution-Focused therapeutic modalities. Counselling with Stephanie involves components such as goal setting, psychoeducation, curious exploration, action planning, processing, reframing and mobilizing resources.

Stephanie holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work and is a Registered Social Worker in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers & Social Service Workers.

Svetlana Kozevnik, MSW, RSW

Registered Social Worker

Svetlana has over 15 years of experience as a social worker in various departments within hospital settings in Israel and in Canada, where she has provided support to families, youth at risk, and individuals experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV).

Her goal is to create a warm, safe, and non-judgmental space, fostering self-awareness as a therapist. She offers a supportive environment where clients can share their stories and feelings openly and has experience in helping clients navigate community services suited to their needs.

Trilingual in Russian, English, and Hebrew, Svetlana bridges language gaps effectively. She holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Social Work from Bar-Ilan University and is a registered social worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, as well as a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers.

Valerie Repta, MA, MSW, RSW

Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist

One of Valerie’s greatest strengths is her ability to connect with other people, understanding their perspective, to create a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship. In this warm and nonjudgmental atmosphere, Valerie works with clients to develop a toolbox of strategies to support them toward their goals. Additionally, she extends her expertise by offering clinical consultation and supervision to other clinicians in the community.

Valerie has taught mindfulness since 2004 and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) since 2010 which remain a cornerstone of her practice. She uses mindfulness to increase awareness, acceptance, and self-compassion, and to support mental health when shown to be effective. She also draws on dialectic behaviour therapy, emotionally-focused therapy and interpersonal therapies. Valerie has been working in the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy program since 2018 providing cognitive behavioural therapy to people dealing with anxiety, depression, panic, avoidance, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and trauma including treating PTSD. She works with individuals of all ages, including children, adolescents, adults, and families. She values diversity in all of its forms, including working with people from marginalized communities.

Valerie holds a Master’s Degree in Psychology (neuroscience), in which she studied the effects of mindfulness on health and well-being. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work. She is a member of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and the Ontario Association of Social Workers.