Our Mental Health Professionals

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.

Noelia Lugones

Psychometrist

Noelia is a psychometrist with a solid academic and professional background in psychology and education. She holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Psychology, as well as a Master’s degree in Secondary and Higher Education with a focus on Psychology. In addition, she has completed a specialization in Clinical Psychodiagnostics.

Noelia has extensive experience in both academic and clinical settings. She has worked as a professor at the high school and university levels and has served as a forensic psychologist conducting psychological assessments. In her home country, she provided psychodynamic therapy to adolescents and adults, supporting clients through a wide range of emotional and psychological challenges.

In her current role as a psychometrist, Noelia specializes in the administration and scoring of standardized psychological tests. She works closely with clinical psychologists as part of the assessment process and believes strongly in the power of psychological assessment as a vital tool for understanding emotional, cognitive, and behavioral functioning—and for guiding effective, personalized interventions.

Fluent in both Spanish and English, Noelia brings a culturally sensitive, client-centered approach to her work. She is committed to fostering respect, understanding, and overall well-being in every client interaction.

Phadia Joseph, M.A, RP (Q)

Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

Phadia Joseph is a dedicated psychotherapist committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care grounded in a client-centered humanistic philosophy. She believes in the power of the therapeutic relationship as a foundation for healing and growth, providing a safe and non-judgmental space where clients can openly explore their thoughts and emotions.

Her approach integrates elements of Interpersonal Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which allows her to tailor her practice to the unique needs of each individual. Phadia focuses on fostering self-awareness, emotional understanding, and practical coping strategies, working collaboratively with clients to navigate challenges such as stress, low self-esteem, life transitions, anxiety, loss, grief, and mental health concerns.

As a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO), Phadia offers her services in both French and English.

Quinn Rivier Gatt, MSW, RSW

Registered Social Worker

Quinn has worked at Jewish Family Services (JFS) since 2016 starting as a summer student. She has had the advantage of working in many departments learning various positions to better support people within the agency.  She has experience working with seniors with cognitive impairments, vulnerable populations such as low-income Jewish individuals, children, students of all ages, adults, racialized individuals, persons with disabilities and LGBTQ2S+ community members and is passionate about working with these populations again.

Quinn is a very empathetic and energetic person who can connect with others easily. She is a great listener and observer and values diversity, believing she can learn as much from others, as they can from her. Quinn believes a therapeutic and working relationship should be collaborative, understanding, and supportive of one another.

Quinn prioritizes creating a space that is shared, free of judgment, warm, compassionate, and encouraging, where all individuals feel safe and comfortable, with an understanding that each therapeutic relationship will be different and not everything works for everyone.

Quinn works from a strength based, solution focused perspective, utilising techniques from narrative therapy, emotional-focused therapy, trauma informed therapy, and mindfulness. She believes the mind, heart, body, and spirit are all connected and must be respected during the therapeutic process. Quinn also believes societal pressures and systemic issues impact all individuals and must be taken into account when discussing personal journeys.

Quinn holds both a bachelor and a Master of Social Work, as well as bachelor’s degree in sociology and psychology. She is a registered social worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, and a member of the Canadian and Ontario Association of Social Workers. She has been working in various non-profit agencies for more than 6 years.

Rojine Sharif, MA, RP (Q)

Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

Rojine believes that an individual’s relationship with themselves is at the core of everything—shaping how they connect with work, relationships, and life as a whole. By nurturing a deep, authentic connection with who they are, individuals empower themselves to create the life they truly desire. As Carl Rogers once said, “The curious paradox is that when I accept myself, just as I am, then I can change.” Rojine understands that exploring one’s inner world can feel overwhelming, and she is here to guide others through the process.

Rojine creates a space where individuals can be themselves—free from judgment and full of possibility. In her sessions, she offers a safe, supportive environment where clients can explore their thoughts and emotions, address the barriers holding them back, and tap into their inner strength. Her mission is to help individuals navigate their journey of self-discovery and healing.

Taking a holistic and personalized approach, Rojine integrates a variety of therapeutic methods to best meet the unique needs of each client. These approaches may include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Interventions, Internal Family Systems, and Somatic Therapy.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Sociology and a Master’s in Psychotherapy, Counselling, and Spirituality, Rojine brings a solid academic foundation to her work. Her certification from The Montreal Counselling Center (CRAM) has also deepened her understanding of how individuals relate to themselves and others, enhancing her ability to guide clients toward healing and growth.

Sabine Jean, M.Ed. Registered Psychotherapist

Clinical Manager, Refugee and Vulnerable Newcomers

Sabine works in the Refugees and Vulnerable Newcomers program, providing social and insightful emotional support and counselling to address both the immediate and long-term psychological needs of refugees and newcomers. She has experience working with immigrants and has a sensitive awareness about their life experience which fosters a better understanding of their needs and focuses on building a trusting therapeutic relationship. By understanding the complexity of a migration journey, Sabine makes sure she creates a comfortable and safe environment for clients to feel supported and heard. Sabine’s strengths are practicing active listening, her unconditional positive regard and her capacity to always prioritize the client’s well-being.

Sabine uses various therapy models in her practice such as Narrative Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, elements of Play Therapy and Client Centered Therapy from a culturally sensitive perspective. Sabine has experience working with individuals and families; providing counselling in areas including depression, anxiety, grief and loss, anger management, relationship distress, migration, those who have gone through traumatic events and other life transitions. She also works with youth and children who experience difficulties in managing their emotions.

Sabine is a graduate from the University of Ottawa who has a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology and previously a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. She is a member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association and offers counselling services in multiple languages such as French, Spanish, English, and Creole.

Samantha Ledon, MA, RP

Registered Psychotherapist

Samantha believes in creating a caring and non-judgmental space where people can explore their different emotions, sensations, and thoughts that may be causing discomfort. Samantha values preserving that space where people can express their own human experiences as well as journeying together alongside her clients toward a place of meaningful change.

Samantha utilizes an integrative approach that is informed mainly by Emotionally-Focused and Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), Narrative Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Samantha also integrates an attachment and culturally sensitive perspective while also incorporating self-compassion and somatic techniques into her therapeutic work with clients.

Samantha works collaboratively with her clients to meet their needs and goals. She has experience working with individuals, couples, and families. Her interests and experiences in providing counselling services include grief, interpersonal relationships, relational conflicts, self-esteem issues, trauma, anxiety, and depression.

Samantha offers psychotherapy in both English and Spanish. She is a Registered Psychotherapist and has completed a Master’s Degree in Counselling and Spirituality with a Concentration in Couple and Family Counselling at Saint Paul University. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, and graduated from Universidad de las Américas, A.C., in Mexico City.

Sarah Alderwick, MSW, RSW

Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist

Sarah provides counselling to individuals facing a wide variety of emotional and psychological challenges in their lives. With compassion, caring and acceptance, Sarah’s strength lies in building strong therapeutic relationships with her clients.  She strives to support clients to draw from their inner strength and wisdom to help foster positive change in their lives. Sarah creates a safe and open environment to assist with a variety of challenges including anxiety, depression, interpersonal issues, domestic violence, grief/loss, and postpartum difficulties. She welcomes opportunities to work with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures and is LGBTTIQQ+ positive.

Sarah collaborates with each client, tailoring her approach to meet their therapeutic needs. Her practice draws from Narrative, Attachment, Feminist, and Cognitive-Behavioural Theories, and is Trauma-Informed. She is passionate about social justice and poverty reduction. She has worked in a variety of community settings and has extensive experience assisting clients to navigate the different social services, housing, and welfare systems.

She completed her Master of Social Work at Wilfrid Laurier University, is a Registered Social Worker in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Worker and Social Service Workers and is a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers.

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!