Your Trainers

The Your Health Space team consists of trainers from across Ontario
who bring with them decades of experience working in health care,
advocacy, and training. They are equipped to provide your team with
psychological health and safety training and are available to facilitate
sessions virtually or in-person.

“I am a registered Social Worker and Certified Psychological Health and Safety Advisor. Over the last 15 years, I have worked to create and deliver programs to support Ontarians living with mental illness and have dedicated my career to raising awareness about mental health while engaging Ontarians to advocate for improved services as a unified group with a strong and valid voice. As the Head Trainer for CMHA Ontario’s Your Health Space, I am a strong supporter, advocate, and champion for healthy workplaces built in partnership with all members. My bio would not be fully complete without introducing my guide dog, Neesa – a beautiful red-headed golden retriever who has been by my side for the last five years doing what she loves most – guiding and making people smile.”

Nancy, Head Trainer

“For close to two decades, I’ve worked in a variety of roles in both the healthcare and developmental services sectors. In 2018, I led Canada’s first Developmental Services Agency to sign the Declaration of Commitment to Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace and have been focused on creating psychologically safe workspaces ever since.”

Greg

“Being a part of the healthcare team for the past 30 years is what motivates my passion for people. As a Registered Nurse, I worked with a high-risk population of women facing challenges, obstacles, and times of grief during some very life-altering times in their lives. Working with many different cultures helps to resonate that even within our differences, we are similar in so many ways”

Olivia

“I am a Child and Youth Counsellor who has worked in the Ottawa area for the last 15 years. My experience ranges from non-profits, hospitals, school boards, and emergency housing. My passion and expertise are within mental health promotion, facilitation, and suicide prevention. Having seen work related stress and burn out effect not only myself, but countless colleagues, I fully understand the importance of cultivating positive mental health both personally and in the workplace.”

Faron

“As a former Executive Director of a non-profit mental health agency and 20 years experience working primarily in rural and some remote communities in a variety of roles within mental health and community development, I am passionately committed to creating space and opportunity to share and generate knowledge and actionable strategies for rural teams to flourish and thrive personally and professionally while continuing to provide the vital care in our smaller communities.”

Shannon

“I have over 13 years of experience working front line in youth justice, homelessness,
mental health, substance use and developmental services. During this time, I have witnessed and experienced trauma as well as heard many stories of trauma from my clients and colleagues. As a result, I began to explore Trauma Informed Practices, Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma, Debriefing and Self Care, and had an overall strong interest to develop skills/knowledge in and promote psychological health and safety for myself, my colleagues, and my clients.”

Christina

“With designations in Kinesiology, Therapeutic Recreation, and Social Work, I have collaborated with others in Mental Health, Rehabilitation, Continuing Care, and Palliative Care programs in hospital and community settings. Corporate training positions and teaching courses in several post-secondary college programs provided different challenges for my skills. Social justice, inclusion, and equity help to steer my personal and professional compass.”

Michael

“I am a Psychotherapist and I have
been working as a Mental Health
Professional for over six years in various settings. Most recently, I had the pleasure of working with an Intensive Services Team in collaboration with the School Board and Hospitals. Currently, I also work in a multidisciplinary clinic with a team of Psychotherapists, Social Workers, Massage Therapists, Naturopaths, and Chiropractors.”

Akriti

“Since 2004, I have learned and worked in healthcare – both in-hospital and in the community. I have enjoyed my roles facilitating health education and promotion with adult learners individually, in group settings, and as a peer support group leader. For my role in training and supporting my colleagues, I was awarded the Epic Peer Leader Award from The Ottawa Hospital in 2019.”

Kim

“I worked 10 years in France as a midwife, as a trainer/digital learning specialist at university, and as a simulation trainer for diverse health care students and professionals. All these positions fit my ‘smiling-creativity’ and fulfil my daily needs to learn more and contribute to little changes in our world!”

Solène

“I am a registered nurse who integrates mindfulness and meditation practices into daily life. With over seven years of nursing experience in healthcare from community nursing, primary care in a community health centre, and care coordination in both hospital and community, I am driven towards advancing workplace mental health in the health care sector”

Sherry

“I have worked in the health and wellness education space for over a decade. My training, education and deep interests lie in developmental psychology throughout the lifespan and evidence-based mindfulness interventions. My specialty is research, design and facilitation of mindfulness and well-being programs with strategic application to specific settings and groups including education, health care, leadership, sport, performance, and social justice issues.”

Kim

“I am a registered social worker, with experience in community and health care settings in a variety of roles. Throughout my experiences, my focus has been to support community members, with an emphasis on mental health and addiction recovery and I am passionate about promoting the mental health and well-being of health care workers within their workplaces.”

Stephanie

“I am passionate about Mental Health and Wellness, as well as improving access to knowledge and support to help people navigate different systems and work towards more inclusive services and resources. As a registered Social Worker for 18 years, I have worked in health promotion, provided trauma-informed care, and facilitated various training across different sectors.”

Arifah

“I am a professionally trained, certified applied neuroscience coach, consult & trainer, mindfulness practitioner and corporate trainer, specializing with professional adults with ADHD.  My passion for compassionate leadership & mental wellbeing in the workplace came from my experiences in palliative care, home care & developmental services, in direct service delivery, leadership roles, & governance leadership roles in the not-for-profit industry.”

Sherri

“My passion is in mental health education, suicide prevention, and psychological health and safety in the workplace. As a Registered Social Service Worker, my career spans over 30 years and includes frontline, training, and leadership roles in youth justice, inpatient treatment programs, addictions, police victim services units, and mental health promotion.”

Cindy

“I have worked in acute care, primary care, and public health nursing for over eight years. More recently, I had the opportunity to do some research and leadership work with non-profits and international organizations where my interests for mentoring/training and project management further
developed.”

Nhi

“I am an occupational therapist with 25 years of experience in the areas of neurology, mental health, and knowledge translation. My professional background spans the care continuum as well as systems-level planning. For over 9 years, I was privileged to work in stroke prevention where I developed a passion for wellbeing and the links between physical and mental health”

Gwenyth

“I am a nurse with 40 years experience in a variety of settings, most recently in occupational health and infection prevention and control in two small rural hospitals. I am passionate about proactive health care and encourage everyone to care for their whole self – physically and mentally.”

Pauline

“For a decade, I have worked in Québec and Ontario in the health care sector providing medical and drug information to hospitals, pharmacies, and community clinics. I had the opportunity to educate patients and providers from diverse backgrounds and helping people is what motivates me. During the pandemic, I became an advocate and interested in the physical and mental wellbeing in adults, and especially in children.”

Zamin

“I am a psychotherapist and community educator, whose work is centered around the re-imagination and liberation of Black, Brown and Indigenous communities’ healing and wellbeing. I am dedicated to using both my educational foundation and lived experiences to offer safe spaces and psychoeducation to folks to foster greater emotional wellbeing. ”

Carine