Your Trainers

The Your Health Space team consists of trainers from across Ontario who bring with them decades of experience working in health care, education, 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.”

Nancy, Senior Manager, Learning and Development

“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

“With an extensive career spanning over 13 years in frontline roles within youth justice, homelessness, mental health, substance use, and developmental services, I have garnered invaluable experience in navigating the complexities of these fields. Throughout my journey, I have actively engaged with individuals experiencing various forms of trauma, both directly and indirectly.

I am dedicated to promoting environments that prioritize mental health and safety, ensuring the well-being of individuals and fostering resilience within professional settings.”

Christina, Regional Coordinator & Trainer (Toronto and Eastern Ontario)

“I am a certified adult educator with a passion for creating learning organizations that foster psychologically safe workplaces. My goal is to build a culture of trust and genuine connection where people feel safe to engage in open dialogue to learn and grow together to cultivate healthy happy employees and thriving organizations. I am a Certified Psychological Health and Safety Advisor and I hold a Master of Arts degree in Leadership with self-directed studies in Psychological Health & Safety in the workplace, Organizational Change, Coaching, Emotional Intelligence, and Facilitation.”

Jennifer

“I am a registered Social Service Worker and Certified Psychological Health and Safety Advisor with an educational background in community mental health and addictions. I’ve spent the last 15+ years supporting individuals and families through mental health, suicide, addictions, crises, and trauma. I am passionate about inviting and empowering others to foster a deeper sense of community and health through the lens of equity, diversity, and inclusion. I advocate and champion the creation of healthier spaces through continuous learning, compassionate understanding, and a constant, committed conversation around positive challenge for change.”

Rachael

“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, Project Coordinator & Trainer

“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, Project Coordinator & Trainer

“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

“While working in various roles within the not-for-profit and education sectors over the past seven years, my passion for mental health promotion and education was solidified. My approach as a Community Support Worker and Mental Health Educator was to foster an open and supportive dialogue by using a holistic and strengths-based modality. This created a safe space where individuals and groups can discuss the realities of mental health and the inaccurate perceptions and stigma surrounding mental illness, with the hopes of empowering each of us to take care of our mental health and support those who need it most.”

Patricia

“I am dedicated to helping health care providers find ways in which to prioritize their own wellbeing, having worked in harm reduction and primary maternity care for over a decade. I have learned a lot about the self-work required in order to be able to show up for others in a caring profession and am honoured to continue to help others in this capacity.”

Gillian

“As an active mental health facilitator, I have several years of front-line experience in working with youth, adults, and families in a variety of settings. This experience has contributed to my passion for mental health education as well as a strong belief that everyone can learn to recognize signs of declining mental health, both in themselves and others. I love helping people to develop the skills needed to be able to react and respond without stigma.”

Kelley

“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, Regional Coordinator & Trainer (Western Ontario)

“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, Learning Specialist & Trainer

“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, Regional Coordinator & Trainer (Northern and Central Ontario)

“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 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

“Having worked for over 20 years in the field of mental health and addictions, from acute care to community care, to prevention and health management, I have seen the importance of kindness and how it can positively impact others and myself. I enjoy recognizing the strengths in all people and work to bring those to the forefront in everyday living as well as the workplace. As a facilitator and educator, I stand firm in the assumption that everyone is doing the best they can, every day, and lead with kindness from that perspective.”

Tania

“I have been in both frontline and leadership positions in my 10+ years working in Indigenous Mental Health and Addictions in the Northwest of Ontario. My desire has and is to be involved in solutions-focused work that promotes positive community healing and growth; to see healthy and thriving organizations helping patients and clients with optimal care. My professional scope is strengths-based, client-centred, and trauma-informed care. My professional passions include knowledge exchange, systems oversight and accountability, and building capacity in others to reach their desired career goals.”

Vannessa