We Are a Network of Queer and Trans-identified Mental Health Professionals Who Serve the 2SLGBTQIA Community
Our team consists of highly skilled, compassionate, radical psychologists, psychotherapists and social workers who have shared expertise in supporting and promoting health and wellness within a 2SLGBTQIA mental health framework.
Our therapeutic approach is grounded in values of feminism, social justice, decolonization, sex and kink-positivity and shapes how our therapists practice trauma-informed and anti- oppressive mental health care.
Acknowledgement
Tkaronto and the surrounding areas that we serve are within the Dish With One Spoon Territory. The Dish With One Spoon is a treaty between the Anishinaabe, Mississaugas and Haudenosaunee that bound them to share the territory and protect the land. Subsequent Indigenous Nations and Peoples, Europeans and all newcomers have been invited into this treaty in the spirit of peace, friendship and respect.
We at Umbrella recognize that the professions of psychology, psychotherapy, and social work have roots in colonial violence. As psychotherapists, we understand that we have a responsibility to continuously work to decolonize the practice of psychotherapy and acknowledge the origins of the various healing practices we utilize.
Our therapists actively engage in regular training that emphasizes professional development, team support, and sharing the current knowledge in 2SLGBTQIA mental health, to ensure the highest level of care for our clients.
Meet Our Team
Christopher Shillington
MA, CCC, RP
(he/him/they/them)
Clinic Director/ Registered Psychotherapist
Areas of focus:
- Healthy Relationships
- Intersectional Identity Exploration
- Trauma & PTSD
Andrés Gayoso Descalzi
MSW,RSW
(he/him)
Registered Social Worker
Areas of focus:
- Gender Identity & Embodiment
- Life Changes & Transitions
- 2SLGBTQIA+ Youth & Families
Aysha Natsheh
MSW, RSW
(she/her)
Registered Social Worker
Areas of focus:
- Disordered Eating
- Body Image/ Self Image
- Developmental & Complex Trauma
Clara Doucette
MA Candidate
(she/her)
Student Counsellor
Areas of focus:
- Communication & Relational Styles
- Friendships & Kinship
- Stress
Cressida Frey
MSW, RSW
(she/her)
Registered Social Worker
Areas of focus:
- Children, Adolescents and Adults
- Violence, Trauma and Healing
- Stress and Anxiety
Derek Cassidy
MSW, RSW
(he/him/they/them)
Registered Social Worker
Areas of focus:
- Gender, Sexual and Relationship Diversity
- Substance use/ PnP
- HIV and Sexual Health
Jesmen Mendoza
C.Psych.
(he/him)
Adjunct Psychologist
Areas of focus:
- Complex Mental Health
- Consultation
Kathryn Bargis
MSc, RP
(she/her)
Registered Psychotherapist
Areas of focus:
- Relationships
- Trauma
- Gender and Sexual Identity
Leslie Kirsh
MEd, RP
(she/her)
Registered Psychotherapist
Areas of focus:
- Family Therapy
- Trans and Queer Youth
- Impact of Oppression on Mental Health
Maxine Bower
MSW, RSW
(she/her)
Registered Social Worker
Areas of focus:
- Attachment in Individuals and in Relationships
- Complex Trauma
- Deepening Connections
Naaila Ali
MSW, RSW
(she/her)
Registered Social Worker
Areas of focus:
- Navigating Refugee, Newcomer & First Generation Experiences
- Gender and Sexuality
- Anxiety & Depression
Nicholas Sorg
MSc, RP(Qualifying)
(he/him)
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Areas of focus:
- Stress, Anxiety, and Depression
- Sexual Identity Development
- Alternative Relationships, Relationship and Family Stress
Nicole Zouki
MEd., RP (Qualifying)
(she/they)
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Areas of focus:
- Sexual Diversity
- Intimate Relationships
- Anxiety & Self-esteem
Rae Griffin-Carlson
MSW Candidate
(she/her)
Student Social Worker
Areas of focus:
- 2SLGBTQIA+ Youth & Adults
- Stress, Anxiety & Depression
- Sexual & Gender-based Violence
Robyn Letson
MA, MSW, RSW
(they/them)
Registered Social Worker
Areas of focus:
- Gender Identity and Transition
- Trauma
- Anxiety, Depression and Mood-related Issues
Siobhan Cassidy
MSW, RSW
(they/them/she/her)
Registered Social Worker
Areas of focus:
- Intimate Partner Violence, Sexual Violence/Rape, Narcisstic Abuse
- Mental Health, Substance use, and Harm Reduction
- Traumatic Grief and Loss
Sydney Gilchrist
MSW, RSW
Registered Social Worker
Areas of focus:
- Sexual and Gender Diversity
- Trauma and Its Impacts
- Grief and Loss