We Are a Network of Queer and Trans-identified Mental Health Professionals Who Serve the 2SLGBTQIA Community
Culturally affirming mental health counseling for LGBTQ individuals means working with a therapist who understands your identity as a strength, who knows the specific pressures facing queer and trans people, and who practices from a foundation of social justice rather than pathology. Umbrella Mental Health Network provides exactly this kind of care to people in Wilsonville and the Greater Toronto Area. Wilsonville is a tight-knit community where many people value connection and authenticity. If you are LGBTQ+ and living here, you may find yourself navigating the particular experience of being queer in a smaller or quieter setting - one where the therapeutic spaces you need might not feel immediately visible. That is why Umbrella brings specialized expertise directly to Wilsonville: counseling that centers your identity, your trauma history, your relationships, and your right to full personhood without apology or medicalization. The counselors and psychotherapists at Umbrella are registered professionals trained in trauma-informed care, which means they understand how oppression, discrimination, and past harm shape your mental health - and how healing happens when those root causes are named and worked with directly. They practice from anti-oppressive values, feminism, and an embrace of sexual and gender diversity that goes far beyond tolerance into genuine celebration of queer and trans life. Umbrella serves people across the full spectrum of 2SLGBTQIA experience: gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, two-spirit, queer, asexual, and aromantic individuals. Their work also reaches queer couples, chosen families, and people exploring non-traditional relationship structures including ethical non-monogamy. You might seek this counseling if you are: Because trauma and oppression are stored in the body and nervous system, not just in thoughts, the therapists at Umbrella draw on approaches grounded in how humans actually heal. They do not ask you to simply "think differently" about painful experiences. Instead, they work with your whole self - your history, your community, your identity - to build genuine safety and restore your sense of agency. Umbrella Mental Health Network offers several focused areas of expertise: What sets these services apart is their grounding in values. The clinicians at Umbrella do not operate from a medical model that treats queerness or transness as disorder. Instead, they practice from a social justice lens that recognizes mental health struggles as often rooted in real external oppression - discrimination, rejection, unsafe environments - rather than personal failure. Healing means both internal work and clarity about what is actually happening in the world around you. The first step is getting in touch. Many people feel nervous about calling or emailing a therapist for the first time. You might worry about being misunderstood, or you might not be sure what to say. That uncertainty is normal, and Umbrella's team is practiced at making that initial conversation feel manageable. When you connect with them, you will be asked about what brings you in - what you are struggling with, what you hope might be different, what your experience has been. This information helps match you with a therapist whose expertise and approach fit your needs. Because Umbrella brings together clinicians with different specializations, this matching matters: if you are navigating gender transition, you will work with someone trained in that specific territory. If you are in a polyamorous relationship, your therapist will have real expertise in non-traditional structures, not discomfort disguised as neutrality. Sessions typically happen weekly or bi-weekly, depending on what feels right for you. The process is collaborative - your therapist is not telling you what to do, but rather helping you understand yourself more deeply, recognize patterns, access your own wisdom and resilience, and move toward the life and relationships you actually want. Because the work is trauma-informed, your therapist will be attuned to your nervous system, will ask permission before exploring difficult territory, and will move at a pace that feels safe for you. What you say in session is confidential. The only exceptions are situations involving immediate danger, abuse of children or vulnerable adults, or a court order - and these limits are explained to you upfront. This confidentiality is foundational to the safety required for real healing. If you are in Wilsonville and searching for mental health support that actually gets what it means to be LGBTQ+, that does not ask you to shrink yourself or hide who you are, Umbrella Mental Health Network is here to meet you. Reaching out is an act of self-care and courage. You can contact them to discuss whether their services are the right fit for where you are right now. Yes. Umbrella Mental Health Network serves people throughout Wilsonville and the Greater Toronto Area with specialized counseling by registered psychotherapists and social workers trained in trauma-informed, culturally affirming care for LGBTQ+ individuals and families. You do not need to travel to a large city to access this expertise. Trauma-informed therapy is an approach that recognizes how past harm - including abuse, discrimination, and oppression - shapes your nervous system, emotions, and relationships. Instead of asking you to simply change your thoughts, trauma-informed clinicians help you understand and heal from those experiences so your nervous system feels safe again. Yes. Umbrella offers specialized gender and sexual identity exploration services in a non-directive, pressure-free environment. Their clinicians support people in understanding their identity at their own pace, without pushing you toward any particular label or outcome. Absolutely. Umbrella provides couples therapy for queer partnerships and specialized counseling for people in ethical non-monogamy and other alternative relationship structures. They bring genuine expertise in polyamory and relationship diversity, not just tolerance. Your first session is a conversation where you share what brings you in and what you hope might change. The therapist listens and gathers information to understand your needs, and together you explore whether their approach and expertise are a good fit for where you are right now.Lgbtq Mental Health Counseling Wilsonville
Who Benefits from LGBTQ Mental Health Counseling in Wilsonville
Core Services Available in Wilsonville
What to Expect When You Reach Out to Umbrella in Wilsonville
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there LGBTQ mental health counseling available in Wilsonville?
What is trauma-informed therapy?
Can Umbrella help with gender identity questions?
Does Umbrella work with couples and non-traditional relationships?
What happens in the first session?

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 and social workers, we understand that we have a responsibility to continuously work to decolonize the practice of psychotherapy/social work 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
(they/them)
Clinic Director/ Registered Psychotherapist
Areas of focus:
- Healthy Relationships
- Intersectional Identities
- 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
Registered Social Worker
Areas of focus:
- Food, Body, Self-Image
- Trauma
- Gender & Sexual Identity
Bushra Ahmed
MSW, RSW
Registered Social Worker
Areas of focus:
- 2SLGBTQIA+ Youth
- Exploring Neurodivergent Identities
- Impact of Oppression & Trauma on Mental Health

Clara Doucette
MA, RP (Qualifying)
(she/her)
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Areas of focus:
- Relational Styles & Attachment
- Friendships & Kinship
- Stress
Cressida Frey
MSW, RSW (she/her) Registered Social WorkerAreas 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:
- Relationships and Attachment
- Complex, Relational Trauma
- Sexuality and Sexual Health

Jesmen Mendoza
C.Psych. (he/him) Adjunct PsychologistAreas of focus:
- Complex Mental Health
- Consultation

Jett Peters
MSW Candidate
(they/them)
Student Therapist
Areas of focus:
- Gender Identity
- Relationship(s) with Food & Body
- Trauma
Kathryn Bargis
MSc, RP (she/her) Registered PsychotherapistAreas of focus:
- Relationships
- Trauma
- Gender and Sexual Identity
Maxine Bower
MSW, RSW (she/her) Registered Social WorkerAreas of focus:
- Attachment in Individuals and in Relationships
- Complex Trauma
- Deepening Connections
Nicholas Sorg
MSc, RP
(he/him)
Registered Psychotherapist
Areas of focus:
- Stress, Anxiety, and Depression
- Sexual Identity Development
- Alternative Relationships, Relationship and Family Stress
Rae Griffin-Carlson
MSW, RSW
(she/her)
Registered Social Worker
Areas of focus:
- 2SLGBTQIA+ Youth & Adults
- Stress, Anxiety & Depression
- Sexual & Gender-based Violence

Rahim Thawer
MSW, RSW
(he/him)
External Clinical Supervisor
Areas of focus:
- Identity Conflict & Shame
- Dating, Relationships, Single by Chance/Choice
- Sexualized Substance Use

Saadia Khan
BA (they/them) Administrative and Social Media Assistant
Stephanie Wu
RP, Professional Art Therapist
(they/them)
Registered Psychotherapist
Areas of focus:
- Intimate Partner Violence, Sexual Assault & Childhood Abuse
- Impacts of Oppression
- 2SLGBTQIA+ Youth & Adults







