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Ottawa Assistant Team

We're so grateful to have a dedicated team of Assistants for the Ottawa training who come from a wide range of professional backgrounds, each with their own areas of specialty and expertise. Below you will find biographies for each team member, as well as information about how to connect with them and if they will be offering personal sessions or case consults over the course of the training. Please take a look over this page if you are a current student to familiarize yourself with our team.

As a trauma-informed training program, we strive to have 1 Assistant for every 4 students in the training so that you all feel supported both in your educational and emotional needs. Truly, we could not have this training without their help. 
(Lead Assistant) Nouha Ali Ahmed

(Lead Assistant) Nouha Ali Ahmed

Location: Boucherville, Greater Montreal (Quebec) / Online
Phone: 438-491-9642
Languages: English, French

Nouha is a Certified Yoga Teacher and Somatic Experiencing™ Practitioner. Her body-oriented multidisciplinary approach integrates yoga asana, mindfulness, Somatic Experiencing™ and SE™ touch to support the self-regulation of the physiological and emotional responses and build greater Coherence.

Amarylis Serrano Juarez

Amarylis Serrano Juarez

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: No
Accepting new clients in private practice: Yes

I am a registered psychotherapist and a clinical supervisor at OCISO (Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organisation). I practice with individuals, couples and families in the field of pre and post traumatic experiences.

Christelle Thibault

Christelle Thibault

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: No
Accepting new clients in private practice: Yes

Hello! I'm Christelle (they/them) - a queer, non-binary Registered Psychotherapist and SEP. I integrate experiential, somatic/embodied, parts-based and relational approaches to support clients in a collaborative, curious and compassionate way.

Gabrielle Nawratil

Gabrielle Nawratil

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: Yes, at all levels

Offering individual case consults: Yes, Beginning and Intermediate Levels

Accepting new clients in private practice: No

I’m a registered social worker and equine-facilitated mental health practitioner with a small, part-time somatic psychotherapy practice in Ottawa.

Janis Dahl

Janis Dahl

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: Yes, at the Beginning and Intermediate level
Accepting new clients in private practice: Yes

Healing transforms and liberates. We are born to heal - in our bodies, and in connection with ourselves, others and the land. I bring over 20 years of experience with communities and groups, as a facilitator, educator and collaborator.

Line Mc Carthy

Line Mc Carthy

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: Yes, at all levels
Offering case consults: Yes, at Beginning and Intermediate levels
Accepting new clients in private practice: Yes

In my Somatic Practice, I use different modalities namely Somatic Experiencing®, Transforming Touch® (TEB), co-regulating touch, yoga, movement and mindfulness. I work with a wide range of people and have a special interest in early trauma, chronic pain, chronic stress, and grief.

Rebecca Minish

Rebecca Minish

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: Yes, at Beginning and Intermediate Levels
Accepting new clients in private practice: No

I'm a Registered Social Worker (MSW), Psychotherapist, & SEP in private practice on unceded and unsurrended Algonquin land in Ottawa, ON.

Sara Coyle

Sara Coyle

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: No
Accepting new clients in private practice: Yes

Sara Coyle, M.S.W., RSW is a registered Social Worker who has experience working with children, youth, and adults using an attachment and trauma-focused lens.

Agnieszka (Aga) Forfa

Agnieszka (Aga) Forfa

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: No
Accepting new clients in private practice: Yes

Based in Tkaronto/Toronto, Agnieszka (she/her) began in front line work, including harm reduction and street outreach.

Aurela Vangjeli

Aurela Vangjeli

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: No
Accepting new clients in private practice: Yes

My name is Aurela, Ela for short. I am a registered Social Worker with the OCSWSSW (Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers).

Dana Wemyss

Dana Wemyss

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: No
Accepting new clients in private practice: Yes

Dana’s journey has always been about connecting to spirit, aliveness, and to the magic of this world.

Her own healing path, combined with a commitment to support others in healing, led her to study a blend of healing and wellness modalities.

Ivana Kolakovic

Ivana Kolakovic

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: No
Accepting new clients in private practice: Yes

Ivana is a seasoned relational, trauma-informed Gestalt psychotherapist and crisis worker.

Joanne Klassen

Joanne Klassen

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: No
Accepting new clients in private practice: Yes

I have been an SEP for about 3 years and do psychotherapy, SE and clinical consultation in my full-time private practice in Winnipeg.

Marianela Leon

Marianela Leon

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: No
Accepting new clients in private practice: Yes

Marianela initiated her career in the mental health field in her home country Venezuela. She combined her clinical counselling skills with other professional activities: a professor and social researcher of family, community, and education.

Rhonda Miller

Rhonda Miller

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: Yes, at Beginning and Intermediate levels
Accepting new clients in private practice: No

Rhonda has been practicing Art Psychotherapy since 2011.

Tracy Montgomery

Tracy Montgomery

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: Yes, at Beginning level
Accepting new clients in private practice: Yes

Tracy is a Somatic Sex Educator and Sexological Bodyworker as well as a Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner. She offers trauma-informed, body-based education to those who want to heal the wounds of sexual trauma , expand their capacity for pleasure, love and joy, or abuse or explore the intersection of sex and spirit

Ali Sauer

Ali Sauer

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: No

Cherith King

Cherith King

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: No
Accepting new clients in private practice: Yes

Professional Co-Active coach and Somatic Experience Practitioner

Evelyn Plettenberg-Smith

Evelyn Plettenberg-Smith

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: No
Accepting new clients in private practice: Yes

Evelyn (she/they) is a registered social worker and psychotherapist with a focus on trauma, neurodiversity and addiction.

James Loney

James Loney

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: Yes, at Beginning level

I have been a social worker for about seven years and I work at an Indigenous community health center in Toronto as a counsellor.

Kimberley Wideman

Kimberley Wideman

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: No
Accepting new clients in private practice: Yes

Kim is a Certified Child Life Specialist, and has successfully completed the Trauma Certificate program at Wilfrid Laurier University. Kim has also completed her training in Somatic Experiencing® with Dea Parsanishi, MEd, SEP.

Patricia Reilly-King

Patricia Reilly-King

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: No
Accepting new clients in private practice: No

Hello! I'm a Registered Psychotherapist (RP) who works in private practice. Trained in both individual and systems therapy, I work with adult individuals, couples and families.

Rose Matousek

Rose Matousek

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: No
Accepting new clients in private practice: Yes

Rose received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from McGill University and pursued advanced training at McGill Programs in Whole Person Care. She is a clinical, health, and rehabilitation psychologist registered with the College of Psychologists of Ontario.

Yoshie Martinez

Yoshie Martinez

Offering personal sessions towards SEP requirements: Yes, at the Beginning and Intermediate levels
Accepting new clients in private practice: No

Human behavior fascinates me. I have been interested in what makes us happy, angry, sad or anxious.

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