Please feel free to check out my resume below. It contains slightly more detailed information than my hard-copy resume and you can use the buttons below to jump to the section that interests you the most!
Career Goals
- Contribute to mainstream mental health’s shift from a medical model to a recovery and trauma-informed one.
- Increase the accessibility, availability, and effectiveness of community mental health and wellness supports.
- Advocate for those who struggle with adverse mental health experiences, addiction, or maintaining wellness.
- Promote public awareness and aid in public education surrounding mental health recovery and wellness.
- Use personal experience and professional recovery-focused training and education to support the above.
Skills Overview
- Group facilitation and leadership
- Recovery and peer-based program development
- Trauma-informed care and peer support
- Anti-oppressive, intersectional feminist concepts
- Fluent in English and advanced in French
Qualifications Outline
- Intentional Peer Support (IPS) Core Training
- Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) Facilitation
- Like Minds Peer Support Training
- Pathways to Recovery Facilitation Training
- Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
Relevant Employment Experience
Support Group Co-Facilitator (Contract)
Women’s Support Network of York Region
February 2020 – March 2020
- Worked with other facilitators and counsellors to develop, propose, and run a new peer-based drop-in program.
- Developed and facilitated DBT skills and art hive workshops in the community for survivors of sexual violence.
- Worked within the organization’s integrative, feminist, trauma-informed, anti-racist, anti-oppressive perspective.
- Managed group dynamics ensuring participant’s engagement and promoting a safe and supportive environment.
Volunteer Training Co-Facilitator (Periodic Contracts)
Women’s Support Network of York Region
January 2019, June 2019, October 2019, and June 2020
- Worked with the other co-facilitator to deliver an integrative, anti-oppressive, anti-racist, feminist, and trauma-informed training for the incoming volunteers who would be working on the sexual violence crisis line.
- Collaborated with the other co-facilitator to balance each other’s strengths and interests to present the program.
- Supported participants in creating a safe and supportive environment, though activities, guidelines, and discussion.
- Updated the training’s handouts and content to be more helpful, anti-oppressive, anti-stigma, and support-focused.
Peer Support Intern & Trainee (Contract)
Peer Recovery Education Program (PREP) at the Krasman Centre
November 2018 – April 2019
- Training focused on intentional peer support principles, fostering a critical perspective of the mental health system, as well as the personal and systemic factors that support recovery.
- Worked with other experienced peer supporters to open, close, and run the drop-in for a diverse population.
- Supported visitors in crisis and provided personal care supplies and emotional support as desired by visitors.
- Reminded visitors of the drop-in comfort agreement and strove to keep the drop-in as safe as possible for all.
Mental Health Blogger and Podcaster (Self-Employed)
My Bitter Insanity at www.mybitterinsanity.com
September 2017 – April 2019
- Wrote blog posts on various mental health and illness topics, based mainly on personal experience.
- Published podcast episodes with varied guests and topics within mental health, illness, and wellness.
- Aimed to create content to raise awareness, while also promoting destigmatization and open conversation.
- Ran social media and marketing campaigns to help promote the blog and podcast and their published works.
Volunteer Experience
Planning Committee Member
Take Back the Night York Region
July 2019 – Present
- Worked with members of community agencies to organize this anti-gender-based violence protest march and rally.
- Developed a website redesign as well as marketing and branding materials with support from the committee.
Crisis Line Volunteer
Women’s Support Network of York Region
September 2018 – July 2020
- Provided confidential support on the crisis line using a feminist, trauma-informed, anti-oppressive approach.
- Trained in supportive listening, safety planning, crisis intervention, trauma neurobiology, anti-human trafficking, and anti-domestic violence approaches to support survivors of abuse and/or sexual violence.
Support for Depression Group Co-Facilitator
CMHA of York and South Simcoe
November 2018 – November 2019
- Co-facilitated weekly peer-based support group for a diverse group with a variety of mental health experiences.
- Introduced topics during groups and guided the conversation to allow everyone a chance to speak.
- Maintained confidentiality and anonymity of members while balancing an organizational duty-to-report policy.
- Along with co-facilitators, opened, closed, and kept in order the office for the after-hours group session.
Training & Certifications
Peer Support Core Competencies Training – Centre for Innovation in Peer Support – pdf
December 2021
Mental Health First Aid (Standard) – Mental Health Matters – pdf
June 2021
Intentional Peer Support Core Training – Intentional Peer Support – pdf
September 2020
Like Minds Peer Support Education – Krasman Centre (PREP) – pdf
June 2019
Pathways to Recovery Facilitator Course – Krasman Centre (PREP) – pdf
June 2019
Anti-Oppression and Anti-Discrimination Education – Across Boundaries (PREP) – pdf
June 2019
Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) Facilitation Training – Krasman Centre (PREP) – pdf
April 2019
safeTALK Suicide Alertness for Everyone – Gerstein Centre (PREP) – pdf
January 2019
Crisis Intervention Training – Gerstein Centre (PREP) – pdf
January 2019
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) – CMHA of York and South Simcoe – pdf
October 2018
General Training on Human Trafficking for Service Providers – MCIS Language Solutions – pdf
June 2018
Post-Secondary Education
Bachelor of Community Mental Health (Part-time; In Progress)
Seneca College
September 2018 – Present
- Honours degree program which focuses on interventions based on the social determinants of health.
- Learning to challenge the status quo, identify problems, create solutions, and support community mental health.
- Gaining a foundation of knowledge in social determinants and explore courses in health science, trauma informed practice, psychology, and social work from both a practical and theoretical standpoint.