Growing up, both of my parents were teachers. There were no hiding report cards from them; they were distributing them to their students the same day! I saw the late night marking, and endless hours of planning and I was determined to never be a teacher myself. Then, in high school, I had a teacher that made a difference. This teacher pointed out strengths to me that I didn’t know existed. This teacher took interest in my life outside of the 57 minutes a day I spent with them. This teacher treated their students with unconditional positive regard. I was hooked. I wanted to reciprocate this feeling to future teenagers in my classroom. I learned from this teacher that everyone is someone, and I wanted to instill that sense of self confidence and pride in my own students one day. 

I began teaching high school in a rural environment and then moved to teaching in a specialized program in the city, and from there into English and Social Studies high school classrooms and back to a specialized program. Regardless of my teaching assignment, one thing remained true – forming relationships was the key to supporting students and their success. Sometimes their success was academic and sometimes it wasn’t. I learned that school does not define a student and teenagers are people with full lives and identities outside of the classroom, regardless of their writing or reading ability. I found myself getting more and more involved in teacher supervising extra curricular groups such as eco club, social justice club, queer straight alliance club, girls group, muslim student association and the jewish student association. This helped me to strengthen connections with students and make a difference in our school community. 

As I continued to see teaching through a more holistic lens, I began gravitating towards counselling. I found myself interested in attending mental health and emotional well being professional development opportunities through work and decided to take the risk and apply for grad school. Now, I find myself in practicum for the last portion of said grad school! For the last two years I have worked as a high school guidance counsellor working in academic and mental health counselling. This change in position has allowed me to continue my passion for supporting students through a holistic lens. By participating in a practicum with This Human Thing Inc. outside of the school system I am excited and honoured to be exposed to a different work environment and observe and learn new skills that I can use to support my future students and individuals in my own private practice in the near future.

What I’ve Done

• Master’s of Educational Psychology (almost done!)
• Trained in A Risk to Others/Violent Threat Risk Assessment – Level 1 and 2
• Attended Supporting the Anxious Mind with Children and Adolescents Conference facilitated through Jack Hirose by Dr. Caroline Buzanko
• Certified in ASIST Suicide Prevention
• Certified in First Aid CPR/AED Level C 
• Completed Bade #1 – Intro to Trauma and Trauma Sensitive Practice and Pedagogies in Schools of the Trauma Informed/Sensitive Pedagogy and Practice microcredential through the University of Regina
• Certified in Standard Mental Health First Aid 
• Completed the Indigenous Canada course offered through the University of Alberta 
• Participated in the Jody Carrington Kids these Days Online Course
• Attended Proven Practical Interventions for Challenging Behaviours in Children and Adolescents Conference facilitated through Jack Hirose by Dr. Jay Berk
• Completed the following Insights to Behaviour Training Modules: Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorder, Improving Learning and Independence, Assessing, Treating and Responding to Problem Behaviours and Introduction to Applied Behaviour Analysis
• Bachelor of Education 

What I’m Doing

• Practicum for Master’s of Educational Psychology
• Individual and group counselling with Ila Wenaus and Kellsey Calhoon
• Just finished reading: Becoming the One by Sheleana Aiyana and currently working through the journal that accompanies the book 
• Currently reading: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel A. van der Kolk and The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters – I usually like to have a non-fiction and fiction book on the go; I believe I gain knowledge and wisdom from both. 

What I’d Love To Do

• Healing Trauma and Addiction for Individuals and Families Course by Dr. Gabor Mate
• Somatic Experiencing Training
• Internal Family Systems (IFS) Training
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Training
• Trauma-Informed Dialectical Behavioural Therapy Training
• Yoga Therapy Training
• To Read:
  • The Myth of Normal by Dr. Gabor Mate
  • The Anxious Generation by Jonothan Haidt
  • Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

As a fellow person searching for meaning and connection through this world. I participate in the following to aid my own healing and growth:

• • Client of 4 years of therapy with a CBT based psychologist
  • Client of massage therapy and reiki therapy
  • Client of chiropractic and acupuncture therapy 
  • Participant in yoga and meditation retreats
  • User of the Waking Up App to learn and practice mindfulness
  • Member of a local Hot Yoga studio
  • Participant in therapeutic groups at This Human Thing 
  • Reader of a variety of non fiction books to broaden my awareness and understanding of the world around me and the people within it (most transformative reads so far have been My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menakem and Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga)
  • Wanderer of the prairie landscapes both urban and rural
  • Explorer in journaling, found art and beading 

• Student Therapist
• High School Structured Environment Program Teacher (working with teenagers on the spectrum of Autism and/or other mental health diagnosis’)
• High School English and Social Studies Teacher
• High School Transitions Program teacher
• High School Guidance Counsellor