Allison Tedesco, MSW, RSW is a registered social worker with a Master of Social Work Degree from the University of Toronto. Her Master’s degree included a specialization in Gerontology. Additionally, Allison holds a Combined Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree in Gerontology and Sociology. Since 2001, Allison has worked in both hospital and community settings in the areas of Gerontology, Grief Counseling, Caregiver Support, Stroke, Aphasia, and Dementia. She completed a post-graduate certificate in Bereavement Education and Grief Counseling and has pursued continuing education in the areas of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy, Anxiety and Depression, Trauma Counseling and Acceptance Commitment Therapy.

Prior to joining the Social Work Consulting Group, Allison worked as a Manager at the Aphasia Institute, where she supported a multi-disciplinary team to provide programs and services for people impacted by aphasia, post-rehabilitation. In this role, Allison provided psycho-social assessments, working collaboratively with Speech Language Pathologists, facilitated caregiver support and education groups, and provided individual counseling to people with aphasia, using ‘Supported Conversation’ techniques, and to family members of those living with aphasia. During her time at the Aphasia Institute, Allison designed a provincial support and education workshop for family members of individuals with aphasia called, ‘Path to Resilience’, provided professional education to Health Care Professionals in counselling for individuals with aphasia, and played a pivotal role in the organization’s successful accreditation process. Before becoming a social worker, Allison worked as a Research Assistant at Baycrest Hospital and Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. Allison is co-author and presenter of various academic papers and presentations on topics including ‘having therapeutic conversations with people with aphasia’, ‘supporting emotion for people with aphasia’, and ‘use of self’.

Allison works from a strength-based, client-centered, eclectic approach, incorporating grief and trauma counselling, Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Acceptance Commitment Therapy.