Bianca Sanchez, MSW, RSW, is a Registered Social Worker with a Master of Social Work Degree, specializing in Mental Health and Addictions, from the University of Toronto. She also holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from Brock University, a diploma in Addiction Studies, and a certificate in Acquired Brain Injury Rehabilitation from McMaster University. Bianca’s experience since 2018 spans hospital and community settings, with a focus on Brain Injury Rehabilitation, Geriatric Psychiatry, Concurrent Disorders, and Withdrawal Management. She is committed to continuous learning, currently expanding her knowledge in areas such as dementia care, cognitive disorders, sex therapy, family and marriage therapy, art therapy, and complex trauma therapy.

Before joining The Social Work Consulting Group, Bianca served as a case manager at St. Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton. There, she was part of a multidisciplinary team and provided comprehensive care including assessments, cognitive screening, diagnostic clarifications, medication management, risk assessment, crisis support, and group therapy for individuals over 65 with mood or cognitive disorders. Her experience includes work on Schizophrenia Inpatient Units, focusing on discharge planning and community support. At Men’s Addiction Services of Hamilton and the Brain Injury Services of Hamilton (now HIRO), she worked as a Rehabilitation Therapist. Bianca has also contributed to supportive housing projects with City Housing Hamilton.

Bianca is proficient in a wide range of therapeutic modalities, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Somatic therapy, Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (including for insomnia), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS), , Exposure and Prevention Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing. Additionally, she is currently undergoing training in the Gottman Method.

Bianca specializes in treating anxiety and mood disorders, complex trauma, marriage and family therapy, sex therapy, concurrent disorders, psychotic disorders, dementia care, and mood disorders in older adults aged 65 and above.

Carrie MacKinnon MSW, RSW is a Registered Social Worker with a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Windsor.  She also holds an Honours Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Trent University.

Prior to joining The Social Work Consulting Group in 2017, Carrie’s career had focused on working within the public sector with adults who have sustained traumatic brain injuries and their families.  With 18 years in the field, Carrie has gained extensive experience working in the community providing supportive counselling, goal-oriented service planning, community integration and education to promote independence, community engagement and improved quality of life to those living with a traumatic brain injury.

Carrie is committed to providing client focused counselling drawing upon her experience using a number of social work modalities including cognitive behaviour therapy, mindfulness, trauma-informed approaches, solution focused therapy and strength-based approaches.  In practice she focuses on supporting clients through their post-injury adjustment by providing the tools needed to maximize their recovery through counselling, education, community integration and social connection.  She is committed to promoting a collaborative approach with clients to ensure a positive working relationship to assist them through their post-injury rehabilitation.

“After completing my undergraduate degree, I had the opportunity to work with adults with acquired brain injuries.   Through this experience, I discovered a passion for helping others and was inspired to continue my education in Social Work so that I could play a greater role in creating positive change in someone’s life in the hopes of helping them overcome challenges, improving their situation, relationships and overall well-being.  Social work can play a meaningful role for those in need and provides me with a sense of purpose and personal fulfillment.”

Christine Moppett MSW, RSW is a registered therapist with a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Toronto. She also holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Peace and Conflict Studies, Psychology and Sociology from the University of Toronto. Christine has achieved a level two certification in Trauma counselling obtained through the Hinks Dellcrest Centre and has completed the EFT externship with The Ottawa Couple and Family Institute.

Prior to joining The Social Work Consulting Group in 2012, Christine focused her clinical work in supporting individuals, couples and families following trauma, brain injury, orthopaedic injury and stroke at The Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and in The Stroke and Cognition Clinic at Baycrest. In addition to her experience in rehabilitation she also has a range of clinical experience working in The Emergency department, Outpatient Women’s Health, Geriatrics, Obstetrics, and Complex care giving her a broad perspective on the challenges and crises people face throughout their lives.

Christine is dedicated to providing client-centered counselling, working together to form a collaborative working relationship and assisting clients to become strong self-advocates. Christine draws upon her experience using a combination of treatment modalities including psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, emotion focused therapy, mindfulness based stress reduction and strength based approaches. In practice she focuses on supporting clients through post-injury adjustment by providing education, community integration and counselling to maximize recovery in rehabilitation. She is committed to helping individuals understand and navigate our complex systems and guiding them to find choices that are right for them and their families.

Claire Montgomery BSW, MSW, RSW is a registered social worker with a Bachelor of Social Work from Ryerson University and a Master of Social Work from the University of Toronto. She has extensive training related to the experience and impact of trauma.

Prior to joining The Social Work Consulting Group in 2009, Claire worked at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute’s Lyndhurst Centre providing counselling to individuals who sustained spinal cord injuries.

Claire has focused her career upon working with individuals and families who are living with the aftermath of trauma. She worked at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute’s Lyndhurst Centre providing counselling to individuals who sustained spinal cord injuries. While at Lyndhurst, Claire was active in the Patient Education and Community Integration Programs. Claire has also worked in the Chronic Pain and Functional Restoration Programs at Toronto Western Hospital. Other areas of specialization Claire has focused and devoted her practice to include working with survivors of childhood abuse and women and their children who have experienced domestic violence. Through her passion for and work in the field of trauma, Claire has developed an expertise in working with people experiencing symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression and anxiety. Her focus is to be a support, resource and an advocate for people who are in the process of rebuilding their lives.

“I am passionate about helping people discover their strength, resilience and capacity to heal after loss.  I believe in working collaboratively and empathically with people facing challenges around life-changing injury, trauma, loss, and grief. I have extensive experience supporting those who have experienced a sudden and unexpected loss of a significant person in their lives to help them face the often complex and overwhelming responses that can follow. Drawing from narrative therapy, mindfulness and trauma-informed practices, cognitive behavioral therapy and attachment theory, I aim to serve as a resource and support for those facing life-altering events.”

Ellice Strikwerda MSW, RSW (she/her) is a registered social worker with a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Toronto. She also holds a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of the Fraser Valley (4th Year Dean’s List). Ellice has worked in the social work field since 2013, providing services to individuals and families, primarily in the mental health sector. She also has several years’ experience supporting individuals with various disabilities. Ellice has completed comprehensive training in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and has experience providing DBT programming, in both public and private clinic settings.

She has also completed training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Emotionally Focused Family Therapy and Emotion Focused Family Therapy (both known as EFFT), Family Therapy, and Trauma-Focused Interventions such as DBT for Complex PTSD, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Advanced Clinical Training: Working with Children/Youth Who Have Experienced Trauma. Ellice has experience providing counselling to diverse client groups, in areas such as relationship difficulties, various disabilities, adjustment to stressful events, trauma responses, and challenges in academic settings. Ellice cares deeply for her clients and is committed to continuous learning and supporting her clients in ways that work for them.

Jesse Schulman MSW, RSW is a registered therapist with a Master of Social Work degree from Yeshiva University. She also holds Bachelor of Social work Degree from Ryerson University. Jesse completed a post-graduate certificate in Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy & Cognitive-Behavioural, Trauma-Informed Therapy through the Association of Psychological Therapies. Jesse has worked in a variety of settings including the Emergency Department at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, community social services, and private practice. She has relevant experience working with clients in crisis and people impacted by trauma and injury.

Jesse draws from a variety of therapeutic modalities, including Cognitive- Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical-Behavioural Therapy and Strengths-Based Narratives to inform her practice.

Jessica Collins, BSW, MSW, RSW is a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist. She holds a Masters of Social Work degree from University of Waterloo, a Bachelors of Social Work degree from Western University, and a Mental Health and Addictions Worker diploma from Canadore College. She is a registered member in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) and the Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW).

Jessica has extensive experience working with clients experiencing mental health, brain injury, and substance use related concerns. She has worked in hospital, inpatient rehabilitation, and community settings, providing support to clients in crisis and those impacted by trauma and adversity. She has background in numerous evidence-based therapeutic modalities including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT). She is passionate about how the brain, body, and environment all intersect to form our individual experiences and strongly believes knowledge helps lead to empowerment and recovery.