Keynote Speaker: Rachel Yehuda, Ph.D., Vice Chair of Psychiatry, and Professor of Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Rachel Yehuda, Ph.D. is a Professor and Vice Chair of Psychiatry, and Professor of Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She is also the Mental Health Patient Care Center Director at the Bronx Veterans Affairs. She has published several hundred scientific papers and compiled over 10 books examining diverse aspects of traumatic stress, and has studied PTSD and resilience in combat veterans, survivors of genocide, interpersonal violence and terrorism, as well as in animal models. Her work has focused on neuroendocrinology, neuroimaging, genomic and molecular biological studies of trauma, experimental therapeutics (pharmacological and psychotherapy trials), biomarkers, genetic and epigenetic heritability, gender differences, and suicide.
Sarah Connolly, RSW, MSW, CTIC, Adventure Therapist & Yoga Instructor
Sarah is experienced in working with all ages
From a young age Sarah was inspired by the transformative nature of the wilderness and adventure experiences in her own life as well as in the lives of others. This interest sparked a lifelong connection to nature and a commitment to fostering the health and resilience of individuals, families and communities. Inspired by the powerful and inherent nurturing force of nature through the connection of the body, self and others, she continues to be passionate about facilitating adventure experiences that cultivate personal discovery and social change. Sarah has spent the last 10 years leading and facilitating wilderness and adventure therapy experiences with youth with addiction and mental health concerns, and women who are survivors of violence. As an Aboriginal (First Nations, Metis, and Inuit) mental health counselor at White Owl Native Ancestry in Kitchener, Ontario, Sarah came to appreciate the value of a holistic approach in addressing issues connected to trauma, addiction and mental health and carries this forward in her work today. Sarah graduated with an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Guelph and has a Masters of Social Work from the University of Windsor.
Prior to her work as a trauma therapist at the Attachment and Trauma Centre for Healing (ATTCH), Sarah was the Outward Bound Canada Coordinator at Portage Ontario, a residential treatment centre for youth with addictions. During this time, Sarah facilitated wilderness and adventure experiences including multi-day dogsledding, canoeing, rock climbing, and hiking trips as well as day programs for groups of 4 to 40 people. Sarah also practices as a Therapist in the School-Based Program at Pathstone Mental Health in St. Catharines, Ontario. Sarah has been a sessional instructor at Brock University where she taught Adventure-Based Learning in Recreation. As a yoga instructor, Sarah finds the healing power of mind-bodywork and integrating sensory and somatic experiences to be an important part of her approach to therapy.
Sarah specializes in working with children, youth and families facing challenges connected to trauma, attachment, grief and loss, mental health and addictions. Sarah utilizes Narrative Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) techniques, mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy, self-compassion, attachment-focused therapy, ecotherapy and expressive art therapy. Her clients have characterized Sarah as compassionate, grounded, non-judgmental, engaging, calming and supportive in their process of healing. She has felt fortunate to witness the journeys of personal growth and recovery through her work in various roles as a therapist, educator, advocate and facilitator.
Prior to her work as a trauma therapist at the Attachment and Trauma Centre for Healing (ATTCH), Sarah was the Outward Bound Canada Coordinator at Portage Ontario, a residential treatment centre for youth with addictions. During this time, Sarah facilitated wilderness and adventure experiences including multi-day dogsledding, canoeing, rock climbing, and hiking trips as well as day programs for groups of 4 to 40 people. Sarah also practices as a Therapist in the School-Based Program at Pathstone Mental Health in St. Catharines, Ontario. Sarah has been a sessional instructor at Brock University where she taught Adventure-Based Learning in Recreation. As a yoga instructor, Sarah finds the healing power of mind-bodywork and integrating sensory and somatic experiences to be an important part of her approach to therapy.
Sarah specializes in working with children, youth and families facing challenges connected to trauma, attachment, grief and loss, mental health and addictions. Sarah utilizes Narrative Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) techniques, mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy, self-compassion, attachment-focused therapy, ecotherapy and expressive art therapy. Her clients have characterized Sarah as compassionate, grounded, non-judgmental, engaging, calming and supportive in their process of healing. She has felt fortunate to witness the journeys of personal growth and recovery through her work in various roles as a therapist, educator, advocate and facilitator.
Adriana King B.A Psy. MACP., RP., CTIC
Adriana works with adolescents and adults
Adriana is a Registered Psychotherapist (RP), with Master of Arts Degree in Counselling Psychology, Bachelors of Arts Degree in Psychology. Intensively trained in Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) with Behavioral Tech, she is a Certified Trauma Integration Clinician (CTIC). Adriana has participated in research studying the effect street- substances in behavioural learning, has worked with multicultural populations, adolescents and adults. Experienced working with emotion dysregulation, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, Borderline Personality Disorder, PTSD, self assaulting behaviours, trauma and attachment along with other life changing events.
Adriana is fluent in both English and Spanish, and is passionate about providing clients with a balance of evidence, somatic and experiential based treatments as well as using her studies of Pranic Healing TM., where she learned practice in a comprehensive structured system of energetic medicine to cleanse, energize and balance the body’s bio-electromagnetic field. She concluded inner studies of Buddhism, 3 levels of Pranic healing techniques, including crystal healing, Super Brain Yoga TM, spiritual Loving-kindness/Bliss meditations, Arhatic Yoga and manifestation techniques such as Kryyashati and Pranic Feng shui.Adriana built in 2008 a program for mothers and babies to promote attachment, physical fitness and psychological wellbeing with the use of Latin American dancing movements and music. Adriana was appointed by Pathstone Mental Health to receive a volunteer award from the City of Niagara Falls in 2016, where she completed her clinical internship and is currently an active volunteer, has worked in case management with CMHA and is currently in clinical practice at Design for A New Tomorrow.
Adriana is fluent in both English and Spanish, and is passionate about providing clients with a balance of evidence, somatic and experiential based treatments as well as using her studies of Pranic Healing TM., where she learned practice in a comprehensive structured system of energetic medicine to cleanse, energize and balance the body’s bio-electromagnetic field. She concluded inner studies of Buddhism, 3 levels of Pranic healing techniques, including crystal healing, Super Brain Yoga TM, spiritual Loving-kindness/Bliss meditations, Arhatic Yoga and manifestation techniques such as Kryyashati and Pranic Feng shui.Adriana built in 2008 a program for mothers and babies to promote attachment, physical fitness and psychological wellbeing with the use of Latin American dancing movements and music. Adriana was appointed by Pathstone Mental Health to receive a volunteer award from the City of Niagara Falls in 2016, where she completed her clinical internship and is currently an active volunteer, has worked in case management with CMHA and is currently in clinical practice at Design for A New Tomorrow.
Aksana Kavaliova-Moussi, Music Therapist (MTA_Accredited Music Therapist), Neurologic Music Therapist - Fellow, and International Presenter
Aksana Kavaliova-Moussi is a Canadian certified music therapist (MTA-Accredited Music Therapist), Neurologic Music Therapist-Fellow, who completed her Bachelor of Music Therapy (Hons.) from the University of Windsor (Canada) and Master of Music in Music Therapy from Colorado State University. She is completing her graduate practicum for the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology program, Yorkville University (Canada), at the Attachment and Trauma Treatment Center for Healing (ATTCH).
Aksana had a private practice in the Kingdom of Bahrain for 10 years, being the only music therapist in the country, working primarily with children and adolescents with various difficulties. In July this year, she moved to Niagara region, where she started her private practice while doing her graduate placement.
Aksana is a published author and an international presenter: she presented on various topics on music therapy development, education, neuroscience of music and autism in Russia, Japan, Austria, Bahrain, Canada.
Aksana is a founding member and a Co-Chair of the Online Conference for Music Therapy (www.onlineconferenceformusictherapy.com). She served as the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Liaison for the World Federation of Music Therapy-WFMT (2011-2017), is a member of the Education and Training commission at the WFMT since August 2017, and a member of the editorial board for the “Music and Medicine” journal of the International Association for Music in Medicine.
Kelly Smith BSW, MSW
After many years as a children’s librarian, Kelly returned to her first love – the therapeutic world. She has completed all three levels of play therapy training offered through the Canadian Association of Play Therapy, has both a Bachelor of Arts (psychology) and a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Waterloo, and a Master of Social Work from the University of Windsor. She has completed six levels of training in Sandtray-Worldplay with Gisela Schubach De Domenico.
Kelly offers play therapy and sand tray therapy across the lifespan. This includesusing Theraplay with families, training parents in Filial Therapy, using child-centred therapy with young children, and sand tray therapy with teens, individuals, couples, and families. She also provides play therapy and sand tray therapy for adults with moderate to severe dementia and Alzheimer’sdisease. Special areas of interest for Kelly include trauma-informed practices, the 5 Rhythms, DBT, mindfulness, and somatic work.
Kelly’s private practice, Beyond Words: Sand and Play therapy is in Barrie, Ontario. She works with Child Therapy Torontowhere she uses play therapy with children and their families, as well as Abilities Rehab, where she provides trauma-informed counselling for motor vehicle accident victims and their families. She is president of her local social work association board, OASW Huronia Highlands. She loves sharing her passion for sand tray therapy with whomever will listen.
Kelly offers play therapy and sand tray therapy across the lifespan. This includesusing Theraplay with families, training parents in Filial Therapy, using child-centred therapy with young children, and sand tray therapy with teens, individuals, couples, and families. She also provides play therapy and sand tray therapy for adults with moderate to severe dementia and Alzheimer’sdisease. Special areas of interest for Kelly include trauma-informed practices, the 5 Rhythms, DBT, mindfulness, and somatic work.
Kelly’s private practice, Beyond Words: Sand and Play therapy is in Barrie, Ontario. She works with Child Therapy Torontowhere she uses play therapy with children and their families, as well as Abilities Rehab, where she provides trauma-informed counselling for motor vehicle accident victims and their families. She is president of her local social work association board, OASW Huronia Highlands. She loves sharing her passion for sand tray therapy with whomever will listen.