About Our Trainers
Lori Gill, B.A., M.A., (Counselling Psychology), Certified Trauma Specialist, Consultant, and Trainer Lori is experienced in working with all ages
Lori is a Psychotherapist, Certified Trauma Specialist (CTS) and Trainer, and former Psychology Professor with 15 years of experience working with children, youth, and adults. Lori currently maintains membership with the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists (OACCPP). She has experience working within various professional organizations specializing in child, youth, and adult counselling. Treatment focus areas include trauma, attachment, mental health, addictions, eating disorders, wellness, and education.
Lori has been providing trauma intervention for several years to children through to adults inclusive of individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with great success. Lori has provided trauma therapy within the following clinical settings: hospital out-patient eating disorders program, addictions counselling, foster care residential settings, in developmental services organizations, and in private practice. Single and historical trauma experiences treated varied from military involvement, abandonment, attachment, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, domestic violence, rape, women in the industry, addictions, and loss. She has worked with children ages 2+ through to adults of all ages, many of which have a history of complex trauma (more than 4 significant trauma events).
Lori is an engaging and sought after presenter and facilitates a variety of training workshops including Creating a Trauma-Informed Workplace; Trauma-Informed Child Welfare; Healing the Helper: Compassion Fatigue Prevention and Intervention; Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention; Stress; Attachment and Conscious Parenting; Eating Disorders; and Creative Counselling Approaches. Lori is a certified trainer and presenter for the National Institute for Trauma and Loss and provides the following training: Trauma and Addiction; Children of Trauma; Structured Sensory Interventions; Counselling at Risk Youth; and Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma. Allow us to create a custom training to meet the needs of your workplace, community event, or parent group.
Lori provides consultation and supervision services as well as wellness therapy for helping professionals to prevent compassion fatigue.
Follow @LoriGillMACP
Lori has been providing trauma intervention for several years to children through to adults inclusive of individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with great success. Lori has provided trauma therapy within the following clinical settings: hospital out-patient eating disorders program, addictions counselling, foster care residential settings, in developmental services organizations, and in private practice. Single and historical trauma experiences treated varied from military involvement, abandonment, attachment, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, domestic violence, rape, women in the industry, addictions, and loss. She has worked with children ages 2+ through to adults of all ages, many of which have a history of complex trauma (more than 4 significant trauma events).
Lori is an engaging and sought after presenter and facilitates a variety of training workshops including Creating a Trauma-Informed Workplace; Trauma-Informed Child Welfare; Healing the Helper: Compassion Fatigue Prevention and Intervention; Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention; Stress; Attachment and Conscious Parenting; Eating Disorders; and Creative Counselling Approaches. Lori is a certified trainer and presenter for the National Institute for Trauma and Loss and provides the following training: Trauma and Addiction; Children of Trauma; Structured Sensory Interventions; Counselling at Risk Youth; and Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma. Allow us to create a custom training to meet the needs of your workplace, community event, or parent group.
Lori provides consultation and supervision services as well as wellness therapy for helping professionals to prevent compassion fatigue.
Follow @LoriGillMACP
Cher Curshen, Dip. FA, Clinical Trauma Specialist, Expressive Arts Therapist, Consultant and Trainer, & Therapeutic Touch Recognized Practitioner
Cher is experienced in working with all ages
Cher is an Expressive Arts Therapist, Clinical Trauma Specialist, Certified Compassion Fatigue Specialist and Therapeutic Touch Recognized Practitioner, with over 15 years experience working with families, children, youth and adults. She has experience working broadly across the GTA within health and social service agencies and in school settings supporting individuals living with life limiting illness, trauma, complex and traumatic grief, anticipatory grief and loss, mental health issues such as depression and anxiety and addictions. Cher subscribes to the code of ethics and standards of practice of the Ontario Psychotherapy Association and OACCPP.
She completed training in the field of expressive arts therapy at ISIS Canada in 1999 and is currently at completion level of a Certification as a Clinical Trauma Specialist through the Traumatology Institute Canada. She continues to bring new learning and skills to her practice through ongoing professional education. Teachings in Crisis Intervention, SafeTalk Suicide Alertness, Mindfulness Meditation, TF-CBT for children, Narrative Therapy and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) are incorporated into Cher’s work with individuals. She uses a number of highly effective treatment therapies for resolving traumatic event symptoms that interfere with present living in addition to offering clinical trauma assessments.
Cher is grounded, calm, highly compassionate, energetically strong and balanced making her a soothing presence as therapist, body energy therapist and trauma specialist. Although talk therapy is common when visiting Cher she encourages creative expression within a variety of art modalities that include; visual arts, music and voice, poetry, writing and storytelling. Her relationship with individuals is guided by a person centered approach, genuine caring and respect and her belief in the capacity for healing and growth. She infuses her practice with positive life energy and dedication and utilizes creative arts techniques in a gentle, sensitive and active way.
Cher’s experience in the use of body energy therapy with individuals living with the effects of trauma symptoms, depression, anxiety, and physical and emotional pain has proven to be a highly beneficial process for many. The body energy therapy process is based largely on the feeling sense of the body and is not entirely a cognitive one. Cher has found this to be ideal in calming and soothing somatic responses to trauma.
Cher has provided consultation, program development, trainings, group facilitation, and therapy services to the following agencies: Native Child and Family Services, Aids Committee of Toronto (ACT), Sherbourne Health Centre, Casey House Hospice, Hospice Toronto, Trillium Health Centre, Bereaved Families of Toronto, Bereaved Families of Halton Peel, Gildas Club, Wellspring, Alzhiemers Society, Rexdale Community Health Centre and Toronto’s Ronald McDonald House where she was resident therapist for 7 years.
Since 2008, Cher has worked extensively at The Dorothy Ley Hospice as their Integrated Wellness Care Coordinator and expressive arts therapist and through private practice services.
Cher is deeply involved in her own healing work and regularly receives treatments in modalities that are the same or similar to those she offers. She believes that art is a healing agent that works from within and enjoys living her life through creativity.
She completed training in the field of expressive arts therapy at ISIS Canada in 1999 and is currently at completion level of a Certification as a Clinical Trauma Specialist through the Traumatology Institute Canada. She continues to bring new learning and skills to her practice through ongoing professional education. Teachings in Crisis Intervention, SafeTalk Suicide Alertness, Mindfulness Meditation, TF-CBT for children, Narrative Therapy and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) are incorporated into Cher’s work with individuals. She uses a number of highly effective treatment therapies for resolving traumatic event symptoms that interfere with present living in addition to offering clinical trauma assessments.
Cher is grounded, calm, highly compassionate, energetically strong and balanced making her a soothing presence as therapist, body energy therapist and trauma specialist. Although talk therapy is common when visiting Cher she encourages creative expression within a variety of art modalities that include; visual arts, music and voice, poetry, writing and storytelling. Her relationship with individuals is guided by a person centered approach, genuine caring and respect and her belief in the capacity for healing and growth. She infuses her practice with positive life energy and dedication and utilizes creative arts techniques in a gentle, sensitive and active way.
Cher’s experience in the use of body energy therapy with individuals living with the effects of trauma symptoms, depression, anxiety, and physical and emotional pain has proven to be a highly beneficial process for many. The body energy therapy process is based largely on the feeling sense of the body and is not entirely a cognitive one. Cher has found this to be ideal in calming and soothing somatic responses to trauma.
Cher has provided consultation, program development, trainings, group facilitation, and therapy services to the following agencies: Native Child and Family Services, Aids Committee of Toronto (ACT), Sherbourne Health Centre, Casey House Hospice, Hospice Toronto, Trillium Health Centre, Bereaved Families of Toronto, Bereaved Families of Halton Peel, Gildas Club, Wellspring, Alzhiemers Society, Rexdale Community Health Centre and Toronto’s Ronald McDonald House where she was resident therapist for 7 years.
Since 2008, Cher has worked extensively at The Dorothy Ley Hospice as their Integrated Wellness Care Coordinator and expressive arts therapist and through private practice services.
Cher is deeply involved in her own healing work and regularly receives treatments in modalities that are the same or similar to those she offers. She believes that art is a healing agent that works from within and enjoys living her life through creativity.
Carol Cowan – B.A., B.S.W., R.S.W.
Emotional Freedom Technique Therapist & Yoga Instructor
Carol specializes in working with adults
Carol Cowan is a Registered Social Worker, Emotional Freedom Technique Practitioner and Trainer, Yoga Instructor and Reiki Practitioner. With over 10 years of experience, Carol is known for her exquisite blend of Western Psychology and Eastern Healing traditions as she guides each of her clients closer to experiencing profound peace in their lives. Carol completed her B.A. in Psychology at Brock University in 2000 and went on to complete her Bachelors in Social Work at McMaster University in 2003. Carol currently maintains her registration as a Social Worker with OCSWSSW (Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers).
Carol is passionate about the healing capacity of Emotional Freedom Technique and was certified as an E.F.T. Practitioner by the founder Gary Craig in 2008. Carol has witnessed profound healing using E.F.T. with clients that have experienced trauma, loss, emotional/physical/sexual abuse, accidents and addictions. With her knowledge and experience, Carol has published a book called “The Hidden Secrets of E.F.T.” which is available on www.amazon.com and created an educational E.F.T. video training series available on www.eft-dvds.com. Carol has presented weekend workshops on E.F.T. at Grail Springs Spa in Ontario, taught for the continuing education course at Brock University and been interviewed as an E.F.T. Expert on www.tappinginsidersclub.com.
Having always been drawn to study the mind/body/ spirit connection, Carol’s path led her to completing her 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training at Atlas Yoga Studio in Cambridge, Ontario. She has been dedicated to her classical Hatha Yoga practice since 2001 and has been teaching Hatha Yoga with devotion since 2006. Vipassana and Mindfulness Mediation are also part of her teachings. Carol has led Yoga Retreats to Costa Rica on an annual basis since 2007, providing a safe place for her clients to relax, restore and heal. She has also attended specific training in teaching Trauma Sensitive Yoga with Trauma Specialist Bessel van der Kolk.
Carol is passionate about the healing capacity of Emotional Freedom Technique and was certified as an E.F.T. Practitioner by the founder Gary Craig in 2008. Carol has witnessed profound healing using E.F.T. with clients that have experienced trauma, loss, emotional/physical/sexual abuse, accidents and addictions. With her knowledge and experience, Carol has published a book called “The Hidden Secrets of E.F.T.” which is available on www.amazon.com and created an educational E.F.T. video training series available on www.eft-dvds.com. Carol has presented weekend workshops on E.F.T. at Grail Springs Spa in Ontario, taught for the continuing education course at Brock University and been interviewed as an E.F.T. Expert on www.tappinginsidersclub.com.
Having always been drawn to study the mind/body/ spirit connection, Carol’s path led her to completing her 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training at Atlas Yoga Studio in Cambridge, Ontario. She has been dedicated to her classical Hatha Yoga practice since 2001 and has been teaching Hatha Yoga with devotion since 2006. Vipassana and Mindfulness Mediation are also part of her teachings. Carol has led Yoga Retreats to Costa Rica on an annual basis since 2007, providing a safe place for her clients to relax, restore and heal. She has also attended specific training in teaching Trauma Sensitive Yoga with Trauma Specialist Bessel van der Kolk.
Angela Düntsch, Expressive Arts Therapist
Angela specializes in working with children and youth
Angela is an expressive arts therapist, trained at the International School of Interdisciplinary Studies ISIS-Canada in Toronto and other institutions.
She was born in Switzerland and lived together with her husband and their children in four different continents. In her upbringing and through Steiner education, a special relationship with the arts has been fostered early on in her life. For the past 20 years she has worked with young people, adults and mixed groups including families. In conjunction with the Multi Cultural Resource Centre in Belfast (N.Ireland) and people from diverse ethnic backgrounds, she created and offered workshops to schools and on fairs, promoting a deeper understanding of cultural diversity in Northern Ireland. At the time, she studied Community Development and Community Relations at the University of Ulster. With her project “Skills, Games & Toys” she won a prestigious Millenium Award. She also worked with the Belfast Community Circus School, and eventually opened the One World Circus, a little circus group in Bangor, Northern Ireland.
Having moved to Canada in 2002, she changed her focus from group and community work to individual therapy, and studied in Toronto, first with Arscura, School for Exploration and Development of Art in the Healing and Social Fields, then with the International School of Interdisciplinary Studies (I.S.I.S.). She also took courses at the European Graduate School in Saas Fee, Switzerland. During her placement with the Hincks-Dellcrest Centre (a children's mental health treatment, research, and teaching centre) in Toronto, she made full use of the opportunity, and took several courses at the institute.
APPROACH
The healing in Expressive Arts happens not only between the therapist and client, but within the triangle of client, art-piece and therapist. Angela is composing a space within which creative forces can flow, and clients are often surprised how easily they engage and connect to a deep seated longing, the thread that can lead them to healing. Engaging in playful art-making, and the creative play can sometimes be described as “conscious-dreaming”, a type of dreaming from which can gain a feeling of being in control. For example when expressing a problem in a creative act, we slightly separate from it - for that moment the problem ceases to be overwhelming, and a new relationship is built. Art making in itself is a back and forth interweaving of giving and receiving, and so healing is dynamic, something we need to engage in everyday in a fresh way.
Angela is working with children, youth and adults who struggle with mental health, the effects of trauma (including early childhood trauma) autism and stress related issues. Also, people in helping roles, such as therapists, social workers and caregivers/parents find sessions and workshops helpful, relaxing and inspiring.
She offers one-to-one expressive arts therapy sessions and therapeutic group workshops in diverse art forms which range from drawing, sculpting, music-making, and storytelling to movement, therapeutic clowning and family-circus-skill-groups.
She was born in Switzerland and lived together with her husband and their children in four different continents. In her upbringing and through Steiner education, a special relationship with the arts has been fostered early on in her life. For the past 20 years she has worked with young people, adults and mixed groups including families. In conjunction with the Multi Cultural Resource Centre in Belfast (N.Ireland) and people from diverse ethnic backgrounds, she created and offered workshops to schools and on fairs, promoting a deeper understanding of cultural diversity in Northern Ireland. At the time, she studied Community Development and Community Relations at the University of Ulster. With her project “Skills, Games & Toys” she won a prestigious Millenium Award. She also worked with the Belfast Community Circus School, and eventually opened the One World Circus, a little circus group in Bangor, Northern Ireland.
Having moved to Canada in 2002, she changed her focus from group and community work to individual therapy, and studied in Toronto, first with Arscura, School for Exploration and Development of Art in the Healing and Social Fields, then with the International School of Interdisciplinary Studies (I.S.I.S.). She also took courses at the European Graduate School in Saas Fee, Switzerland. During her placement with the Hincks-Dellcrest Centre (a children's mental health treatment, research, and teaching centre) in Toronto, she made full use of the opportunity, and took several courses at the institute.
APPROACH
The healing in Expressive Arts happens not only between the therapist and client, but within the triangle of client, art-piece and therapist. Angela is composing a space within which creative forces can flow, and clients are often surprised how easily they engage and connect to a deep seated longing, the thread that can lead them to healing. Engaging in playful art-making, and the creative play can sometimes be described as “conscious-dreaming”, a type of dreaming from which can gain a feeling of being in control. For example when expressing a problem in a creative act, we slightly separate from it - for that moment the problem ceases to be overwhelming, and a new relationship is built. Art making in itself is a back and forth interweaving of giving and receiving, and so healing is dynamic, something we need to engage in everyday in a fresh way.
Angela is working with children, youth and adults who struggle with mental health, the effects of trauma (including early childhood trauma) autism and stress related issues. Also, people in helping roles, such as therapists, social workers and caregivers/parents find sessions and workshops helpful, relaxing and inspiring.
She offers one-to-one expressive arts therapy sessions and therapeutic group workshops in diverse art forms which range from drawing, sculpting, music-making, and storytelling to movement, therapeutic clowning and family-circus-skill-groups.