Meet our Trauma-Informed Providers
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Dr. Teela Tomassetti (Psy.D)
FOUNDER
REGISTERED PROVISIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST
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Tamara McCormick
REGISTERED PSYCHOLOGIST
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Breanne Jones
CANADIAN CERTIFIED COUNSELLOR
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Nasim Switzer
CANADIAN CERTIFIED COUNSELLOR
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Renee Brochu
BIRTH TRAUMA DOULA/ADVOCATE/EDUCATOR & REGISTERED SOCIAL WORKER
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Cindy Goldhawk
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
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Celine Sandberg
DOCTOR OF ACUPUNCTURE
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Danielle Marie Lepage
EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Dr. Teela Tomassetti (PsyD)- she/her-
Founder & Registered Provisional Psychologist
Teela is a Registered Provisional Psychologist through the College of Alberta Psychologists. Teela recently received her Doctorate (Psy.D) and completed her doctoral research at California Southern University. Her research consisted of a qualitative study utilizing semi-structured interviews with therapists' experiences supporting birth trauma, the fawn trauma response and mistreatment by providers. Teela is also excited to share she will be part of the BirthLab research team in British Columbia.
Teela has been a counsellor since 2005, supporting those with sexual assault, domestic violence, tragic losses and addiction concerns before becoming a registered provisional psychologist in 2021. For the last few years, Teela has specialized in birth trauma and identifies as a birth trauma survivor of midwifery violence and an excessive hemorrhage that threatened her life.
Teela works from a trauma-informed lens and believes in client-centered therapy. She walks alongside her clients, and her approach sets out to empower those she works with while providing a warm, safe, compassionate space. Teela has also acquired her Perinatal Mental Health training through Postpartum Support International. She has also sought out additional training on fertility struggles, endometriosis, PCOS, pregnancy and infant loss.
Her primary modality is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), she is also trained in Advanced EMDR, which means she can offer the Recent Events Protocol, Group EMDR and Couples EMDR. She also recently completed another EMDR training on Integrating Somatic Approaches in Trauma work.
However, she shares that her heart will always be with Narrative Therapy, which views “the problem is the problem, the person is not the problem.” The social justice lens that often shows up in Teela's works is Narrative Therapy. Her other primary modality is Compassion-Focused Therapy, which she believes is central to working with trauma.
Teela is an international conference speaker and has offered workshops to providers in-person and online on incorporating trauma-informed care into their roles and systems. She is also a published author, and chapters on birth trauma from both books she was asked to write will be released this year (stay tuned!). You can also see her as a keynote speaker at the PSI Conference in Washington, DC in July of 2024!
Teela offers support to those struggling with fertility, IUD trauma, pregnancy and infant loss, paternal mental health, endometriosis, PCOS, and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. She receives direct supervision from a primary and secondary supervisor. Also, she consults with a Registered Psychologist who specializes in these areas to continue to grow her knowledge and understanding. She offers individual therapy in person and online support for all of Alberta.
You can follow her @theteaonbirthtrauma, where she has worked hard to build a safe community for over 30,000 birth trauma survivors.
Tamara McCormick-she/her-
Registered Psychologist
Tamara is a Registered Psychologist closing in on twenty years of practice in the mental health field. She brings warmth, compassion, and her authentic self to her clinical work. She strives to provide a safe space to support, encourage and be with her clients on their counselling journeys. She is excited to further her interest and skills in perinatal mental health.
Tamara has taken the Maternal Mental Health Intensive: Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (Seleni, 2020), Perinatal Grief and Loss – Seleni Institute (Dec 2021) and Assessing Perinatal Mental Health – PAA (2022) trainings to name a few. She is set to take the Postpartum Support International Components of Care and Advanced Psychotherapy in March of 2024 to pursue her PMHC.
Tamara understands firsthand the challenges, heartbreak, and high hopes that infertility can bring to one’s identity, relationships, and day-to-day life. She also has experience with the physical and emotional devastation that endometriosis can cause. She easily grasps the sense of isolation and judgement that can result from navigating a complex health system and how self-advocacy often becomes an exhaustive necessity.
Tamara looks forward to empowering clients at the Reproductive & Perinatal Trauma Centre on their journeys to move through loss, grief, trauma, mood or anxiety issues and move forward with emotional growth as an individual or as a couple. Tamara works from a client-centred perspective, emphasizing self-compassion and pulling from several modalities in her work, including Mindfulness, ACT, EMDR, and the Gottman Method.
Tamara can support those who are struggling with; fertility, pregnancy loss, birth trauma, paternal mental health, IUD trauma, endometriosis and PCOS. She works Tuesdays in person and Wednesdays online.
Breanne Jones, Canadian Certified Counsellor
*Breanne currently has limited availability, she will be opening up additional space in early 2025. If you do not see a timeslot on the schedule that works for you, please get in touch with us to see if we can accommodate*
Breanne is a Certified Canadian Counsellor with over a decade of experience in the social services field, dedicated to supporting individuals through their wellness journeys. While she upholds a high standard of professionalism, Breanne prioritizes authentic human connection with her clients, offering them a safe and empathetic space to share their stories and experiences.
Breanne holds a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology and is trained in reproductive and perinatal mental health through Postpartum Support International. She has pursued additional specialized training in reproductive and birth trauma. She is actively working towards her certification as a Canadian Certified Birth and Reproductive Trauma Specialist (CC-BRT) with Canadian Perinatal Mental Health Training.
Drawing from her own experiences with pregnancy loss, birth trauma, and being a NICU parent, Breanne has a deep and personal understanding of the profound impact that the reproductive and perinatal period can have on individuals and families. This personal insight informs her compassionate and client-centered approach to therapy.
Breanne is committed to providing an inclusive, culturally sensitive, and 2SLGBTQI+ affirming therapeutic space. She recognizes and values the diversity of her clients' backgrounds and experiences, ensuring that her practice respects and honours each individual's unique identity and needs. Breanne actively seeks to create an environment where all clients feel seen, heard, and validated.
In her practice, Breanne has experience supporting individuals and couples through various reproductive and perinatal challenges, including infertility, pregnancy loss, pregnancy after loss, birth trauma, infant loss/stillbirth, NICU experiences, postpartum mental health issues, and paternal mental health.
Breanne recognizes that each individual’s trauma narrative is unique, and she is committed to developing holistic and personalized treatment plans that honour this individuality. She believes that no two treatment plans should be the same, and she integrates a variety of therapeutic modalities into her practice. Her approach includes a Social Justice and Person-Centred lens and integrates theories, such as Internal Family Systems, Polyvagal Theory, Narrative Therapy, and Somatic practices. Additionally, Breanne will also be completing her certification in EMDR and the Gottman Method, which she anticipates finishing by the end of 2024, and she is enthusiastic about expanding the range of therapeutic options available to her clients.
Breanne resides in Manitoba, where she has the capacity to see clients virtually or in person. Breanne can also provide telehealth services across Canada.
Cindy Goldhawk-she/her- Mental Health Therapist & Occupational Therapist-
Cindy is an Occupational Therapist and has had the privilege of working with children and families for 23 years, some in the NICU, some in their homes in the early days of postpartum, many who were looking for support with breastfeeding, bottle feeding, and introduction to solids, and many moms who have been struggling with birth trauma, postpartum depression, and anxiety.
An Occupational Therapist helps people of any age and ability to do the most important things to them. This may be through building a skill in the individual, adapting the activity, or the environment in which the activity is performed.
Cindy has advanced training in Perinatal Mental Health through Postpartum Support International, as well as in Sensory Regulation, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Mindfulness.
Cindy was interested in working with RPTC because of her personal experiences with pregnancy loss, trauma, and postpartum depression, as well as her passion for supporting women in the areas of perinatal mental health, birth trauma, and pregnancy loss. She wants women and men to feel seen, heard, and intimately supported as they navigate such difficult and isolating symptoms and feelings.
Cindy has vast and diverse experience and can support people and parents with the following:
Parents:
Maternal and Paternal mental health concerns; PPA and PPD, Pregnancy Loss, and Birth Trauma
New parents with ADHD/ASD struggling with overwhelm, setting up routines, taking care of their personal care needs, or scheduling time for themselves
Parents struggling with sensory overload and rage
Parents struggling with the extra needs of their child with ADHD/ASD/CP/Down Syndrome/Pediatric Feeding Disorder
Parents struggling to breastfeed or bottle-feed their baby
Parents struggling to settle, cope with, or understand their highly sensitive children
Babies/Children:
Struggling to breastfeed efficiently and safely
Difficulty accepting textures or a wide variety of foods
Learning to drink from a cup or straw
Sensory sensitivities or excessive sensory seeking impacting their ability to daily activities and/or play
Toilet training- bladder and bowel, dressing skills, self-feeding skills, fine motor skills, drawing, printing, holding a crayon
Children with ADHD/ASD who are having a hard time taking care of their personal needs, participating in leisure activities, and regulating their emotions.
Developmental support for babies/children born prematurely.
Cindy hopes to support the clients who reach out to RPTC in feeling safe in their bodies. To feel like themselves again. She loves to teach people how to tune into their body cues and about the tools that can soothe and settle their sensitized nervous systems. She wants you to feel confident and supported in getting back to the activities that are important to you and that you LOVE to do.
Renee Brochu -Birth Trauma Doula/Advocate/Educator and Registered Social Worker
Renee is a passionate Doula and Registered Social Worker (RSW) with over five years of experience supporting children, families, and individuals through the profound transitions of parenthood. Her approach to birth work is deeply rooted in personalized holistic care that addresses the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual aspects of the journey to parenthood. Connection is at the core of her practice as she focuses on building trust, being emotionally present, and genuinely caring for the families she supports.
In her role as a social worker, Renee draws on her experience working with clients facing challenges related to trauma, anxiety, or complex family dynamics. Her practice is grounded in empathy, active listening, and a commitment to ensuring that everyone she works with feels respected and heard.
As a Social Worker and trained full-spectrum doula, Renee is passionate about providing trauma-informed support to individuals who have experienced a traumatic birth or birthing process. Her care centers around creating a safe, compassionate space where survivors feel validated, supported, and empowered in their healing journey. She recognizes the profound impact that birth trauma can have on one's physical, emotional, and psychological well-being, and she strives to offer care that honours each person’s unique story and experience.
Through years of work in wellness support, she has gained a profound understanding of trauma's complexities and its lasting effects, particularly in the context of childbirth. She is committed not only to helping survivors process their experiences but also to educating families, communities, and other professionals about the nuances of birth trauma and the importance of a sensitive, respectful approach to care. By fostering greater awareness and understanding, Renee aims to contribute to a more informed and compassionate culture that recognizes and responds to the needs of birth trauma survivors. If we continue to create awareness and understanding of birth trauma and the effects this trauma can have, we can begin to address these issues even before they arise. At the very least, the awareness spread can create a safe environment for survivors to feel heard and supported through their healing journeys.
Renee firmly believes every survivor deserves a voice in their healing journey and access to the resources and support they need to thrive. Whether working directly with survivors or advocating within the broader community, she is motivated by a commitment to empowering individuals to reclaim their strength and resilience after challenging birth experiences.
Renee will be supporting birth trauma survivors as a doula specializing in the area, who are thinking of or have become pregnant with their next child and need someone in the space that truly gets it! Renee will also be working collaboratively with our mult-disciplinary team to deliver trauma-informed and highly innovative groups, workshops and presentations. Stay tuned for all that Renee’s unique role will offer!
Celine Sandberg-she/her
Doctor of Acupuncture
As a doctor of acupuncture and trained fertility/birth doula, Celine has worked with countless people as they navigate hormonal problems, fertility struggles, pregnancy discomforts, and postpartum recovery. She is extremely passionate about patient education and loves using TCM to help patients find their own healing potential.
Celine strives to offer a space for patients to explore their situation with curiosity while feeling supported. She utilizes a variety of TCM modalities such as acupuncture, moxibustion, auricular therapy, cupping, and gua sha to regulate the nervous system, stabilize mood, and reduce physical symptoms.
Celine is aware of the challenges surrounding pre-conception, fertility treatments, pregnancy, and postpartum and hopes to provide individualized and trauma-informed care to anyone navigating these challenges.
TCM and acupuncture are known to help improve PCOS, endometriosis, pain (including pelvic pain and postoperative pain), pre-conception wellness, preparation for IUI/IVF, pregnancy and infant loss, and mood and anxiety disorders.
Her private practice is located in her home community of Sherwood Park, and she is excited to be offering specialized group acupuncture with the RPTC.
Nasim Switzer- Certified Canadian Counsellor-
Nasim is currently on maternity leave and will be returning in 2025*
Nasimis a Canadian Certified Counsellor who works from a culture and trauma-informed perspective. She believes that clients are the experts of their lives, and she works collaboratively to find the approach that fits their values, needs, beliefs, and personalities. Nasim’s priority is first to create a safe, warm and non-judgmental environment and an understanding of what her clients are going through.
Nasim started working in the mental health field in 2016. She has helped many individuals and families navigate the impact of acute or complex trauma such as abuse and neglect. Her interest in supporting parents through the perinatal period and beyond peaked when she had her child and learned about how little support and voice parents get in our society. Nasim offers individual counselling to adults and teens (15+) in Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut. Nasim is trained in Perinatal Mental health, Compassion Focused Therapy, Gottman Couples Therapy, and attachment-based approaches. She also incorporates evidence-based practices, including Somatic Experiencing, Narrative Therapy, Family Systems, mindfulness, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Nasim also offers EMDR therapy as of November 2023.
Nasim has a special interest in supporting parents and parents-to-be through challenging times in their child’s or their own lives. She also helps youth and adults with acute as well as complex trauma. Nasim believes that trauma is a subjective experience and is determined by the client’s experiences. This can include but is not exclusive to birth trauma, IUD trauma, miscarriage/early pregnancy loss, stillbirth, relationship dynamics, and dysfunctional family systems. Nasim is building a specialty in IUD trauma and Paternal mental health.
Nasim completed her undergraduate studies in Psychology at the University of Alberta. She then completed her master's at the Edmonton Branch of City University of Seattle. She is a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) and a member in good standing in the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA). Nasim’s master’s capstone research focused on cultural influences on parenting practices, namely co-sleeping.
Nasim IS NO LONGER ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS. Check back in later this year!