ABOUT

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About. Jessica MacDonald is a registered social worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW). She has a Masters of Social Work degree specializing in Health and Mental Health from the University of Toronto. 

Professional Designation.  Masters of Social Work, Registered Social Worker

Primary Focus. Anxiety - Depression - Grief/Loss - Stress - Self-Esteem - Personal Development - Pregnancy-related Mood Changes/Maternal Mental Health (prenatal/postpartum anxiety/depression, Infertility, Miscarriage & Loss etc.) - Women’s Mental Health - Body Image - Trauma - Interpersonal/Relationship Concerns - Family & Life Transitions - Parent-Child Conflict - Violence Against Women - LGBTQ - Gender Identity/Transitioning - Finding Balance - Difficult Life Transitions - Starting Over - Separation/Divorce - Attachment - Self-Harm. 

Therapeutic Modalities. Mindfulness, Interpersonal Neurobiology, Attachment, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Narrative Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy (SFT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Family Systems, and Trauma-Based Therapies.
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​Training. Jessica completed her graduate internship training in Adolescent Psychiatry at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Toronto) and with the Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry team at The Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto). 

Experience. Working with youth and adolescents facing anxiety, depression, somatic symptoms, suicidal thoughts etc. Additional experience as a researcher working both in women’s and paediatric mental health on projects surrounding trauma, cancer and family therapy (Women's College Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, SickKids - Toronto). Jessica also provided grief and loss counselling, having facilitated therapy to both individuals and groups following suicide loss (Toronto Distress Centres), and has worked as a grief & mental health counsellor in the field of perinatal social work (Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, NICU - Toronto). 

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Introduction to Applied Mindfulness for Clinicians: Mindfulness Approaches for Pain & Distress in Paediatric Patients, The Hospital for Sick Children - Jun 2017           
  • Two-day intensive experiential workshop for health and mental health professionals that support patients and  their families through difficult medical situations. Focus on mindfulness as a clinical approach to Family Centered Care when navigating patient pain & distress. Training incorporated both basic and advanced applied mindfulness perspectives,  evidence-based research, clinical strategies, and experiential practices. Emphasis on professional self awareness and cultivating a therapeutic presence.
 Group Facilitation Training, Toronto Distress Centres  - May 2017
  • Two-day training intensive for facilitating therapy in a group setting. Emphasis placed on supporting individuals surrounding grief and loss.                                
​Mindfulness and Interpersonal Neurobiology, The Hospital for Sick Children - Apr 2017
  • Dr. Dan Siegel: "The Challenges of Defining the Mind" - Day-long conference presenting the latest neuroscience-based research and mindfulness practices. Emphasis on how these innovative care practices can function as a pathway to health, wellness and resiliency for patients when  health care professionals understand the mind, body and brain relationship, and incorporate mindfulness with patients.
 The Impact of Trauma in Young Persons: Knowledge Informing Mental Health Treatment, University of Toronto & SickKids - Apr 2017     
  • Accredited Child and Youth Mental Health conference presenting the latest research on long-term mental health impacts for youth who experience developmental trauma, insecure attachment, intergenerational trauma, mothers with postpartum depression, intimate partner violence, and political violence/forced migration. 
Neuroscience Training Summit 2017, Sounds True - Mar 2017                                                                                                        
  • Mental health training led by Dr. Stephen Porges, Ron Siegel, Peter Levine, and Dr. Dan Siegel surrounding innovative clinical approaches to supporting traumatized patients through latest findings in neurobiology including mind-body connections of trauma impacts (Polyvagal Theory), the brains response to trauma through memory fragments and body-based implicit memories, and the neurobiology of mindfulness.
Neurobiology-based Trauma Training, The Hincks-Dellcrest Centre - Feb 2017                                                                     
  • One-day intensive course facilitated by Dr. Lori Haskell on a trauma-based approaches to understanding the neurobiology of trauma including limbic system trauma imprints, survival responses, attachment, negativity bias, emotional regulation through the window of tolerance and sensory anchors.
Mental Health Skills Development, Distress Centres Ontario -  Nov 2014                                                                                 
  • Online educational courses surrounding mental health; concurrent disorders; trauma; suicidality; addictions; eating disorders; self-injuring behaviour; grief & loss; and mood disorders.
Grief Counselling Training, Toronto Distress Centres - Nov 2014                                                                                              
  • Suicide awareness, education, and bereavement training surrounding: provision of support; understanding grief related emotions/reactions; coping challenges; secondary loss; difficulties/life changes following loss.
Suicide Risk & Crisis Training, Toronto Distress Centres - Dec 2013                                                                                         
  • Developed crisis intervention skills to support individuals at immediate risk for subway specific suicide. Topics included rapport building; risk assessment; de-escalation; safety planning.
HIV/AIDS Educational Training, Planned Parenthood Toronto - June 2013                                                                            
  • Educational seminar surrounding HIV statistics, myths and testing procedures. Topics included diagnosis disclosure; transmission education; societal ethical and legal issues.
Distress Line Counselling Training, Toronto Distress Centres -  June 2013                                                                            
  • Basic counselling skill development training focusing on: active listening; voice matching; empathizing; valuation; normalizing; paraphrasing; rapport building; distress management. Additional preparation topics included responding to episodes of delusions, hallucinations, mania, severe depression, anxiety and panic attacks.
Trauma Counselling Training, Sexual Assault Rape Crisis Centre of Peel - Mar 2013                                                          
  • Anti-oppression, anti-racist, feminist crisis intervention and trauma counselling training for female victims of abuse (emotional, physical, sexual, neglect, financial, elder). Sound knowledge of flashback management; grounding techniques; trigger identification and control; immediate safety assessment.

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Recognized counsellor with the Victim Quick Response Program