Tanya is a clinical social worker who completed her Bachelor’s degree in social work at McMaster University and her Master’s degree in social work at the University of Western Ontario. Tanya is currently working as a child and family therapist supporting children with eating disorders in an outpatient hospital setting
Tanya has had the privilege of working with youth, adults, and families who are curious about healing from anxiety, depression, trauma, addictions, emotion dysregulation, and relationships. Tanya provides an empathetic, non-judgemental space for clients to share their stories. Her goal is to partner with clients in their self-exploration journey by supporting them in making connections between their past, current circumstances, and hopes for the future. Tanya truly wants to help clients recover from traumatic experiences, and works with clients at their own pace to reduce the feelings of danger that these memories create using experiential activities and creative and empowering coping strategies. Tanya draws on techniques from CBT, ACT, mindfulness, trauma processing therapy, EFT, and EFFT, and celebrates the following frameworks that guide her practice: anti-oppressive, strengths-based, attachment-based, and trauma-informed.
Tanya recognizes that as a white social worker, she has benefitted from the many oppressive structures that society upholds. Because of her privilege, she believes that developing a foundation of trust and safety with her clients from diverse backgrounds is particularly crucial. She values engaging in conversations that support and empower individuals to connect the ways in which discrimination is built into our society and how this impacts marginalized communities; however, she recognizes that these communities are the incredibly resilient experts of their own lives. Tanya identifies as Armenian-Canadian, and as an Armenian she understands how intergenerational trauma can impact every facet of an individual’s life, and the time, intention, and discomfort that is often needed to unpack this.