A Therapist. Advocate. And Cheerleader.
For teens.
hi.
I'm Nicky. Human. Therapist. Taurus. Mum. Lifelong learner. And Changemaker.
My philosophy is simple. Find what you love, and do it every day.
When I'm not tearing down systemic injustice,
you can find me in my underground spin studio, riding bikes that go nowhere.
Here to make this world a better place.
Purpose
Empower youth to influence mental health programs, policies, legislation, services, norms, and research, because when it comes to a dialogue as critical as this, they ought to have the loudest voice.
Mission
Paving a pathway towards youth-led co-created treatment with an emphasis on placing those with lived experience at the centre of decision-making. From planning and design to implementation and evaluation, I aim to advocate for a grassroots-driven and led youth model that empowers young people to be the change-makers.
Vision
My Story
I started my career supporting community lead activism in the areas of intimate partner violence, sexual exploitation, human trafficking, immediate crisis after-math, and meaningful accountability with those who cause harm.
After graduating with distinction from post-graduate school with a Master's in Counselling Psychology, I worked with teens at a live-in treatment centre for mental health and addiction.
Today, my vocation includes a combination of therapy and social advovacy praxis.
I regularly engage in my own processes of learning and am committed to growing through my own therapy, self-study, and coaching.
My lens
My work is shaped by many, but particularly Sandra Collins and Dr. Stephen Porges. I work from an intersectional, multi-modal, and Polyvagal-informed lens rooted in anti-racist and anti-oppressive frameworks.
I believe that supporting effective change and transformation requires a comprehensive understanding and application of intersectionality
and anti-oppressive practices, in addition to supporting the agency and autonomy of each and every person.
My Social location
I inhabit a privileged social location. I am deeply committed to using my privilege to advocate for and include intersectional intervention in adolescent mental health treatment. This includes amplifying youth voices in critical conversations, encouraging democratic participation in restorative justice, and empowering young people to be involved in decision-making processes because they are the true experts, not us—not me.
My pledge
I pledge to continue to deconstruct converging social marginalizations and colonial subjugation of vulnerable populations.
I pledge to continue to commit to a lifetime of collaborative learning and drawing on perspectives broader than my own.
I pledge to continue tearing down system-wide epistemic injustice by advocating for reform in policy, practice, and leadership.
I pledge to continue questioning standards of care by initiating meaningful, complex, and sometimes difficult conversations.
I pledge to continue speaking up by taking critical action to increase systemic oversight of institutions that work with vulnerable populations.
No matter the cost.