A time for change

Cathy Walters-Gilhuly is a is a Social Work Therapist who provides counselling services to individuals, couples, and families in private counselling, as well as providing therapeutic counselling services for Probation Clients. Cathy is a Registered Social Worker, a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers, and a Registered Early Childhood Educator. She has completed Level 1 and 2 Training in Gottman Methods Couples Therapy and uses Gottman Method Couples Therapy in her therapy work with couples. Cathy has a trained therapy dog, named Libby, who accompanies her to several locations where they work together. 

Cathy strives to support each individual she meets to make the changes they want in their lives. The writer works with individuals who need support specifically to address addictions, mental health concerns, violence or abuse issues, the impact of sexual abuse or offences, and trauma. Her strengths include working with individuals and couples who have issues within relationships and within the family.  

  Counsellor Randy Scott has worked in a variety of clinical settings including child welfare, probation offices, and in correctional facilities. Randy is a Social Work Therapist who is a registered social worker, a clinical member of the Ontario College of Social Workers, and of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (ATSA). He is an Associate Practicum Professor at the Lyle Hallman Faculty of Social Work, Wilfrid Laurier University and supervises graduate level counselling students.  Randy has thirty-five years of experience providing counselling to individuals in conflict with the law. In addition to direct clinical work, he has worked as a trainer, clinical supervisor, and administrator. Randy has been a manager in both government departments and in large non-profit social service agencies. Randy is qualified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), hypnosis, sex offender treatment, critical incident stress debriefing, and mediation.   

  Scott Murie's focus with us has been on providing counselling services to men that have sexually offended. He has also been an active facilitator for Towards Healthy Relationships. He currently works both on an individual basis and co-facilitates support groups for clients who have sexually offended or have been charged with domestic violence.  Scott completed his Master’s degree at Wilfrid Laurier University and will be pursuing doctoral studies over the next few years. Scott plans to focus his research on the effectiveness of programs and therapeutic interventions geared to improve the likelihood of offenders staying offence free. Scott believes that a strong therapeutic alliance can increase the chances for clients to work towards healthier and safer decision making which, in turn, allows clients to live productive and meaningful lives within our communities.  Scott’s hope is that through intervention we realize less victims and less offenders, our counselling is about prevention through intervention.  

David Sidhu is a Registered Social Worker and works with Randy Scott Clinical Services. As a Social Worker, he provides private counselling to both individuals and groups. David completed his Masters in Social Work at the University of Windsor. Prior to completing his Masters Degree, he completed a Honours Degree for Psychology at York University. He also obtained a Vocational Rehabilitation Certificate with Seneca College. 

David has undergone extensive online training with individuals suffering with Anxiety – as well as mastering Practical Intervention Strategies to help equip him to address Anxiety. David’s strengths include working with individuals living with addiction, brain injuries, and developmental challenges.

Barb has lived and worked social services in Waterloo Wellington for almost 30 years. 

Barb has worked with clients living with life shortening diagnosis, bereavement, mental health challenges, addictions, housing struggles, poverty and limited income resources, survivors of abuse and trauma, people in conflict with the law, older adults, LGBT2SQ and Indigenous communities. 

Barb engages a trauma-informed approach combined with a strengths-based understanding in working towards creating meaningful changes as determined by those she works with. Barb’s work is informed by a wholistic, person-centred, strengths-based, trauma focused, and anti-oppressive framework, and works in a collaborative, empowering, respectful manner that promotes dignity and well-being.

Barb’s goal in counselling is to support individuals to work towards their personal goals, engage their personal wisdom and resources, identify their existing strengths and areas to strengthen, overcome barriers, and foster resiliency all with the aim of supporting folks to become the version of themselves they hope to be. 

Barb holds an MSW, Indigenous Field of Study from Wilfrid Laurier, BSW from Renison College (University of Waterloo) and a BA in psychology from University of Waterloo and is a registered social worker in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and a member of the Ontario Assoc. of Social Workers. Additionally, Barb has completed certificates in: Trauma Interventions; Mindfulness Practices; and Dying, Death and Bereavement.

 Nikki Stewart is Social Worker with 10 years of experience working with youth, young adults, parents, and families. Nikki completed her Master of Social Work degree from Wilfrid Laurier University and is a registered social worker in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers.  She has worked in a variety of environments including custody facilities, residential care settings, probation offices, schools, client homes and community organizations. Over the course of her career, Nikki has worked with clients struggling with addiction, homelessness, mental health concerns, family breakdown, child apprehension, criminality, individuals involved in the sex trade and victims of domestic violence.  She approaches her work through a trauma-informed lens and has completed training in attachment-based parenting strategies, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, and a wide variety of mindfulness techniques for managing stress, anxiety, and depression.  Nikki is well-versed in behaviour modification techniques and is specially trained in arson prevention. She is a dynamic professional who connects easily with clients and has extensive knowledge of community resources. Nikki strives to assist clients to identify their needs, harness their strengths and build the skills necessary to create meaningful change in their lives.