Our Team

Dr. Karen Kaffko, a registered Psychologist with the College of Psychologists of Ontario, is the supervising psychologist of the clinic. She brings compassion, openness and patience to create a safe, non-judgemental space for people to explore, heal and grow.

She is committed to helping individuals understand their stories in order to form stronger connections within themselves and with others.  She integrates tangible solution-focused & cognitive behavioral strategies with dynamic relational approaches to help individuals, couples and families meet their treatment goals.  As a certified Family Mediator, her expertise has informed her work with couple and family conflict, the impact of separation/divorce on children and adults and Family Mediation.  She can work with parents to develop a collaborative co-parenting plan that meets the needs of the children.  Dr. Kaffko has provided workshops & training at numerous conferences, focusing on clinical skills in her areas of specialization.

Specialization

• Anxiety & Depression Mood Disorders
• Trauma, PTSD, & Loss
• Attachment focused approaches
• Life Transitions & Identity Formation
• Relationship & Interpersonal Issues  (Couple Therapy)
• Issues relating to Sexuality- impact of assault, sexual performance
• LGBTQ+ Issues
• Social & Career difficulties
• Separation, Divorce & Family Mediation

As teaching faculty at York University for several years,  in both the Psychology Department and the School of Social Work , Dr. Kaffko has been instrumental in developing and teaching courses in – ‘Counseling and Psychotherapy Methods; Mental Health & Interventions; Family Therapy; Family Mediation;  Human Sexuality: Development & Diversity; Sexual Interactions & Relationships;  and  Child and Adolescent Development.’ 

Education

Dr. Kaffko’s training and education is quite unique in that she has degrees in two different professions with different focuses, even though they are both in the mental health field.

Her first Master’s Degree was in Social Work, which taught her how all people are part of a larger system- be that within their family, culture, religion, work environment, social network, etc.  Within these systems, they have roles and expectations of behaviour, patterns of relationships, communication modalities, and survival strategies.  Because of this systemic perspective, individual’s mental health problems and treatments were processed through the lens of relationships.  Her training then focussed on couple therapy, family therapy and group therapy.

Her second Master’s Degree and her subsequent Doctoral Degree was in Psychology.  Here she learned considerable information about the internal world of individuals, about pathology, mental health/illness and diagnoses.  But most of all, about the neurological capacity of the brain and its incredible healing power.  The focus of her training during these years, were on diverse Cognitive therapies and psychodynamic interventions.

Over the years of her practice, and her continued training, she blended these two therapeutic focuses into a broad view of humanity.

LOUISE BAILEY, M.S.W., R.S.W. 

Louise Bailey has been in practice for over 30 years. Prior to joining this private practice, she has worked in Family Counselling agencies and Employee Assistance Programs for large corporations. Her strength-based approach to therapy and wellness, with individuals, couples and families, has given her opportunities to offer psychotherapy, training many other therapists, program & organizational development and management of specialized programs in the community. She was instrumental in establishing one of the first comprehensive programs for families dealing with the process and aftermath of separation and divorce. She has mediated high conflict couples, helping them write separation agreements and addressing residency and co-parent planning. Louise specializes in therapy with individuals and couples, focusing on issues such as childhood trauma, the search for identity and direction in life, relationship repair and resilience, a comfort with intimacy-both physical and emotional and a deepening understanding of oneself. She is highly trained in working with anxiety and depression, manifesting in all manner of mental health issues.  Louise uses an eclectic approach to therapy, personalizing it to the client.  Psychodynamic Family of Origin,  Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).

Louise has a Masters of Social Work Degree from the University of Toronto and is a Registered Member of the College of Social Workers and Social Service and a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers.

BRENDA ISEN, M.S.W., R.S.W. 

Brenda Isen is a talented, experienced therapist with over 30-years of a distinguished career in offering psychotherapy to Individuals, Couples and Families.  The cornerstone of her therapeutic practice is to establish a strong alliance with her clients.  Over the span of her professional life, Brenda has helped her clients alleviate symptoms of Anxiety, Depression, Trauma and Grief.  She has worked extensively in many different capacities in Mental Health Organizations treating adults presenting within a wide range of difficulties.  She has a strong repertoire of skills in a large variety of treatment modalities, including CBT, DBT, Solution Focused Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, and Mindful Practice, to name a few.  Her expertise in understanding and working with couples offers people a means to strengthen their levels of communication and intimacy in their relationships.

Her current focus on Women’s Issues relating to life transitions, fertility struggles, the impact of aging, and their changing roles in family dynamics, has earned her a prominent reputation in the mental health community.  Brenda has a particular expertise providing psychotherapy to older (senior) adult individuals and couples.  The many losses and ensuing grief, that come with aging – loss of abilities (both physical & cognitive), social connections, intimate family members, sense of autonomy and home, often result in depression and anxiety.  Brenda’s focus on managing these emotions and the regaining of self-agency, can bring back the sense of well being.

Having worked in many Children’s and Adolescent Mental Health treatment facilities – both in direct service, supervisory and collaborative planning of therapeutic programs, she has a specialized understanding of the internal life of young persons. She works with issues of attachment, self-esteem, eating disorders, school avoidance, career development and all manifestations of depression and anxiety. This work has also given her a particular insight and proficiency in counseling Families struggling with a child in pain. A large part of her practice is in guiding families in parenting concerns. Brenda has specific expertise in Separation & Divorce.   She offers couples a means of rebuilding the connection that they had lost or helping families to separate with dignity while addressing the loss of the relationship and the preservation of family.   If children are involved, she can guide families into the reality of two homes, addressing residency and co-parenting issues.  

Brenda has a Masters of Social Work Degree from the University of Toronto and is a Registered Member of the College of Social Workers and Social Service and a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers.

SHERRY BARRETT, M.S.W., R.S.W. 

For more than 15 years, Sherry Barrett, has focused her career on helping individuals, couples and families move through life’s obstacles and developmental stages, to find meaning and fulfillment.  Experiencing stressful life transitions, often involves grief and loss, which may manifest in anxiety or depression.  Whether these transitions are triggered by trauma, illness, loss of a loved one, fertility losses, moving communities, schools or jobs, or the breakdown of a relationship and the ensuing goodbye, Sherry approaches this work in a warm, Insightful, non-judgemental way.  In working with individuals, she focuses on the person’s search for self-compassion, identity exploration, emotional regulation skills and self-awareness to change problematic patterns and increase skill sets.  She utilizes evidence-based models of treatment such as Emotionally Focused Therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, EMDR, Mindfulness Meditation to name just a few.  She integrates these treatment models to fit the individual.

As well as a broad span therapy practice, Sherry has developed two major areas of specialization.  Within a systemic understanding, she works with children and adolescents, who feel trapped in anxiety or depression, to the point of avoiding school, troubled peer relationships – often manifesting in social anxiety or the victim of bullying, perfectionism, struggling with emotional regulation, and generally overwhelmed by all that is on their plate.  She involves the parents who are having difficulty in understanding their child’s behaviour or with settling limits in the household.  She offers sessions to empower the parents in feeling more able to strengthen relationships with children while modelling improved mental health overall.  She provides a psychoeducational approach, Emotionally Focused Skills Training, as one of the modalities to therapy that she uses with the family and CBT with the children & adolescents. She helps decrease family conflict, increase communication and problem-solving skills within the family system.

The other area of specialization is with Separating & Divorcing families.  She offers Family Mediation, using an Attachment and Solution Focused approach.  She sees individuals and/or couples before they actually separate, preparing them to make the difficult decisions ahead for them.  Sherry empowers clients to feel prepared for the mediation process and more able to negotiate in a rational frame of mind. She helps prepare co-parenting plans with separating families.  And she offers Post Divorce Counselling, supporting individuals’ adjusting to life post-separation or divorce – increasing strengths and comfort, managing increased time away from children, dating and sexuality, co-parenting and introductions of new partners.

Radhika Varma has been in practice for over 17 years, working with adults of all ages, and their families.  Although she has much experience in working with a broad spectrum of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, major life changes, self-esteem, self-confidence, relational issues, and work/life stress management, Radhika also has specialized training in other specific areas.  Her post-graduate studies and work were in Marriage and Family Therapy.  She helps people along with their lifespan – from premarital counseling to couples counseling, all the way through to the transition of becoming parents, perinatal & post-partum struggles, and life after parenting.  She teaches couples effective communication and problem-solving skills to aid in developing a healthy balance between caring for themselves, their partners, and their families.  She has a firm expertise in working with adolescents, parents, and families, addressing child and adolescent trauma and mood disorders, relationship problems, and the difficulties of parenting.

Radhika also has Advanced Training in Trauma-Focused Therapy – working with people who have suffered through all sorts of abuse, sexual violence, victimization, and complicated loss and grief.  Her perspective is seeing the multilayered dynamics of individuals within families and how people get caught in roles they want to break free from.  This advanced training aids in her work with Post Traumatic Stress Disorders, eating disorders, adult children of alcoholics, issues related to sexuality – specifically people experiencing the journey of gender identity transition.  She helps people move through and heal from anger and trauma.

Her approach is pragmatic, strength-based, person-centered, and non-pathologizing. Her style is warm, conversational, and direct using a relational and collaborative process where clients build awareness, skills & resilience.  Radhika works to build a trusting, safe, empathic therapeutic relationship to assist her clients in meeting their treatment goals. She uses an integrative therapeutic approach which includes evidence-based practices, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Emotion- Focused Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Psychodynamic Intervention, Structural-Strategic Family Therapy, all within a Mindfulness practice.  Radhika is a multiculturalist mental health professional with holistic foundations.

ALEEF ESMAIL, M.S.W., RSW.

Aleef Esmail brings over two decades of experience to his practice of psychotherapy.Throughout his career, he has dedicated himself to supporting individuals and families through life’s most difficult transitions. He has worked with a wide spectrum of mental health challenges – from acute life crises, trauma, anxiety, depression, and substance use struggles to severe and chronic mental health disorders. Aleef specializes in working with people living with depression and anxiety and the ensuing crises that it brings to their lives. He helps people experiencing Anxiety that can manifest in Social Anxiety – disabling individuals from having friendships, Performance Anxiety that can overwhelm and paralyse people at their work or school, Panic attacks making one’s
world smaller and frightening. He also works with Depression that can isolate people painfully, it can be harmful to intimacy in couple relationships, impair self esteem and be experienced physically. He has trained schools, hospitals, and community organizations – creating many mental wellness programs. He is certified in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Solutions-Focused Therapy and Motivational Interviewing. His approach to treatment is eclectic and draws upon principles from several therapeutic modalities, including, but not limited to, Emotion Focused Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Family Systems Therapy and Narrative Therapy.

Using his understanding of the relationship between inner mental processes and the external environment, Aleef has a unique ability to help clients find stability and direction by fostering self-awareness and identifying patterned ways of thinking and behaving. He views these behavioral patterns as learned constructs, often arising from early or traumatic life experiences, but can be changed or adapted to better serve an individual’s purpose leading to healthier outcomes. Aleef’s psychotherapy approach is compassionate, person-centered, and strengths-based; fostering a collaborative therapeutic alliance built on trust, safety and mutual respect. By drawing on principles rooted in the importance of understanding and processing emotions, setting healthier boundaries, and deconstructing stigmatized attitudes that people may hold about themselves, Aleef guides his clients towards greater self-awareness, emotional regulation, and authentic living.