Welcome to Mindful
Beginnings
Simply put, mindfulness is to be aware. It's the reminder we need to come back into this present moment.
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Naturally, our mind wanders to either a moment that has already passed or, we focus on something that hasn't happened yet, in the future. Mindfulness and relationships go hand in hand. Developing the awareness of where our relationships are, and where we would like them to be gives us the ability to move to the next step.
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At Mindful Beginnings, we offer Mindfulness Psychotherapy virtually to individuals and couples looking for a safe, and non-judgmental space to help them navigate through their overwhelming feelings and challenges. Our specialty is giving individuals tools to help move through anxiety, depression and relationship issues. We use Mindfulness as well as many other therapeutic modalities to help individuals cope with life’s constant changes.
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Our minds easily wander to the past- thinking of situations that have already happened that we wish we could change, or to the future, which brings feelings of uncertainty and anxiety. Our approach of using Mindfulness, focuses on the present moment and provides clients with the necessary tools to handle everyday stresses, overwhelming emotions and triggers.
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We are committed to your best interest and will stick by you every step of your journey. Our goal is to help you navigate your way and grow through your struggles, heal from your pain and help you move forward to where you want to be.
Check out our online scheduler below!
OUR TEAM
Founder, Clinical Director, Mindful Beginnings
Registered Psychotherapist
Melanie is the owner of Mindful Beginnings, a corporate speaker and an Individual and Couples Therapist. She helps individuals and couples looking for a safe and non-judgmental space by giving them tools to help guide them through their overwhelming feelings and challenges. She helps her clients navigate through anxiety, depression, relationship issues and life transitions.
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Her approach of using mindfulness, focusing on the present, provides clients with the necessary tools to handle everyday stresses, overwhelming emotions and triggers, ultimately allowing them to feel lighter and more in control of their everyday life.
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Melanie approaches everything through the lens of a relationship. Everything in our life is a relationship. The most important relationship is the one we have with ourselves. She focuses on all relationships we have such as the one we have with our partner, a family member, the relationship we have with food etc.
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Have any questions about working with Melanie?
email the clinic at: info@mindfulbeginnings.ca
Jesse Levitt
Office Manager
Jesse Levitt holds a BSc from the University of Toronto and is currently working towards becoming a registered psychotherapist.
She is currently working as an Administrative Assistant for a Psychotherapy clinic, alongside the Office Manager role with Mindful Beginnings. Jesse has experience social services field, including as a peer coach with youth both privately and within the public school board system.
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Jesse is passionate about working with adults and couples, with an emphasis on first responders and their families. She hopes to use her education at Yorkville University to employ a trauma/cognitive-based approach in her practice.
Laura Polisuk
Registered Social Worker
Laura is an authentic and compassionate registered social worker with a commitment to improving the lives of her clients. With a strong educational foundation, Laura earned both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Social Work, honing her skills and knowledge to provide the highest level of care. Laura has many years of experience supporting individuals with a dual diagnosis (mental illness and intellectual disability), as well as anxiety, depression, self-esteem issues, and body image concerns.
Laura utilizes modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Solution-Focused approaches to support her client's needs. Laura is committed to meeting clients where they are at in their journeys. She understands that every individual's experiences and needs are unique. Therefore, interventions are tailored to each person, ensuring that therapy is a personalized and transformative experience.
Laura’s areas of expertise include: Individuals aged 15-35, depression
anxiety, confidence and self esteem, trauma, suicidal ideation, dual diagnosis (mental illness and intellectual disability), and body image.
Diana Saverimuthu
Registered Psychotherapist
Diana is a Registered Psychotherapist with over 10 years of experience working in the mental health sector. She specializes in treating adults and youth, with depression, anxiety, self-esteem, identity, trauma, and life transitions. Her experience includes working in Toronto's highest rated mental health clinics, and globally with Doctors Without Borders.
Diana's person-centered and trauma-informed approach, acknowledges the importance of resiliency and self-empowerment. She believes that positive mental health is not merely the absence of symptoms, but the ability to fully engage in life with happiness, creativity, and gratitude.
Diana's approach combines in-depth discussion, skill development, and active application of positive behaviours, while acknowledging the influence of culture and systemic barriers. Her background in Mindfulness-based practices, Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy have helped her clients create meaningful and sustainable changes in their lives.
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I would value the opportunity to work with you, at your pace, to achieve your goals.
I would value the opportunity to work with you, at your pace, to achieve your goals.
Novlette Alexander
Registered Social Worker
Novlette understands that the decision to seek help can be a difficult one. She provides a warm and gentle approach to help you feel safe and secure during the therapeutic process. She believes that there is strength in knowing when to reach out for support.
Novlette Alexander is a registered social worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers.
Novlette has worked in Social Services for over 25 years and has extensive experience in child welfare, families, adolescents, mental health, crisis intervention, domestic violence, poverty and oppression. Novlette has an anti-oppressive approach and is culturally sensitive.
Novlette's areas of focus are:
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Anxiety
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Depression
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Self-Esteem
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Coping Skills
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Emotional Disturbance
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Life Transitions
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Peer Relationships
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Stress
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Public Adoption
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Women’s reproductive mental health
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Cultural issues
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Racial identity
Novlette is trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Solution Focused Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). She takes an eclectic approach in order to meet the unique need of each client. She takes a client centered and systemic approach. She is trauma informed, strength based and utilizes aspects of narrative therapy and mindfulness practices.
Eunice MB
Registered Psychotherapist
Eunice is a Registered Psychotherapist with many years of experience helping clients deal with trauma, emotional dysregulation, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, maladaptive ways of coping, attachment injuries, existential crises and various other challenges one might face.
Eunice has a way of making sense of and helping a client process their difficulties and challenges by inviting in compassion and curiosity. Eunice believes that by deepening internal awareness through mindfulness, one can start to become more aligned with their true nature. In this way, Eunice guides clients to cultivate their own innate abilities to call on their wise selves and heal using their own inner resource.
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Eunice is a highly attuned and intuitive therapist whose strengths include genuine caring, compassion and unconditional positive regard to her clients which translates into an authentic, safe and healing therapeutic relationship.
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Eunice sees couples, families, youth (ages 14-18) and adults.
Delaney Campbell
Registered Social Worker
Delaney (she/her) works collaboratively with clients to establish a safe therapeutic space for growing and healing. She employs a strengths-based, trauma-informed approach in her work with all individuals and groups. Delaney completed her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from the University of Toronto in 2018 and has since worked in remote First Nations communities in Northern Ontario. Her extensive experience in the context of sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and human trafficking has provided the opportunity to develop skills in the following domains:
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Trauma (development, intergenerational, and acute)
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PTSD
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Anxiety
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Low Mood/Depression
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Boundary Setting
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Self Compassion
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Relaxation Techniques/Self-Soothing
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Delaney has a strong respect for the autonomy of her clients, especially in deciding their collaborative approach to therapy. She is a diplomate member of the Academy of Cognitive therapy and skilled in other modalities, including:
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Trauma-Focused CBT (Prolonged Exposure, Cognitive Processing Therapy)
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Compassion Focused Therapy
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Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)
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Seeking Safety
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Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
Everdene Francis-McIntosh
Registered Social Worker
Everdene Francis-McIntosh, MSW, RSW (She/Her), is a dedicated, engaged, and compassionate social worker and therapist committed to helping others. She is known for her empathetic, compassionate, authentic, and non-judgmental approach, and her infectious laughter creates a safe and supportive environment for her clients.
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Everdene believes that therapy is not a one-size-fits-all approach and effectively integrates various therapeutic modalities into her practice, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Motivational Counseling, and Narrative Therapy - all grounded in Trauma-Informed care.
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Her extensive experience includes working with individuals and youth from diverse backgrounds, particularly within BIPOC and LGBTQIA2+ communities, addressing a wide range of mental health and emotional well-being concerns. Everdene earned her Master's in Social Work from the University of Toronto in 2015. Since then, she has dedicated herself to the social service sector, consistently advocating for equitable access to quality care and fostering resilience and growth by drawing on the existing strengths of her clients.
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Isabella Patat
Registered Social Worker
Isabella works with children (age 5+), teens, adults, parents, and families. Her areas of focus include:
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Anxiety and Stress Management
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Family and Relationship Dynamics
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Depression and Mood Disorders
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Behavioural Challenges (e.g., school avoidance, anger management)
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Neurodiversities (e.g., autism, ADHD, learning disabilities)
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Self-Esteem
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Life Transitions
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Trauma
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Grief/Loss
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School-Related Issues
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Relaxation Techniques/Self-Care
Isabella is committed to providing compassionate and non-judgmental therapy to children, adolescents, families, and adults navigating various challenges impacting their day-to-day lives and future goals. Isabella is a registered Social Worker with many years of experience with mental health counselling in settings such as schools, child welfare, transitional housing, and crisis lines. Through her professional practice, Isabella aims to create a safe and nurturing environment where clients can explore their emotions and develop healthy coping strategies.
Isabella understands navigating challenges alone can be overwhelming and daunting. Therapy provides a caring environment where clients can gain insight, develop skills, and foster connections that lead to lasting change and emotional well-being. Isabella is passionate about helping children, teens, families, and adults thrive and is dedicated to providing personalized and supportive therapy to facilitate positive change.
Lindsay Kiervin
Registered Psychotherapist
Lindsay is a registered social worker obtaining both her BSW and MSW at Carleton University. Lindsay has many years of therapeutic experience supporting individuals and families in various settings including healthcare, rural communities, mental health and educational settings.
As a compassionate and client centred social worker, Lindsay strives to collaboratively establish goals that foster your growth and understanding. Whether you are struggling with anxiety, depression, difficult transitions or just aiming to better understand yourself, she is committed to working through these things with you.
To facilitate this she incorporates a variety of techniques and modalities including: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness, Solution Focused Therapy, play based techniques and more. Her strengths based approach and calm demeanor allow you to feel safe and confident during the therapeutic journey.
Lindsay's areas of focus include anxiety, depression, stress (workplace, school, etc), self esteem, coping skills, and major transitions in life. She practices individual and family therapy for adults, children and youth.