Meet The Team
Melanie Kepecs
Owner, Clinical Director, 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 adults navigating through anxiety, relationship issues and life transitions, as well as new moms moving through the new world of postpartum. Her approach of mixing talk therapy with other scientific techniques 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. 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.
Jesse Levitt
Office Manager
Jesse Levitt holds a BSc from the University of Toronto and is currently at Yorkville University in the Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology program. Jesse has experience in the social services field, including as a peer coach with youth both privately and within the public school board system. Jesse is passionate about working with adults and couples, with an emphasis on first responders and their families.
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 Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioural 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.
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: Trauma (development, intergenerational, and acute) Â PTSD Anxiety Low Mood/Depression Boundary Setting Self Compassion Relaxation Techniques/Self-Soothing 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: Trauma-Focused CBT (Prolonged Exposure, Cognitive Processing Therapy) Compassion Focused Therapy Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) Seeking Safety Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
Lindsay Kiervin
Registered Social Worker
Lindsay is a registered social worker obtaining both her BSW and MSW at Carleton University. Lindsay has many years of therapeutic experience supporting individuals, couples, 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 demeanour 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, relationship dynamics, and major transitions in life. She practices individual, couples, and family therapy for adults, children and youth.
Marra Sheldon
Registered Social Worker
Marra is a Registered Social Worker with 8 years of experience. She works with mood, anxiety, self esteem, identity, attachment wounds and relationships. She has a background in psychology and sexuality, and marriage and family studies. In her work with couples, she provides support with conflict, life transitions, infidelity, and trauma, with a focus from the Gottman Method. Marra also work with young adults, students, first responders, LGBTQ folks and have experience supporting gender identity work. You may be feeling the weight of the world and need some support. You may feel like you do not know which way is up or need a space to uncover what you have inside that can help you. Together you can explore ways to heal and strengthen your connections to yourself and others. Together, can build your confidence so you can feel more aligned with who you are, what you need and what you want your life to look like. ​Marra offers a holistic approach that honours the mind-body connection and allows you to be seen, heard and supported. She can integrate therapeutic strategies with more physical and somatic practices like yoga and mindfulness. This strengthens connection and gives you ground so you can better manage the curveballs in your life. ​Marra completed her graduate masters studies at University of Toronto, and my undergraduate studies at University of Waterloo. And for the past eight years, she has worked in a variety of therapeutic roles to support first responders, adult issues, youth programs, gender identity work and couples therapy. ​Marra truly believe you can care for yourself, grow personally, and engage with the world in a positive or honest way!