Mental Health Team Bios

I’m Cassandra Knegt, Registered Social Worker (BSW, MSW, RSW), a cis-gendered female, pronouns she/her, and an ADHD-identified therapist working with youth (12+) and adults. I am Indigenous, Mi'kmaq, Bear Clan, Potlotek First Nation, and of settler Canadian ancestry. 

Throughout my career, I’ve focused on supporting Indigenous peoples, First Nations communities, the LGBTQ+ community, and neurodivergent individuals. I’m committed to creating a safe and inclusive space for LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, and Indigenous clients

to explore their identities, heal from trauma, and address challenges such as systemic discrimination, emotional regulation, and gender/sexuality exploration. 

With lived experience of ADHD, I understand its impact on daily life, relationships, and self-esteem, and my goal is to help you embrace your strengths, build self-compassion, and create strategies that work for you. I integrate a wholistic approach that

honors Indigenous culture, addresses intergenerational trauma, and supports cultural identity reconnection.

I hold a Master of Social Work degree from Wilfrid Laurier University, specializing in Indigenous field of

study. I’m trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT),

and other trauma-informed approaches. As an EMDRIA approved EMDR therapist with consultant supervision, I practice from a trauma-informed perspective to support healing in a compassionate, client- centered way.

If you’re seeking a space to heal, grow, and reconnect with yourself, I’m here to walk alongside you on that journey. Help is here whenever you’re ready.

Cassandra Offers: Virtual Mental Health Counselling in Ontario 

Cassandra Accepts: NIHB, Private Insurance

Jess DeWit (she/her) is Metis from the Mattawa/Ottawa River Historic Metis Community on her maternal side, and Dutch on her paternal side. She is an Indigenous Mental Health & Wellness Clinician and Counsellor with over 10 years working with children and youth, and over 5 years specifically in Indigenous child and family wellbeing. 

Jess holds a Bachelor of Social Work specializing in Indigenous child welfare, as well as a Master of Social Work from York University. Jess has lived experience accessing mental health services as an Indigenous person and has become a strong advocate for Indigenous youth experiencing anxiety and depression.  Jess believes in the strength of Indigenous healing practices, drawing on storytelling to foster hope and resilience, the Medicine Wheel to promote balance, and the Seven Grandfather Teachings as a foundation for living well. She blends these approaches with Western therapies like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness, Narrative Therapy, and Art Therapy, weaving them together in a way that honours both worlds.  

Jess is passionate about seeing youth thrive, not just survive. Her goal is to help them discover their strengths, find their voices, and feel a deep sense of belonging to themselves, their communities, and their cultures. Jess believes that healing is about connection and she is honoured to walk alongside youth as they take each step toward their full potential.

Jess Offers: Virtual Mental Health Counselling in Ontario 

Jess accepts: NIHB, Private Insurance

 Veronica Miller (she/her) is Niya Iskwew Michif, Red River Métis, and Irish, living on the unceded and unsurrendered territory of the Omàmiwinini (meaning “down-river people”) or Algonquin People. Veronica is a Registered Indigenous Social Worker with an Honours Bachelor’s in Indigenous Social Work from Laurentian University and a Master’s of Social Work in the Indigenous Field of Study from Wilfrid Laurier University. They bring extensive experience supporting Indigenous youth and families in navigating systems such as child welfare and therapy.

Veronica’s practice is guided by the Medicine Wheel, which emphasizes balance across the emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual aspects of life. Their approach braids Indigenous knowledge with evidence-based methods to meet the diverse needs of those they walk alongside, weaving them together in ways that honour both worlds.

Veronica is committed to creating a culturally safe, inclusive, and non-judgmental space where people feel seen, heard, and valued. Believing that healing is not a linear process, they honour the knowledge and capacity each person holds within themselves. Their work is relationship-focused and wholistic, grounded in empathy and trust, and centred on the belief that meaningful change comes through relationships—with ourselves, our kin, and our communities. Veronica walks beside those they support, offering guidance, connection, and care, affirming that no one has to carry their burdens alone.

Veronica Offers: Virtual Mental Health Counselling in Ontario 

Veronica accepts: Private Insurance

River (He/They) is a Red River Métis, Black, & Ukrainian Two-Spirit and Trans Therapist & Helper in Toronto. He completed a Master's Degree in Social Work (Indigenous Field of Study) at Wilfrid Laurier University. They also have a Honours Bachelor's Degree in Social Work from McMaster University. 

River's practice is rooted in community, with 7 years of experience in community work - including Indigenous mental health, peer support and grassroots community organizing. His approach is grounded in values of responsibility, respect, relationality and reciprocity. His practice as a helper is person-centered, relational, strengths-based, trauma-informed, and is rooted in self-determination & collective community care. River believes that clients are the experts of their own lived experience.

Their therapeutic approach weaves evidence-based therapies with First Nations knowledges & perspectives; River primarily draws from Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Narrative Therapy, Attachment-based Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Child & Youth Care (CYC) approaches. 

River is passionate about walking alongside the healing journeys of his clients, especially in relation to helping clients heal from trauma, and helping them to discover, embrace & nurture their gifts, truths, and sense of identity. River specializes in working with 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, Mixed-Race people, Neurodivergent individuals, and young adults.

River Offers: Virtual Mental Health Counselling in Ontario and In-Person Mental Health Counselling in Toronto

River accepts: NIHB, Private Insurance, Sliding Scale Rates

Richelle (she/her) is an Anishinaabe Kwe from Chippewas of Rama First Nation. After spending much of her early life as a performance artist and teacher, the birth of her daughter inspired a shift toward supporting youth mental health. Richelle holds a double diploma in Social Service Work and Indigenous Knowledge: First Peoples with a distinction in Leadership from Centennial College and a Bachelor of Social Work with a minor in Psychology and a certificate in Indigenous Knowledge and Experience from Toronto Metropolitan University. She is currently pursuing her MSW in Indigenous Trauma and Resiliency at the University of Toronto.

Richelle has extensive experience as an Indigenous crisis responder for youth across Turtle Island and has mentored many young individuals seeking support. She also teaches Indigenous-based content in elementary schools in Toronto and conducts virtual guest lectures at post-secondary institutions. Richelle has gained various certifications and knowledge in areas such as Grief Counselling, Crisis Intervention, Trauma-informed Practices, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Youth Mental Health and Development, and Arts-based and Animal therapies. Currently, she is working towards coaching and counselling certifications for youth with neurodiversity, including ADHD and ASD.

As an Indigenous Mental Health Counsellor, Richelle's practice is grounded in a trauma-informed, social justice-oriented, and person-centred approach, integrating both Indigenous and Western frameworks. Her deep commitment to creating safe, trusting environments for her clients ensures they feel secure and comfortable. Richelle emphasizes collaboration, mutuality, and empowerment to ensure her clients feel respected, heard, and supported in their journey toward well-being.

Richelle Offers: Virtual Mental Health Counselling in Ontario and In-Person Mental Health Counselling in Toronto

Richelle accepts: Private Insurance, Sliding Scale Rates

Jasmine holds a Master of Social Work degree from Toronto Metropolitan University and is a registered social worker specializing in mental health counselling for Indigenous youth. Her journey in this field is deeply rooted in her family's legacy of educators and mental health professionals.

Her valuable experience as an Aboriginal education worker in British Columbia's school district has significantly shaped her approach to mental health support. In this role, she provided educational assistance and social support to Indigenous youth, laying a solid foundation for her current counselling work.

Jasmine's expertise is further enhanced by her Master's research, which focused on Indigenous ways of knowing and traditional healing practices within counselling. This research highlights her belief in the importance of integrating cultural understanding into the wellness journeys of Indigenous participants.

At Finding Our Power Together, Jasmine is a key member of the mentorship team. Her passion for supporting youth and commitment to broadening her mental health knowledge make a significant impact. Her dedication to her role and enthusiasm for continuous learning are invaluable to our team and the communities we support.

Jasmine Offers: Virtual Mental Health Counselling in Ontario

My name is Loanna Zacharie. I am a Mohawk mother living in the Mohawk territory of Kahnawake, Quebec. I bring nearly 14 years of clinical experience working with my people as a counselor. I am a registered social worker with the Order of Quebec. I also teach a course at McGill University School of Social Work. I also bring with me my lived experience. 

As a Mohawk girl growing up in the 80s and 90s, I had little to no understanding of self or how to conceptualize my identity. I knew I was native, but I also knew I felt shame when I said where I was from, and I internalized the rhetoric that said Natives were not as good as the majority. My generation didn't embrace cultural pride. Our parents, residential school survivors or children of survivors, lived through harrowing years of abuse, racism, systemic oppression, and violence just by being Indigenous. They didn't want the same for us, so we became non speakers, Mohawks who knew very little of their traditional customs and ceremonies. We were confused, angry, and lost walking in two worlds. I attended a private high school in Montreal at 12 years old and my journey into discovery who I was and where I belonged began. 

The next 20 years is what I carry into my sessions. The experiences, the losses, the trauma, and the relationships made me who I am today. I was able to use what happened to me as a gift rather than a wound. Through education I learned the theory behind why, but the experience, the emotional impact, the darkness, that allows me access to grace, to love, and to empathy. I cannot sit with others in their darkness, if I don't sit with mine. This is pivotal to my practice.

I am trained in trauma informed practice, trauma resiliency, and attachment theory. I have extensive experience with complex childhood trauma, complex PTSD, family violence, sexual violence, and the impacts on mental health and identity. I use psychodynamic approaches with a holistic perspective rooted in Kanien'keha:ka values (peace, love, empowerment, and a good mind). I strive for our people to be safe in being who they are and being able to love and be loved without fear.

Loanna Offers: Virtual Mental Health Counselling in Quebec

Loanna accepts: NIHB, Private Insurance

Tansi kakiyaw, (Hello everyone) my name is Blaire Buffalo. I’m from Day Star First Nation in Treaty 4 territory Saskatchewan. I currently reside in Saskatoon on Treaty 6 for the past 8 years. I’m a proud mother of two daughters. I have attained a Bachelor of Indigenous Social Work through the First Nations University of Canada in Regina, SK. I have acquired a Master of Social Work – Indigenous Specialization through the University of Victoria. Through my master’s program at UVic, I have gained knowledge and experience working within a decolonial approach to re-search through Indigenous ways of knowing and being. I am the owner and operator of Miskâsowin Counselling and Consulting. In addition to being a licensed social worker with the Saskatchewan of Social Workers (SASW), I am an authorized Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) mental health therapist through Indigenous Services Canada. 

In addition to my life experience, I have worked with adults and youth in community-based organizations for more than ten years. Over the past 3 years, I have worked with families and survivors of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) as a Family Information Liaison Officer (FILO) with the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN). 

The theories and techniques of my therapy are trauma-informed and survivor-focused, they include identity-resurgence, resiliency, cultural and land-based approaches, and modern healing. This was based on the knowledge I've gained from my training, education, and life experiences. Along with promoting self-awareness and healing for the wellbeing of our nations; I aspire to become and be a safe space for others in order to support Indigenous peoples. 

Blaire Offers: Virtual Mental Health Counselling in Saskatchewan

Blaire accepts: NIHB, Private Insurance, Sliding Scale Rates