River Valade

River Valade (they/he) is Red River Métis, Black (African Diaspora), and Ukrainian. He is a Mental Health Counselor (MSW, RSW), Helper, and Community Worker with six years of experience working with urban Indigenous families and youth. He is passionate about walking alongside Indigenous youth on their journeys and helping them discover and nurture their gifts.

River holds a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from McMaster University and a Master's degree in Social Work (specializing in Indigenous wholistic social work practice) from Wilfrid Laurier University.

River's therapeutic practice is rooted in the concept of Two-eyed seeing; this involves braiding Indigenous knowledge and approaches to help with aspects of Western therapy methods. In his practice, River braids Indigenous healing methods and Indigenous approaches to helping, Narrative Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Internal Family Systems therapy techniques. As someone who walks in between multiple worlds in their identity as a Métis, Mixed-Race, Neurodivergent and Two-Spirit youth - River has gone on their own journey to explore what it means to be who they are, the gifts he carries, and his roles and responsibilities as an Indigenous person. As a helper, River aims to guide Indigenous youth on their journeys to self-discovery and self-identity in ways that align with the Anishinaabe concept of Mino-bimaadiziwin, or "the good path".

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