Christine Nicholson, MSW, RSW.
Christine is a Registered Social Worker with over twenty years experience as a therapist. She provides meaningful and effective support for families in transition and this includes individual, couple and family therapy. Sessions are available in person and remotely at this time.
Christine has a passion for guiding her clients through life transitions, and this includes grief from loss or separation and chronic conditions. She has also witnessed her clients succeed with management of anxiety and depression, as well as interpersonal relationship stress and conflict.
When you take the courageous step to start therapy with Christine, know that you will experience acknowledgement and validation, empowerment, strength, a renewal of faith, and direction for your life once again. Christine has a warm and empathic approach, all the while keeping pursuit of your therapy goals and targets in mind.
Christine enjoys sharing her gift of listening and connecting with clients confidentially, addressing emotional, physical and spiritual aspects of healthy living. She believes strongly in the power of community, as well as the power of the mind, which can bring healing to our emotions, mood and break negative cycles in our lives.
Christine has a wealth of experience and knowledge based on her work in private practice as well as various settings in the York Region area. This includes a primary health care setting, outpatient rehabilitation, and Employee Assistance based work. For the past two years, she has also provided Consulting services for Seniors in transition and their families, with Senior Care Access.
Christine received a Masters in Social Work at University of Toronto and utilizes an eclectic range of models including: Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Mindfulness, Brief Solution-Focused Therapy and Narrative Therapy. She has extensive training and experience in Cognitive Behavioural and Solution Focussed therapies through individual couple and family modalities. The benefits of therapy with Christine include a sense of encouragement, vitality, clarity, purpose, and direction in the lives of her clients.
Christine is a married mom of two young adults. She enjoys the outdoors via walking, cycling and hiking, listening to music and the occasional comedy.
If you have questions and would like to book a counselling appointment, Christine can be reached at: cnicholson.nxstep@gmail.com, (416) 451-7474
Melinda Bandak, R.P., M.Div.
Melinda is a registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. She has been counselling individuals, couples and families for over 20 years. Through her caring and empathetic approach, clients benefit from her ability to assist them when they are dealing with complications arising from traumatic and life changing events. In her practice she sees both individual clients, families as well as couples who are struggling in their relationship.
Melinda has worked extensively with individuals who have gone through the painful process of separation and divorce. She has provided her professional services to lead support groups and provides individual counselling to those who find themselves in crisis during or after a marital separation. Clients benefit from her keen understanding and approach when they are feeling overwhelmed and often traumatized by this life changing event.
With Melinda’s background and training in both couple and bereavement counselling she offers an area of expertise in working with couples or individuals who have lost a child, had a miscarriage, had medical complications during pregnancy, termination of pregnancy or stillbirths. She has supported many couples or individuals in her years of practice who feel completely paralyzed when a death of this magnitude occurs.
Melinda’s knowledge, experience and warm approach make clients feel safe to discuss the most difficult issues that they are facing such as depression, anxiety, grief, abuse, stress, loss of job, separation/divorce and traumatic events.
If you have questions and would like to book a counselling appointment Melinda can be reached at nxstepcounselling@gmail.com or (647) 300-1485.
Vicki Nishihama, R.P., M.Div.
Vicki knows that talking about thoughts, feelings, and experiences can be helpful. She can guide the way to help enrich your life through learning new coping strategies, modulating emotions and/or discovering new emotions. Vicki believes you can find a way to reach your goals. She invites you to discover your goals and work on them together – Are you ready?
Vicki is a Registered Psychotherapist with The College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario and a Marriage and Family Therapist (Pre-Clinical Fellow – Ontario). She has been in private practice since 2009. She is trained to work with individuals, couples and families and has training in various types of psychotherapy including: Emotion Focussed Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Affair Recovery, CBT for Trauma, Abuse Recovery.
Good News! The therapy services of a Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Psychotherapists of Ontario have now been approved by many insurance companies. If you are wondering about your coverage, then please contact your insurance company before your appointment. You may ask “Has my plan been updated to cover the services of a Registered Psychotherapist?” If the answer is “Yes” then you may want to inquire “How much coverage do I have?”. The answer may help you be mindful of the parameters of your budget. If the answer is “No”, then you may have the option to request that the services of a Registered Psychotherapist be included in your plan.
If you have any questions and would like to book a counselling appointment, Vicki can be reached at vnishihama@hotmail.com or (905) 392-1959.