Support for...
Autism ~ ADHD ~ Learning Differences ~ Overwhelm ~ Motivation ~ Time Management ~ Anxiety ~ Emotional Regulation ~ Social Skills ~ Sleep ~ Healthy Technology Use ~ And More!
I help neurodiverse and neurotypical people alike gain insight into their stories, strengths, struggles and needs.
MY FOUNDATIONAL GOAL IS FOR CLIENTS TO FEEL SEEN, UNDERSTOOD, AND SUPPORTED IN A WORLD THAT DOESN’T ALWAYS FEEL DESIGNED FOR THEM.
(Spoiler alert: nature didn’t design any of us with this modern world in mind!)
Diversity is not only natural, it's necessary.
What Makes RiverBe Unique
EVERYONE DESERVES TO BE UNDERSTOOD AND SUPPORTED AS THEY ARE, TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WORLD IN WAYS THAT FEEL OPTIMAL AND SAFE FOR THEM.
NEUROAFFIRMING & INCLUSIVE CARE
I am a neurodiverse scientist-practitioner, doctoral psychologist, and human. While respecting and honouring individual, cultural, and neurological differences, I aim to provide a safe, shame-free space for clients to explore their unique stories and determine their own paths. I think of my role like that of a GPS: I can suggest a variety of routes, but you are the driver.
PROFESSIONAL & LIVED EXPERIENCE
In addition to 20+ years of professional experience, my own lived experience as a neurodiverse human allows me to relate to neurodiverse clients on a deeper level. At the same time, I never forget that no two people are the same, no matter how similar their “labels” or experiences may appear “on paper.”
STRENGTHS-BASED APPROACH
I believe that an essential part of navigating life’s challenges is identifying strengths and needs (we all have both!). I support clients in identifying and harnessing their own strengths as they work towards growth in areas most important to them. The goal is not merely to survive in the world, but to thrive.
NATURE NURTURES
As a climate-aware therapist with an advanced certificate in ecopsychology, I recognize the importance of our connections to nature (and the detrimental impacts of our disconnections from her). Informed by scientific evidence, ecopsychology can be integrated into client care with those who are keen or curious to explore it.
Meet Dr. Jennifer, Clinical Psychologist
I HELP CHILDREN, TEENS, ADULTS, AND PARENTS FEEL SEEN, UNDERSTOOD, AND EMPOWERED TO LIVE IN WAYS THAT HONOUR THEIR UNIQUE STRENGTHS, INTERESTS, AND NEEDS.
My approach to this work is informed by almost two decades of clinical training/practice, shaped by scientific evidence and lived experience, and guided by what we know about nature and our place in it. One of the things we know about nature is that diversity is not only natural, but needed.
“Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.”
— CREE PROVERB
Land, Water & Peoples Tributes
I SPENT THE FIRST 20 YEARS OF MY LIFE GROWING UP ALONG THE SAINT-LAWRENCE RIVER. I’VE SPENT THE LAST 20+ YEARS LIVING, WORKING, AND PLAYING NEAR (AND ON, AND IN) THE OTTAWA RIVER. IN NAMING RIVERBE, I’M INSPIRED BY THE CURRENTS OF THESE RIVERS—EVER-CHANGING AND EVER-PRESENT—AND THE TEACHINGS THEY CARRY, BOTH HAUNTING AND HEALING.
Since long before settlers arrived, the people of the Anishinābeg Algonquin and Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) Nations have been the stewards of these waters and the lands they nourish. I pledge to respect the traditions, wisdom, and enduring presence of Indigenous peoples everywhere. I hope to continue learning from them and other traditional cultures whose ways of life reflect greater respect for the earth and the other lifeforms we share it with.
At RiverBe, we acknowledge that we live and work on the unceded territory of the Anishinābeg Algonquin people. Furthermore, I acknowledge that the profession in which I am a part has contributed to the harm done to Indigenous people. The use of culturally biased assessments, influence in the child welfare system, and the imposition of Western models of mental health have contributed to systemic injustice, reinforced colonial structures, and deepened intergenerational trauma. We owe it to this land, these waters, and the ancestors of their first stewards to do better.