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Tomiwa's Story

Mental Health Therapist

Growing up in an African culture where mental health was not acknowledged or prioritized was very isolating, especially as I struggled with my own mental health and identity concerns as a teenager. This has given me a very layered and nuanced worldview on life’s pain and struggles, propelling me towards a role where I could walk with individuals during their darkest times so that they never feel as isolated as I did. I strive to create a compassionate and nonjudgmental space in which clients from all backgrounds feel seen, heard, and valued.

 

My work is grounded in the belief that all individuals are experts in their own experiences and that therapy should be a collaborative and empowering process.​ I would be honored to help you achieve your therapeutic goals and create meaningful change from a culturally responsive and trauma-informed perspective. I approach therapy from a place of curiosity, compassion, and genuineness, utilizing an integrative approach of evidence-based modalities to meet your unique needs. I primarily draw from Dialectical-Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT). 

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Outside of work and studies, you will likely find me trying a new restaurant with friends, on my couch utilizing all the streaming services, or travelling.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Areas of Practice

​Populations

  • ​Adults

  • Adolescents (12+)

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Presenting Concerns

  • Depression

  • Anxiety

  • Relationship Concerns

  • Racial Identity

  • Stress

  • Burnout

  • Shame

  • Perfectionism

  • Life Transitions

  • Identity

  • Gender/ Sexuality

Education and Credentials

Professional Membership

Tomiwa is a student member of the Psychologists’ Association of Alberta.


Tomiwa is an active member in good standing of the Health Sciences Association of Alberta within her role as an addictions counselor with Alberta Health Services.

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Master of Counselling

Tomiwa has successfully completed two years of graduate-level counselling training at City University of Seattle’s Edmonton campus and will complete her capstone research project in 2024. She will graduate with her Master of Counselling degree in 2024.

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​Tomiwa graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Simon Fraser University in 2016.

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Additional Training

Dialectical-Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

  • A therapy that combines mindfulness, acceptance, and skill building to teach people to accept their thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and the techniques to change them.

Basic Training in Hakomi

  • A body-centered approach to addressing trauma and other mental health concerns.

ASIST Suicide Intervention

  • A methodology for addressing suicidality and mental health concerns that may arise.

Suicide Intervention, Risk, and Management (SPRAM)

  • Focused on helping people working in mental health develop foundational competence in suicide prevention, risk assessment, and managing individuals at-risk for suicide.

Brain Story Certification

  • A course to help professionals gain a deeper understanding of the science of brain development and its consequences for lifelong health.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

  • A therapy that uses eye movements and other forms of stimulation to activate the brain's ability to resolve individual's present concerns to help them feel better. 

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Mental Health Experience

With over 7 years working in addiction and mental health with Alberta Health Services, Tomiwa brings a wealth of experience in providing intervention, care, and counselling support. Tomiwa has been an addictions counselor in several settings, such as in the community with individuals struggling with concurrent disorders, in the hospital with individuals in crisis, with active suicidality or psychosis, and in corrections, working with individuals that are remanded. Due to this, Tomiwa understands the biopsychosocial underpinnings of addiction and mental health concerns and is committed to helping develop an individualized and effective approach to support clients.


Tomiwa is genuine, empathetic, and has a heart for others; she looks forward to utilizing her knowledge and experience to support clients through life’s inevitable struggles. Tomiwa is passionate about helping individuals find the strengths that lie within them and learning more about ways to do so. She continues to take trainings and workshops to further her knowledge while working as an addictions counselor at the Edmonton Remand Centre and working towards becoming a Registered Psychologist in Alberta.

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