I am constantly exploring innovative ways to weave theory and research into my practice as an educator, clinician, and researcher. Currently, my role as educator includes being an Adjunct Faculty Member in the Department of Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies at St. Jerome’s University, and a sessional instructor in the Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition at the University of Guelph. The courses I facilitate primarily focus on conceptualizing systemic thinking, social justice, and inclusivity as part of meaningful and therapeutic interventions with people who have intersecting identities in diverse contexts. My passion for lifelong learning affords me the opportunity to work with my collaborator, Dr. Toni Serafini, on research projects that focus on reflexivity in teaching and learning, the use of feminist pedagogies, and self-reflection in critical service learning. Because learning is not limited to the classroom, I find myself invigorated by my interactions with students, my interest in the multifaceted nature of human relations and development, and most profoundly in my work with clients.
I graduated in 1997 from the University of Guelph’s accredited Couple and Family Therapy Program and continue to work as a relational and sex therapist in private practice in Guelph, and am a Clinical Fellow with AAMFT and OAMFT, and a registered Sex Therapist with BESTCO. I am currently completing my Doctorate in Family Relations and Human Development at the University of Guelph, with a focus on the embodiment of pleasure, erotic literacy, and sexual diversity and inclusivity in the fields of sexuality and sex therapy. My current research projects include sexuality and cancer, women and sexuality, inclusivity and social justice, couple’s sexual satisfaction, and self-reflection in transformational learning.