Nicole Santos Dunn, M.Ed., Ph.D. Candidate
Registered Psychotherapist
I am a Registered Psychotherapist and Canadian Certified Counsellor, both in good standing. My clinical work has centered on the needs of women, children, and communities who have experienced intersecting forms of marginalization and violence. I have experience in community and healthcare settings such as Native Child and Family Services Toronto, Minwaashin Lodge Indigenous Women’s Centre, and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. I have also worked extensively with young people in post-secondary settings including George Brown College, the University of Ottawa, and Ryerson University.
I provide psychotherapy to adults and young people for a range of issues with specific interests in working with parents and caregivers of children and youth who have survived traumatic events and illnesses. My approach to therapy is integrative, trauma informed, and rooted in an anti-oppressive perspective. I am also committed to providing culturally responsive services. In practice, this means that I select approaches to treatment that meet your unique needs instead of assuming one modality of care works best for everyone. I also prioritize the development of an emotionally safe relationship with my clients that promotes empowerment in the healing process despite the existence of oppressive institutions.
I am presently a doctoral student at the University of Toronto in the Clinical and Counselling Psychology program and am a member of the Critical Health and Social Action Labs. My research centers on the needs of young women and girls experiencing extreme exclusion and structural violence such as houselessness. Prior to beginning doctoral studies, I was involved in research that investigated the mental health needs of survivors of political oppression at the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture.
My clinical work at Dr. Dina Buttu & Associate is supervised by Dr. Dina Buttu. This means that Dr. Buttu and I work closely together and that our expertise is combined to provide high quality care for my clients. I deeply enjoy the work I do and see it as a great privilege to listen to and witness people navigating change in their life. I am a learner in all my pursuits and my passion for providing care is rooted in my own lived experiences. I invite you to contact us for a free initial consultation to determine if I am the right fit for your needs.