Strength
Empowerment
Resilience
Determination
Confidence
Feeling stuck? Not in control?
Strength
empowerment
resilience
Determination
confidence
Feeling Stuck and Not in Control?
At Mind.Strong.Live.Free we specialize in helping you find clarity and a fresh new perspective on life.
“You can start late, look different, be uncertain, and still succeed”
@blacphoenix Instagram
about me
Hi, I'm Shani (pronounced like Shanny)
I am a registered social worker, working from empowerment focus with a desire to work alongside people trying to find their path. I have a passion for working with diverse populations, and I bring to my practice, cultural safety, integration of africentric values, as well as over a decade of experience working in mental health, addiction and concurrent disorders.
Affiliations
- OCSWSSW
- Non-Insured Canada
- Black Mental Health Canada
- Psychology today
13+ Years
of Mental Health Experience
I’ve witnessed people struggle without their usual coping mechanisms. People like you are discovering new aspects about themselves and there’s a worldwide demand for change.
“You can start late, look different, be uncertain, and still succeed”
@blacphoenix Instagram
MEET YOUR COUNSELLOR
Hi, I'm Shani (Pronounced like Shanny)
I am a registered social worker, working from empowerment focus with a desire to work alongside people trying to find their path. I have a passion for working with diverse populations, and I bring to my practice, cultural safety, integration of africentric values, as well as over a decade of experience working in mental health, addiction and concurrent disorders.
Affiliations
- OCSWSSW
- Non-Insured Canada
- Black Mental Health Canada
- Psychology today
13+ Years of Mental Health Experience
I’ve witnessed people struggle without their usual coping mechanisms. People like you are discovering new aspects about themselves and there’s a worldwide demand for change.
“You can start late, look different, be uncertain, and still succeed”
@blacphoenix Instagram
MEET YOUR COUNSELLOR
Hi, I'm Shani (pronounced like Shanny)
I am a registered social worker, working from empowerment focus with a desire to work alongside people trying to find their path. I have a passion for working with diverse populations, and I bring to my practice, cultural safety, integration of africentric values, as well as over a decade of experience working in mental health, addiction and concurrent disorders.
Affiliations
- OCSWSSW
- Non-Insured Canada
- Black Mental Health Canada
- Psychology today
13+ Years of Mental Health Experience
I’ve witnessed people struggle without their usual coping mechanisms. People like you are discovering new aspects about themselves and there’s a worldwide demand for change.
Registered Social Worker
Certifications
Anti-Racism Certified
San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy Certified
Trainer in using an Afrocentric Approach to Treatment
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Shani Ellis-Alman Offering Culturally Safe & Affirming Whole Person Care
With a Bachelor’s degree in psychology and a Masters degree in Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University, my professional experience has centred around mental health, addiction, and concurrent disorders. Working in healthcare, academia, and the corporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion field, my therapeutic approach draws from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), incorporating mindfulness and grounding skills to support individuals during times of distress. I emphasize the importance of safety, interpersonal relationships, and empowerment, particularly in my work with oppressed and marginalized populations, aiming to create a safe space for growth and development.
Counselling Services
Life Wellness includes Mental Wellness
It is time to take control of your well-being
Journey To Inner Peace
Our individual counselling services offer a safe and confidential space where you can explore your thoughts, emotions, and concerns with a neutral and supportive professional. We specialize in various areas to ensure we address your unique challenges effectively.
Holistic Care for Complex Needs
Case management is an approach that is best suited to more complex needs. It not only involves individual counselling work, but it involves creating a circle of care with other supports and providers (community groups, peer groups, physicians and psychiatrists, naturopaths. etc)
We Can Help With
Past Trauma
acknowledgments
I wish to acknowledge the colonial history that has impacted indigenous and settler Canadians, and continues to impact the environment and the economy, in which we live, work and play. I place myself as a settler on the Haldimand Tract, whose Attawandaron, Anishnawbe and Haudenosaunee peoples were displaced from their home through means of force. I relate personally to the impact of colonialism and historical trauma, as the means that displaced my ancestors from my native Africa. I stand in solidarity with Indigenous nationhood, social justice, and environmental justice for Indigenous nations and their lands. I call on my community to respect the signed treaties between our nations and to hold our Canadian government accountable for the injustices that continue to be committed against Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island, along with the ongoing racial discrimination that takes place on micro and macro system levels.
There is a misconception that Black-owned businesses cater exclusively to Black people, but this is not true. We are creating brands that are inclusive for everyone. Don’t support us solely because we’re Black-owned; support us because our products are excellent and our values align with yours.
Culturally Safe & Affirming Whole Person Care
I never considered counselling before. Do I actually need this?
I think it is key not to wait until you are in dire need. Questions to ask yourself might be:
- Are their areas where I could benefit from having additional support?
- Are their areas where I think I could be doing better, doing different?
- Am I living my life congruent to my values? Am I living my life in a way I can feel pride and satisfaction?
- Do I anticipate a problem later on, if I don’t do anything about an issue I am having now?
- Am I having difficulty managing stressors, difficult situations, relationships, managing my own feelings and emotions?
- Am I engaging in a type of coping that is causing harm to myself or others now? Might my coping cause harm to myself or others in the future if changes are not made?
Remember counselling can be preventative. You don’t have to be diagnosed with a mental health concern, you don’t have to be stuck at this point in time. Counselling focus can be on mental wellness, not mental illness. How can I contribute to your overall wellness journey?
What should I expect from seeing a counsellor?
I strive to bring my whole self into my work with clients. What that means is I will treat you like the expert on your own life, and your own experiences. I will be a trusted confident that you can talk to, someone that will walk with you, and help you achieve goals you have identified—perhaps help identify goals that you haven’t thought about, and you can identify if they fit or not. You will quickly get to know my personality. I hope you will look forward to meeting weekly, biweekly or monthly.
I’ve seen a counselor in the past but didn’t follow through? What if I don’t like you/the experience?
There so many different factors that will impact your ‘readiness’ for counselling. It may not have been the right time in your life, you may not have been ready to make changes, you may not have ‘jived’ with the clinician. Don’t let this get in the way of trying again. Finding the right clinician something you should shop around for. Take advantage of my 15 min consultation to get to know my personality, and get an idea of what to expect. If you start seeing me, and you realize this is not the right time/ right person for you, just let me know and we won’t rebook another session. Additionally, if I know of any clinicians that I think may be a better fit, I’d be happy to give some recommendations!
Does my information remain confidential? Will people find out I am seeing you? Will others know what we talk about?
As a registered social worker I am bound to the OCSWSSW code of ethics. This means that I must adhere to confidentiality, and upon choosing my service I will send you my confidentiality agreement, however the only cases that I must disclose your information (and only to emergency services), is if you inform me that someone will be harmed if I fail to notify the appropriate authorities. This is standard for all registered and regulated social work practitioners.
What can people expect from your 15-min consult?
Trust me when I say this 15min will go by fast. This is mainly an opportunity for us to get to know each other’s personalities, for you to ask any questions you may have about what to expect moving forward, really get a feel for if you think I am somebody you want to work alongside.
How does this work? Where, when and how do we meet?
We can meet on a weekly, biweekly or monthly basis, each session lasting 50 minutes. At this time my practice is entirely virtual, which means we will be meeting on a confidential platform through the ‘Jane’ database. You will need to have access to a confidential location for our meetings to keep our conversations private. I will ensure I do the same.
How do I know if it’s working?
There is no specific measurement that will tell you if counselling is working or not. Some things you may want to ask yourself, or discuss in session are:
- Are you meeting your own personal wellness goals?
- What kind of self-talk do you use?
- Overall/most days, how is your quality of life?
- How is your relationship with your counsellor?
- Has counselling become a chore?
- Have you developed more/new ‘tools’ to manage your mental health/overall wellness?
What types of services do you offer?
I offer individual (single person) counselling services, and case management services. At this time I am only seeing people virtually, however you will be notified if I begin seeing people in person. If there is sufficient interest, treatment groups will be offered as well. As a client, you will be notified if any groups become available, or if you are not a client, information will be visible on this website.
How much do you charge? How do I pay?
I charge $145.00 per 50 min session. You can pay through the Jane database, and an invoice will be sent to you right after each session. You may also have insurance coverage for psychotherapy/registered social work. Double check with your insurance carrier to make sure social work services are covered and how many sessions they will cover. If you have coverage, you will need to pay for the session, and submit the automatic invoice once payment is received to your insurance company for reimbursement. You are indigenous, you may also qualify for non-insured to cover the cost of your sessions. You can review the website to see if you qualify.
What is your cancellation policy?
I require 24 hours minimum for cancellation. Any cancellations within the 24 hour period are subject to 100.00 charge on your account, which will need to be paid prior to subsequent sessions being carried out.
I am interested in seeing you, but I do not live in Kitchener-Waterloo, ON. Is this okay?
Absolutely, and this is one of the advantages of having a virtual practice. I am happy to meet with you no matter where in Ontario you are located.
Feeling stuck? not in control?
Chat with Shani to gain clarity, resilience, and a fresh perspective on life.