Lindsay Gladding, MA, MSW, RSW
Donna Starling, MSW, RSW, CPT-S
Donna Starling is a Registered Social Worker through the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, and a Certified Play Therapist and Certified Play Therapist Supervisor through the Canadian Association for Play Therapy. Since graduating from McGill University with a Master's Degree in Social Work in 1997, Donna has been doing therapeutic work with children, adolescents and young adults in a variety of settings in Canada and the United States. While working in Detroit, Donna trained with Bill Steele of the Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children, was part of a Crisis Response Team, and worked with children and adolescents in a research program called The Opportunity Center, combining therapy with experiential interventions.
Moving to the Guelph area, Donna completed her formal training as a Certified Play Therapist with CAPT, training with supervisors Lorie Walton (attachment work) and Greg Lubimiv (working within stories). With an undergraduate degree in English, Donna often uses the power of storytelling with a child to promote processing, expression, healing and coping. With teens and young adults, Donna uses strength-based approaches, combining a psychodynamic focus with Narrative Therapy and CBT, to explore personal stories and find ways they wish to move forward in their lives. Donna is a Certified Play Therapy Supervisor, teaching new play therapists.
Lindsay Gladding (she/they) is a Registered Social Worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Master of Arts degree in Human Security & Peacebuilding from Royal Roads University. Lindsay is currently working towards certification in play therapy with the Canadian Association for Play Therapy.
Lindsay comes to the practice after working for almost 20 years in child-focused humanitarian and disaster response. This work took her all over the world, including Lebanon, Iraq, Niger, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Haiti and Palestine. Throughout this work, two things became very clear. First, parents all over the world do the very best that they can for their children with the resources they have available. And second, children everywhere process and heal from what they are experiencing through play.
Lindsay is passionate about supporting children, adolescents (and their grown-ups), to discover and nurture their innate strengths as they face life's challenges. Lindsay draws on the therapeutic modalities of CBT, ACT, Narrative Therapy and Mindfulness, in her play-informed therapy practice.