Chantal has over seven years of experience working with diverse organizations and individuals, from all walks of life, in the mental health field. Her work with children, youth and families is rooted in a culturally humble, inclusive and equitable lens, in both private and community-based settings. Chantal has been and continues to be passionate about offering services to marginalized and racialized groups and feels privileged to work and collaborate with spaces and places anchored on the same principles.
Chantal has a long history with grief and bereavement after personally experiencing familial loss as well as professionally practicing as a grief counsellor for numerous years. Through those experiences, Chantal became aware of the gap that wasn’t often bridged when it came to understanding bereavement, its effects and how to access services to help navigate this life-changing experience that everyone would encounter at one point or another.
This realization became the jumping point for future studies as Chantal earned her master’s level diploma in Art Therapy from the Toronto Art Therapy Institute. Upon graduation, she received the 2019 Gilda Grossman Award for her thesis project on grief and loss, which she completed in a graphic novel format.
Chantal is excited to bring both lived and professional experience to her position at Lighthouse as the Community Engagement and Services Coordinator, where she will continue to stand by her commitment towards building grief awareness in communities and accessible grief services for all.