About Us

Maria Barcelos, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) and Paula Cordeiro, Registered Psychotherapist are active community members in social justice initiatives and business owners. M & P are passionate about helping people heal through building capacity, resilience and living their best lives.

Maria Barcelos, MA, RP (Qualifying)

I am a trauma-informed Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), practicing Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Solution Focused Therapy (SFT), Narrative, Culturally Sensitive, Trauma-Informed, Mindfulness-based therapy. As a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), I help clients process thoughts, feelings and learn new coping strategies to help them build resiliency and overall wellbeing.

For more than 10 years, I have worked at The Gatehouse, an organization in Toronto that provides peer support programs: Individual and group support services to survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Since 2015, I continue to be part of this amazing organization in the role of Executive Director.

I am a proponent of community engagement and the importance of community-based responses to underlying social issues. In my professional work with The Gatehouse, an organization that helps survivors of childhood sexual abuse, I motivate, acknowledge, and empower students, volunteers, and staff to be part of the change they want to see in the world. I am an avid believer in the principles of transformative community justice. I value building safer communities through collaborative knowledge sharing, idea and process formulation, and implementation.

I am an honors graduate of the Yorkville University Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, a high honors graduate of the University of Guelph-Humber BA Justice Studies, recipient of the Virginia Grey Medal for Academic Achievement, and an honors graduate of George Brown College’s HR Management Diploma program.

Paula Cordeiro, MA, RP

I am a trauma-informed Registered Psychotherapist, practicing Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Solution Focused Therapy (SFT), Narrative, Culturally Sensitive, Trauma-Informed, Mindfulness-based therapy. As a Registered Psychotherapist. I help clients experiencing depression, anxiety, grief, shame, trauma, self-esteem, anger management, stress and other mental health concerns process thoughts, feelings and learn new coping strategies. In my therapeutic practice, I use strengths-based language and processes to help individuals recognize their personal capacity, strength, and willingness to make change.

For more than 8 years, I have worked at The Gatehouse, an organization in Toronto that provides peer support programs: Individual and group support services to survivors of childhood sexual abuse. I coordinate various programs and services at The Gatehouse including Child Abuse Investigation Support, Young Adult and Phase 2 programs.

Additionally, I have co-created and delivered stress management therapeutic support groups with The Etobicoke Children’s Centre; helping women integrate proactive stress management mindfulness-based strategies. As a proponent of self-care measures, I am a Lead Meditation Training Facilitator at The Gatehouse, where I provide moving meditation, deep breathing, and guided imagery meditation training sessions to participants (e.g., individually and/or within the support group process).

I am a Registered Trainer for LivingWorks Education in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) and have helped hundreds of persons feel prepared to implement suicide intervention skills and create suicide safe communities. I deliver presentations in the community about the impact of CSA trauma, deliver workshops on managing stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues.

I am a graduate of Humber College’s Police Foundations Diploma and Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice Programs. In 2017, I completed a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University.