Joan Sinclair MSW, Acc.FM (OAFM)

Joan Sinclair is a family mediator, counsellor, and parent with 15 years of experience working with individuals, couples, families, and groups.  Her mediation practice focuses on separation, divorce, parent/teen relationships, adult/child and aging parents, and family business.

"I believe there is no such thing as a hopeless situation. During the 15 years I have worked as a counselor and mediator I have had people come to me feeling overwhelmed and discouraged, often unable to see their way out of a situation. It is my job to ensure that each person's needs are identified and addressed, whether their problems are of a financial, parenting, or relationship nature, or a combination. My focus is on helping people communicate effectively and openly. I am careful to make sure that clients are actively involved, that they represent themselves well and make intelligent decisions that will last." --Joan Sinclair

RÉSUMÉ

QUALIFICATIONS

ˇ Knowledge and experience in working with separation, divorce and family conflict
ˇ Dispute resolution training; and experience
ˇ Superior communication and interpersonal skills
ˇ Knowledge of child development
ˇ Advanced mediation practioner
ˇ Working knowledge of the family law system
ˇ Ability to work collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary setting
ˇ Positive attitude and willingness to work within the legal system
ˇ Membership in relevant professional organizations
ˇ Cross-cultural experience
ˇ Clinical experience
ˇ Experience and aptitude in working with individuals, couples and families
ˇ Strong evaluative and analytical skills
ˇ Advanced interviewing and writing skills

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

ˇ Family mediation    ˇ Ontario court experience    ˇ Child/family assessment counselling
ˇ Trauma intervention     ˇ Employee/employer dispute resolution
ˇ Interdisciplinary team experience     ˇ Inner-city, multicultural, intergenerational experience  
ˇ Management experience    ˇ Hospital experience

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

ˇ Family Mediation Certificate, Ontario Provincial Court
ˇ Family Mediation Advanced Practitioner
ˇ Certified Neurolinguistic Progran-iming(NLP) Practitioner
ˇ Conflict Resolution Conciliator, St. Stevens
ˇ Parent Support Group Facilitator, Alfred Adler Institute of Ontario
ˇ Life Skills Coach, YWCA
ˇ EMDR Trauma Intervention
ˇ Qualified Administer/Interpreter of Myers/Briggs Type Indicator
ˇ Brief Solution Focused Certificates

EDUCATION

ˇ University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M.S.W.
ˇ Ryerson Polytechnical University, Toronto, Ontario, B.S.W.(Hon.)
ˇ McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, School of Social Work

NATURE OF PRACTICE

Mediation:
ˇ Parenting plan
· Child and spousal support resolution
· Equalization of assets and debts
ˇ Memorandum of understanding
ˇ Parent/adolescent conflicts
ˇ Employee/employer disputes

Individual, Couple and Family:
ˇ Provide support and treatment using an eclectic approach (see below)
ˇ Trauma Intervention

Assessment:
ˇ Assess child and family dynamics and establish need for service
ˇ Child Custody and Access Assessment
ˇ Develop diagnostic basis for treatment plan

Group Work:
ˇ Facilitate parent education and support for parents of children and youth
ˇ Domestic Violence Perpetrator, Group Facilitator

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

1992 - Present: Private Practice
Counsellor/Social Worker /Mediator/Assessor with a strong focus on marriage and divorce counselling, social (family, adolescent/parent, employee/employer) mediations, child custody and access assessments, parent support and education groups, domestic violence (perpetrator) group.
Mediation Coach, York University.

1994 - 1995: Wellesley Hospital
Interim Clinical Coordinator Social Work
Responsible for organizing and coordinating the department of social work. Major responsibilities included: departmental development, human resources, volunteer management, continuous quality improvement, client-centred/patient care consultation and support to professional staff as needed, administration, and liaison between The Wellesley Hospital and faculties of social work.

Clinician Collaborated with members of multidisciplinary health team in planning and provision of services to renal patients and their families provided supportive, adjustment to illness and instrumental counselling.

1992-1994: York Centre for Children, Youth and Families
Social Worker
Represented family as a member of the multi-disciplinary team.
Assessment for child/youth and family dynamics and established need for service
Developed diagnostic basis for treatment plan and provided that treatment
Facilitated parent education and parent support groups
Liaised with significant others, agencies and professionals involved.

1987-1991: Toronto Board of Education, Parent Worker
Provided information referral and support to a multicultural, multilingual community of parents and caregivers of pre-schoolers. Supervised BSW and ECE students. Coordinated a loosely structured daily routine for a registry of more than 100 families. Developed an intergenerational environment for the above mentioned community including parents, seniors, caregivers, pre-school and school-age children.

THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES

Systemic, Imago, Cognitive, Behavioral, Holistic, EMDR, Focusing, Psychosocial, Solution focused, Psycho-educational.

AFFILIATIONS

ˇ Ontario Association Family Mediators (OAFM)
ˇ Ontario Association of Professional Social Workers (OAPSW)
· Imago International

FEES
Joan has an hourly fee for mediation sessions, and a separate fee for processing the draft memorandum agreement. Costs are shared between mediating participants.  Keep in mind that mediations is less costly, both financially and emotionally, than litigation. Cheques and Visa are accepted.

LOCATIONS
ˇ Lawrence & Yonge Street
ˇ Spadina & Bloor

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