Darlene Denis-Friske
is a Child & Youth Counsellor
fully certified by the Ontario Association of Child and Youth
Counsellors. Darlene has completed an Honours Degree in
Psychology, focused in the area of personality development
(Carleton University), and has completed three years of study
and supervision in child & youth work through Cambrian College.
Darlene has
been refining her approach within an attachment-based
developmental paradigm since 2004. She has completed a two-year
internship [2009] with highly regarded child development expert,
seasoned therapist, seminal theorist and bestselling Canadian
author, Dr. Gordon Neufeld. Darlene has accepted an appointment
as faculty member with the Neufeld Institute, and continues to
pursue on-going study with Neufeld.
Darlene has
worked with children, youth and adults in a variety of
challenging settings since 1988, including the Sudbury Algoma
Psychiatric Hospital (Child/Adolescent Crisis & Intervention
Assessment Unit), and two Renfrew County District School Boards
(elementary, secondary and continuing education facilities).
Darlene has
been involved in private practice work since 2004, and has taken
an active role in organizing and facilitating community talks,
parenting education workshops and professional development
geared towards understanding the emotional, developmental and
attachment needs of children.
Darlene’s work
has been honoured with nominations for two provincial awards;
Professional Support Person of the Year: Elementary Teacher’s
Federation of Ontario (presented in 2003), and The Krista Sepp
Memorial Award for Mentoring (2004). She has been invited to
present her work in two provincial forums: The Ontario
Principals’ Council (2005) and The Ontario Association of Child
and Youth Counsellors [2007]. She has also represented Neufeld’s
work in a national forum [Family Resource Programs of Canada,
2007].