Willow Tree Wellness & Psychotherapy, Private Practice

Willow Tree Wellness & Psychotherapy, Private Practice

Location:

Pickering, Ontario 210-1099 Kingston Road, Pickering (Primarily online services also offered across Ontario)

Description of the practicum site and student activities:

Direct Clinical Training
• Observing intakes, parent sessions, and child/teen sessions
• Co-facilitating sessions for children, teens, adults, and families
• Supporting parenting consultations and psychoeducation

• Co-facilitate monthly workshops to the community on a variety of mental health topics

• Co-facilitate a 6-week grief and loss group
• Developing competency to carry a small caseload of low-risk clients (with supervision and contingency planning)
• Learning to deliver CBT, DBT, ACT, Narrative, grief-informed, and play-based interventions
• Exposure to structured risk assessment, safety planning, treatment planning, and case conceptualization

Assessment & Documentation
• Completing intake notes, progress notes, treatment plans, biopsychosocial assessments
• Learning private-practice documentation standards using Jane EMR
• Understanding ethical, legal, and professional practice standards in Ontario

Program Development & Community Work
• Assisting in developing and delivering monthly youth workshops (e.g., emotional regulation, social skills, stress management)
• Helping create therapeutic worksheets, handouts, and resource kits
• Participating in community outreach (schools, physicians, allied health providers, sports teams, tutors)

Supervision & Professional Development
• Minimum 1 hour of weekly clinical supervision with additional ad hoc support
• Access to the full clinic resource library (worksheets, manuals, CBT/DBT/ACT tools)
• Opportunity to learn business/ethical elements of private practice (marketing ethics, boundaries, consent, documentation standards, client flow)
• Exposure to team meetings and multidisciplinary collaboration

Practicum Requirements:

☒ Police Reference/Vulnerable Sector Check

☒ Comfort working with the population being served

☒ Evening attendance

Other requirements: Strong interest in child, youth, and family mental health (70% of our clients are children & teens); ability to regulate and co-regulate with young clients. Interest/experience with grief and loss is an assets.

Field(s) of Study:

☒ Mental Health and Health

☒  Children and their Families

☒ Social Justice and Diversity

Does your practicum require any previous experience?

Yes- previous experience working with children, youth, and/or families (e.g., volunteer, practicum, community, educational, or support roles) is strongly preferred. Relevant coursework in counselling skills, child development, or mental health is expected. Not required but would be an asset if student has prior experience supporting individuals with grief and loss.

Is this practicum in-person, remote or hybrid?

Hybrid

Will this practicum involve direct work or a mix of direct and indirect?

A mix of direct and indirect practice.
Students typically begin with more indirect tasks and gradually transition to increased direct client work as competence and confidence develop.

Number of practicums offered: 1

Field Instructor name and credentials:

Julia Falzarano, BHS, MSW, RSW
Clinical Director & Therapist at Willow Tree Wellness & Psychotherapy

Application deadline: March 5, 2026

Do you require a resume? Or resume and cover letter?

Resume and Cover letter required

Accessibility Considerations:

• Will the student have access to a private space for notes or computer use?  Yes

• Are there breaks between clients/patients/meetings?  Yes

• Is the practicum considered fast-paced?  Medium

• Is there a high noise level in the practicum?  Low

• Is the site wheelchair accessible?  Yes

• What are the physical demands of the practicum?  Low physical demands; prolonged sitting, computer use, and participation in virtual clinical sessions.

• Are there any other accessibility considerations that potential applicants with disabilities should be aware of?
  Reasonable accommodations can be discussed as needed.

If you are interested in this practicum, please send a cover letter and resume to alexi.sparaggis@utoronto.ca by 4pm on March 5, 2026. Applications will be forwarded to the site.