Skilled facilitator with proven ability to engage and motivate groups in diverse settings. Facilitated numerous successful workshops, ensuring participants gained valuable insights and skills. Demonstrated strong communication and organizational skills to enhance learning experiences.
Hi, I’m
TONYA L. CASTLE
Milton,ON
Summary
Overview
25
years of professional experience
1
Certification
Work History
Private Practice
RP / Back on Track Counsellor & Facilitator
01.2000 - Current
Job overview
- Built a successful private practice counselling individuals and families on a variety of issues, including but not limited to mental health challenges, addictions and substance abuse, family and marital problems, depression and suicide, learning disabilities, stress management, and organizational skills.
- Maintain excellent client-satisfaction levels while adhering to administrative directives.
- Administer and interpret psychological and psycho-educational assessments.
- Counsel individuals and groups to promote optimum mental health, addiction recovery and goal achievement.
- Maintain confidentiality of records relating to client treatment.
- Guide and support clients in the process of strategic problem-solving and empowerment.
- Counsel clients and families in identifying and advocating for optimum academic and workplace accommodations, harm-reduction, interpersonal skills and self-awareness.
- Act as client advocate and liaison in order to coordinate required accommodations, or to resolve emergency problems in crisis situations.
- Facilitate and counsel participants in the Back on Track program; a provincially mandated educational and/or treatment program for individuals convicted for driving while impaired.
Mohawk College
Instructor/Curriculum Developer
01.2019 - 01.2020
Job overview
- Promoted a positive learning environment by establishing clear expectations and maintaining consistent classroom management techniques.
- Tracked student progress, frequently checking in with struggling students and identifying root causes of problems.
- Boosted student performance by providing individualized support and targeted feedback.
- Initiated new learning methods, eliminating instructional gaps and improving comprehension.
- Tested and evaluated students on materials presented in workshops and classes.
- Increased student motivation by developing engaging lesson plans that catered to various learning styles.
- Improved student performance by defining clear goals and communicating performance metrics.
Region of Halton
Mental Health Coordinator
01.2008 - 05.2016
Job overview
- Company Overview: Social & Community Services Department
- Relied upon to provide stabilized direction for education, training and support for the multidisciplinary Social and Community Services staff working in housing, income support, employment, seniors services and children's services.
- Attend home-visits to provide brief solution-focused interventions for individuals and families facing mental health issues that are complicating other goal areas.
- Deliver workshops as certified facilitator of: Gentle Persuasive Approach (GPA), Compassion Fatigue and Our People Care (OPC). Develop and facilitate seminars, education and training sessions for social services staff, clients, and stakeholders, on topics related to mental health clinical and ethical decision-making, workplace wellness, mental health, addictions, vicarious trauma, boundaries, motivational interviewing, effective communication strategies, and documentation.
- Provide guidance for Social and Community Services staff experiencing challenges related to increased engagement with individuals and families facing mental health challenges.
- Evaluated program effectiveness through regular data collection and analysis, informing continuous improvement efforts.
- Conducted crisis intervention education sessions, around effectively de-escalating situations and ensuring client safety.
Waterloo Regional Homes for Mental Health
Extraordinary Needs Program Manager
01.2012 - 01.2013
Job overview
- Oversee and coordinate the Extraordinary Needs Program, which supports the discharge of individuals with complex needs from hospital to community living.
- Identify existing community organizations to facilitate individuals' progress through transition.
- Support roll-out of the Program and the successful implementation of shared care plans for eligible individuals.
- Facilitate thorough screening and review of referrals with the Intake Committee. Chair monthly Intake meetings and prepare all relevant documentation. Report decisions and recommendations to the Steering Committee, and ensure accurate entry of information into database.
- Collaboratively develop shared care plans and budgets with appropriate service partners, and ensure their inclusion in MOUs with housing providers.
- Assess education needs, and arrange/deliver appropriate training to staff, helping professionals and third parties as required. Develop and facilitate information sessions for referral sources regarding eligibility, program parameters, service features and structure.
- Provide ongoing evaluation and revision of individuals' progress and goals, as defined by metrics in respective shared care plans. Serve as point of contact of service providers and other agencies.
- Organize and participate in case conferences as required to monitor progress to date. Identify opportunities to transition individuals to existing community resources.
- Accurately update and maintain all financial data for the $500K operational budget.
- Advocate for expansion of services for complex-needs individuals, particularly with regard to adequate and appropriate housing solutions.
Crisis Outreach & Support Team/Canadian Mental Health Association
Concurrent Disorders Specialist
01.2007 - 01.2008
Job overview
- Recruited by Program Manager to drive system-wide concurrent disorders training and knowledge transfer mechanisms for regional service providers.
- Partnered with Halton Regional Police Service, addiction services, mental health services, court diversion, and release from custody programs as well as Mississauga/Halton LHIN Detailed Action and Planning Team to establish 'No Wrong Door' policy.
- Provided brief solution-focused interventions for individuals with co-existing mental health and substance use issues.
- Coached and supported CMHA staff and other social agencies to adopt concurrent disorders best practice principles, particularly those identified in the Comprehensive, Continuous, and Integrated System of Care.
- Generated sustainable and effective concurrent disorders knowledge transfer mechanisms.
- Completed needs assessments to determine the level of education and support required for each service provider or agency to adopt the skills to achieve Concurrent Disorders Capable status.
- Championed the adoption of new software tools that streamlined workflows across multiple departments.
- Updated Health & Hope Group materials to meet best practice guidelines and clients' recovery goals.
- Conducted case conferences/consultations with treatment providers and other community organizations.
- Benchmarked system-wide concurrent disorders screening protocols.
- Led community planning to identify location and sponsorship of enhanced concurrent disorders services.
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Music Therapist / Supervisor
01.2002 - 01.2007
Job overview
- Recruited by Centralized Services Manager to spearhead music therapy programs for a variety of populations across the Centre.
- Conducted global assessments of referred clients then developed, implemented, and evaluated music therapy treatment interventions for an active caseload of 150+ clients per week.
- Supervised internship site for undergraduate and Master's level therapists; participated in research projects.
- Facilitated community outreach, consultation and education work on psychosocial rehabilitation.
- The sole professional to assist Francophone clients.
- Increased awareness of music therapy for psychiatric populations by designing and facilitating in-services and courses for multidisciplinary clinicians, clients, families and caregivers.
- Established an internship program that elevated service levels without cost via placement of 6-8 students annually.
- Recruited, selected, trained and supervised internship team. Promoted value internally and externally; program now draws top students from Canada, the U.S. and Great Britain.
- Expanded service accessibility through weekly drop-in therapy groups with 'no referral required' policy for the 50+ weekly attendees.
- Expanded satellite site programs to better serve Toronto's west end residents.
- Industry expertise sought for keynote address on Creative Arts Therapies in Addiction and Mental Health in '03.
Education
McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON
PhD from Rehabilitation Sciences Specialization: Compassion Fatigue
University Overview
Lakehead UniversityThunder Bay, ON
Master of Public Health Degree
12.2007
University Overview
Wilfrid Laurier UniversityWaterloo, ON
Honours Bachelor of Music Therapy Degree
12.1999
University Overview
McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON
Honours Bachelor of Music Degree
12.1995
University Overview
Skills
- Collaborative Care Services
- Interprofessional Collaboration
- Crisis Intervention
- Research, Analysis & Reporting
- RTW Accommodation Planning
- Client-Centred Services
- Group Facilitation
- Psychoeducation
- Workshop Coordination
- Curriculum Implementation
- Technology Integration
Certification
- Certified Compassion Fatigue Educator, Green Cross Academy of Traumatology, 2010
- Certified Gentle Persuasive Approach Coach, AGE, Inc., 2009
- Certified Tobacco Cessation Specialist, CAMH, 2007
Publications
Publications
- Interprofessional Education in Mental Health, Castle Purvis, T., Canadian Journal of Music Therapy, 16, 1, 95-116, 2010
- Preservation of Episodic Musical Memory in a Pianist with Alzheimer Disease, Fornazzari L., Castle T., Nadkarni S., Ambrose A., Apanasiewicz N., Miranda D., Phillips F., Neurology, 66, 610-611, 2006
Community Service
Community Service
- Operations Co-Chair, Canadian Association for Music Therapy, 2012-2015
- Member, Mississauga/Halton LHIN System Integration Group for Mental Health & Addictions, 2007-2012
- President, Music Therapy Association of Ontario, 2007-2011
Credentials
Credentials
MTA, MPH, RP #005272Timeline
Instructor/Curriculum Developer
Mohawk College
01.2019 - 01.2020
Extraordinary Needs Program Manager
Waterloo Regional Homes for Mental Health
01.2012 - 01.2013
Mental Health Coordinator
Region of Halton
01.2008 - 05.2016
Concurrent Disorders Specialist
Crisis Outreach & Support Team/Canadian Mental Health Association
01.2007 - 01.2008
Music Therapist / Supervisor
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
01.2002 - 01.2007
RP / Back on Track Counsellor & Facilitator
Private Practice
01.2000 - Current
McMaster University
PhD from Rehabilitation Sciences Specialization: Compassion Fatigue
Lakehead University
Master of Public Health Degree
Wilfrid Laurier University
Honours Bachelor of Music Therapy Degree
McMaster University
Honours Bachelor of Music Degree
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