We believe access to therapy at school can change the trajectory of a child’s life.
For more than 20 years our organization has worked with a select number of schools in the Toronto District School Board to support children who are struggling due to mental health challenges and behavioural concerns.
Our in-school treatment program offers children up to 2-years of fully-funded, intensive school-based psychotherapy. Sessions are generally twice per week and aim to help parents, teachers, caregivers and students better understand, empathize and support a child in need.
All of our therapists have extensive training working with children through The Canadian Institute for Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy.
In addition to our school-based program, we also provide a monthly podcast series, articles and resources focused on children’s mental health.
Our board of directors are experienced and dedicated advocates for children’s mental health.
Dr. Susan Walker- Kennedy, Ph.D., C.Psych, graduated from the University of Toronto with Ph.D. in psychology and completed her psychoanalytic training at the Toronto Child Psychoanalytic Program. She is a psychologist in private practice providing psychological assessments and psychotherapy for adults, children and adolescents. Susan was the Executive Director of the Georgina Family Life Centre and in this role obtained funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to run several pilot studies in local schools for the SNAP program. Susan is the current President of Catch.
Hy Bloom, B.A., LL.B., M.D., F.R.C.P.(C.), is a psychiatrist whose practice focus is forensic psychiatry. He was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1980. He is an Alternate Chairperson, legal member and psychiatric member of the Ontario and Nunavut Review Boards, and a member of the Law and Mental Health Advisory Committee of the MHCC. He has co-authored and co-edited a number of books in the area of psychiatry and law, and has recently released a textbook of forensic psychiatry entitled Law and Mental Disorder: A Comprehensive and Practical Approach (co-edited with Justice Richard Schneider, Irwin Law.
Sandy Poulson is a registered psychotherapist with a private practice that specializes in working with children and teens. She completed her training at the Canadian Institute for Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (CICAPP). She has worked with at-risk elementary school children in the TDSB. Sandy is also a member of the CICAPP Board of Directors.
Wes Brown, B,Comm, LLB. Called to the bar (Ontario) 1980, has practiced business law for over 30 years, and is a founding partner of Morrison Brown Sosnovitch L.L.P., a boutique business law firm in Toronto. His experience brings a different perspective to Catch. During his professional career, Wes has served several non-profit and charitable organizations, including Community Head Injury Resource Services of Toronto (over 20 years), which is a leader in North America in the development of community-based services for persons living brain injury. He was also a founding member of Prostrate Cancer Canada for 7 years until 2002, and served on the first board of Crimestoppers of Metropolitan Toronto in the early 80’s (for two years).
Sandy Nuttall, PhD LLM holds a PhD in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Western University and a Master in Laws, specializing in Alternate Dispute Resolution, from York University’s Osgoode Hall. Early in her career, Sandy held a variety of research positions serving with Metropolitan Toronto Police Services and Queen Street Mental Health Centre now a part of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Sandy joined the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care in 1991 as a Senior Policy Advisor. During her 23 years with the ministry, Sandy held progressively responsible positions that spanned hospital operations, strategic planning and provincial priority programs. Sandy retired from the Ministry in 2014 after serving 7 years as a Director with the Negotiations and Accountability Management Division. In 2015, Sandy joined the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario, as Director, Strategic Projects.