About Me

My name is Ian Heft and I was born and raised in Owen Sound, but my schooling and work has taken me to Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, Fredericton, New Brunswick, across Northeastern Ontario and all the way back home, ultimately finding a placement for my Masters of Arts in Counselling Psychology at the hospital where I was born.

My credentials include:

• Honour’s Bachelor of Arts in English Literature (Laurentian University)
• Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Humanities (Laurentian University)
• Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language (University of Saskatchewan)
• Post-graduate Certificate as a Learning Disabilities Specialist/Learning Strategist (Cambrian College)
• Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (Yorkville University).

I am a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. I have worked with individuals across the spectrum of ability and language proficiency including this with disabilities, those who experience poverty and housing instability, at-risk youth who were aging out of foster care, indigenous people and newcomers to Canada in the areas of case management, crisis intervention, mental health, counselling and psychotherapy, healthcare, community engagement, postsecondary student services, developmental support and educational support including as an English as a Second Language instructor.

I worked as a Community Development Coordinator with the Learning Disabilities Association of Sudbury to complete a grant that was successful in obtaining $600,000 for three years to make a regional organization serving clients across Northeastern Ontario. I have also worked on grant projects including a train-the-trainer grant to bring mental health training to Laurentian University and a project to support addiction medicine programming on two First Nations reserves.

I work full-time as a psychotherapist in the healthcare field including on-site at two First Nations reserves and in a residential setting with adults with developmental disabilities, and as a psychotherapist in private practice.

I value: