Joelleann (Joelle) Forbes, MSW, RSW is a registered social worker, a psychotherapist, and one of the co-founders of Hope Leads Mental Health Care. She provides therapy in Ontario, Canada and has various experiences in community healthcare, primary care, and private practice settings. Joelle provides counseling and psychotherapy to adults across the gender spectrum, 18 years and older. Her therapeutic approach highlights the importance of empowerment, healing generational wounds, and nurturing the authentic self. She has experience supporting clients with navigating grief and loss, depression, anxiety, trauma, burnout, self-esteem, life transitions, and various forms of oppression. Joelle aims to create a non-judgemental space to unpack past and present experiences that are contributing to mental health concerns, in hopes of finding a better way forward. Joelle practices collaboration and compassion throughout the entire therapeutic experience. She has received professional training in culturally-adapted cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), narrative therapy, motivational interviewing, and trauma processing strategies. Not overexplaining, sharing a laugh, communicating through body language, and having compassion for the unspoken are just a few of the gems that come from Joelle’s experiences working with racialized communities.