About Us
We chose the metaphor or image of a spinnaker as this is the sail that billows out in front of a sailboat, helping to pull you forward where you wish to go. You pull this sail out only when you need that additional boost and direction in the winds. We recognize that caregivers and families have expertise, knowledge and skills. Through consultation and assessment we hope to buoy families up and offer that additional support so they can navigate a clearer path forward. Not all of us have access or opportunity to ride a boat or to even look out at a lake or ocean-view; however, our imagination can draw us all to the iconic call of water, wind and nature and find a common sense of our humanity on this journey of living.
Meet Our Team
Susan Gross, MA, C.Psych.
Psychologist
(she/her)
Susan Gross has a Masters degree in Applied Developmental Psychology and is a registered Clinical Psychologist with the College of Psychologists of Ontario, with declared competencies in the areas of Clinical, Counseling and School Psychology, working with Child, Adolescent and Family populations. Susan has worked since 1994 in a variety of settings, including public school board, hospital outpatient, child and adolescent mental health and developmental agency, autism review programme and children’s rehabilitation. She has learned the value of working in a collaborative manner with families in order to understand their particular concerns and also the strengths that they bring, and in an interdisciplinary manner with other professionals, including educators, therapists and physicians, to ensure a broad understanding of issues. Susan’s training focused on child development, which has provided a critical lens for acknowledging and understanding the impact of a child’s unique experience, how they develop cognitively and emotionally, the context around them that influences their development, and how this impacts their view of themselves, others and the world. She has a particular interest in a child’s early years and the attachment bonds a child experiences, the impact on their development of self-regulation skills, but also ongoing as they learn to co-regulate with others in their lives, including educators and peers. She has developed expertise in Autism Spectrum Disorder, Developmental Trauma and Attachment-related disorders, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, anxiety and mood disorders, developmental disorders as well as attention, learning and regulation challenges, and threat risk assessment Susan has engaged in extensive supervision of clinical students, residents and psychometrists over the years, including holding Adjunct Faculty Positions at the University of Guelph and Western University. Although Susan sees the value in formulating diagnoses to ensure accurate and specific understanding of a child’s concerns and to direct specific supports, she first and foremost seeks to see the child as a whole being, with a unique temperament and profile of abilities, and in the context of important and valued caregiver relationships and lived experiences. Susan is dedicated to supporting families in developing a deeper understanding of their children’s strengths and needs to support their overall psychological well-being.
Susan Gross, MA, C.Psych.
Psychologist
(she/her)
Susan Gross has a Masters degree in Applied Developmental Psychology and is a registered Clinical Psychologist with the College of Psychologists of Ontario, with declared competencies in the areas of Clinical, Counseling and School Psychology, working with Child, Adolescent and Family populations. Susan has worked since 1994 in a variety of settings, including public school board, hospital outpatient, child and adolescent mental health and developmental agency, autism review programme and children’s rehabilitation. She has learned the value of working in a collaborative manner with families in order to understand their particular concerns and also the strengths that they bring, and in an interdisciplinary manner with other professionals, including educators, therapists and physicians, to ensure a broad understanding of issues. Susan’s training focused on child development, which has provided a critical lens for acknowledging and understanding the impact of a child’s unique experience, how they develop cognitively and emotionally, the context around them that influences their development, and how this impacts their view of themselves, others and the world. She has a particular interest in a child’s early years and the attachment bonds a child experiences, the impact on their development of self-regulation skills, but also ongoing as they learn to co-regulate with others in their lives, including educators and peers. She has developed expertise in Autism Spectrum Disorder, Developmental Trauma and Attachment-related disorders, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, anxiety and mood disorders, developmental disorders as well as attention, learning and regulation challenges, and threat risk assessment Susan has engaged in extensive supervision of clinical students, residents and psychometrists over the years, including holding Adjunct Faculty Positions at the University of Guelph and Western University. Although Susan sees the value in formulating diagnoses to ensure accurate and specific understanding of a child’s concerns and to direct specific supports, she first and foremost seeks to see the child as a whole being, with a unique temperament and profile of abilities, and in the context of important and valued caregiver relationships and lived experiences. Susan is dedicated to supporting families in developing a deeper understanding of their children’s strengths and needs to support their overall psychological well-being.
Pamela Brown, ECE.RT
Psychometrist
(she/her)
Pamela Brown began her educational training by completing her Early Childhood Education Diploma program and Resource Consultation program at Conestoga College. She then completed the Infant Mental Health Certificate program at York University. Pamela has been working since 1990 in a variety of settings and has gained a wealth of experience working with children in child care centres, children's treatment centre, as well as extensive work as a psychometrist in a number of clinical settings including hospital and children’s mental health and developmental services. She was the Clinical Lead for developmental services and is the Clinical Coordinator for specialized assessments for 0-18 children's services. Over the past 15 years, Pamela has been a valuable member on the Autism Spectrum Disorders and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders diagnostic teams. She works closely with physicians, psychiatrists, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, and school personnel to provide comprehensive and coordinated care. Pamela has many years of experience working with caregivers and children who have challenges, including Developmental Disabilities, Learning Disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and social emotional concerns, including attachment, developmental trauma, and anxiety. Pamela has a real passion for working with preschoolers and preteens. She believes in working collaboratively with caregivers and children to build on their existing strengths by using a strengths based approach to promote new learning. Pamela is dedicated and passionate about providing thorough assessments and finding ways to improve success in learning and daily activities. Pamela’s training and experience working with the younger population allows her to provide consultation and assessments that are customized to each individual, and is dedicated to help gain a deeper understanding of a child and how best to support them.
All psychological services are provided by a registered psychologist or by a psychometrist who has extensive training and is directly supervised by the psychologist. The psychometrist has advanced expertise in her respective areas of competence. While the psychometrist is knowledgeable and experienced the supervising psychologist is legally and ethically responsible for each client and family under the care of Spinnaker Psychological Services, and is therefore aware and involved to whatever extent appropriate with every client.
Our Vision
We envision the children and families that we meet feeling empowered and strengthened by the affirmation and knowledge they gain through their work with us.
By offering a highly individualized and collaborative process of consultation, assessment and feedback, we strive for our clients to feel listened to, heard, respected and understood.
We honour and build on the resilience and strengths of both child and caregiver and the experiences and effort that brought them to this point.
We hope to provide clarity and direction to support our families' optimal development and resilience as they move forward in their lives.
By offering a highly individualized and collaborative process of consultation, assessment and feedback, we strive for our clients to feel listened to, heard, respected and understood.
We honour and build on the resilience and strengths of both child and caregiver and the experiences and effort that brought them to this point.
We hope to provide clarity and direction to support our families' optimal development and resilience as they move forward in their lives.
Our Values
- We offer a warm and welcome approach and believe that sharing and collaboration of ideas and narratives can benefit a family and child on their journey.
- We recognize that everyone can experience challenges and everyone can benefit from support in order to access their personal strengths and resilience.
- We value and respect the caregivers' knowledge and experiences with their child and strive to build on and nurture this expertise.
- We understand the importance of understanding a child's unique profile and a family's particular capabilities and needs in the context of their community and experiences, and consider this in identifying supportive and specific interventions.
- We embrace a strengths-based and healing-centred approach to learning and development in our efforts to encourage thinking that is counter to deficit, discriminatory and exclusionary practices.
- We incorporate a trauma-informed lens in our assessment and practices, in our work to foster safety and belonging.
- We acknowledge our privilege and the limits of our awareness and strive to apply a lens of equity and anti-discrimination.
- We value the learning that can come from evidence-based practice, psychological tools and resources and take pride in the quality and thoroughness of the work we provide.
- We ensure a process that includes informed consent and confidentiality, and adherence to the standards, policies, ethics and guidelines and legislation as set out by the College of Psychologists of Ontario and Regulated Health Professionals of Ontario
- We engage in continuous and lifelong learning in our field to address the needs and nurture the resilience of children and their families.
"Relationships matter...people not programs change people."
- Bruce D. Perry
- Bruce D. Perry
Affiliations
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At Spinnaker Psychological Services, team members are regulated health professionals and maintain professional affiliation and regulatory memberships, including:
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Specializations and Interests
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"The well-being of children is inseparable from the well-being of
all the critical adults in their lives."
-Dr. Stuart Shanker
all the critical adults in their lives."
-Dr. Stuart Shanker
