About Kristin

BA, BComm, BSW, MSW, RSW 

PhD candidate, School of Social Work, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec

Registered Social Worker in private practice in Muskoka

I’m Kristin. I’m a registered social worker and psychotherapist, and I’ve lived and worked in Muskoka for over 20 years.

I came to private practice after a long career in child welfare. I spent about five years in frontline practice and another thirteen in management and leadership. That meant years of working with people when circumstances were complicated, decisions mattered, and there was rarely a simple explanation for what was happening.

That experience still shapes the way I work.

I’m interested in understanding what is happening before deciding what needs to change.

People are affected by their relationships and the places where they work. They are affected by what has happened before. Sometimes they are responding to circumstances that really are difficult.

I pay attention to patterns. I’m interested in what you do when you’re uncertain, what you take responsibility for, and where your attention goes when something feels wrong.

One thing I notice often is how easily people can tell me what everyone else is thinking or feeling. They can explain their partner’s behaviour in detail. They know what their boss expects. They are watching how their children are doing.

Then I ask how they feel. That question can be surprisingly difficult.

Therapy can be a place to start paying attention in both directions.

I’m fairly active in session.

I ask questions. I tell people what I notice. If I think there is a pattern worth looking at, I’ll say so. If an explanation or a bit of research would be useful, I’ll bring it in.

I also pay attention to what belongs to you and what doesn’t.

There are things we can change. There are things we may be able to influence. There are also things we cannot control, no matter how much time we spend thinking about them.

That distinction comes up a lot in my work.

I won’t make your decisions for you. I will help you look carefully at what is shaping them.

I teach social work and provide professional training. I provide independent clinical supervision to social workers. I conduct clinical investigations for family courts and work in academic research and program evaluation.

I’m also completing a PhD in Social Work at McGill University. My doctoral research looks at decision-making in Ontario child welfare, particularly what happens when workers have to make sense of information that is ambiguous.

Smokey Rock gets its name from Smokey Rock Farm, my home in Muskoka.

Animals have been a significant part of my life for a long time. I’ve been involved in animal welfare and rescue for more than 25 years, including work in Canada and internationally. Over the years I’ve fostered more cats and kittens than I could reasonably count without checking the records, and the farm is now home to a fairly substantial permanent crew.

Outside of my professional work, much of my life revolves around the farm, the animals and art. I work primarily in acrylics, painting the landscapes around me: trees, water, wildlife and the places that make Muskoka feel like Muskoka. 

That connection extends to the wildlife and the land around me. I’m the person who notices the birds, stops for turtles and keeps an eye out for whatever has wandered through the property. I spend a lot of time outside.

I hold a Master of Social Work and am registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. I am currently a PhD candidate in Social Work at McGill University.

My professional experience includes psychotherapy, child welfare practice and leadership, clinical supervision, university teaching, professional training, research and program evaluation.

This practice may suit you if you want a structured process, a clinician who understands institutional and personal dynamics, and change that holds up over time rather than a quick resolution.

It is not set up for acute crisis stabilization or for situations requiring intensive support and containment. If that is what is needed, Kristin will say so early and help you think about where to look.