Our Staff

Dr. Kim Christink, M. Div., D. Min.

Director
Marriage & Family Therapy
Dr. Christink actively blends his faith with his clinical skills to effectively help families within our community. Dr. Christink presently serves as the Director of the Bayridge Family Center in the Crossroads Centre in Burlington, ON. He began his career upon completion of his studies at the University of Toronto, achieving B.Sc. and M.Div. degrees. From there Kim and his family entered into the ministry, pastoring for four years in London, ON, and another eight years in Toronto, ON. He continued his studies in the area of Marriage and Family Therapy, achieving his D.Min. out of Philadelphia. He has been in private practice now for the last 10 years, and works with hundreds of individuals, couples and families every year. Throughout the years he has been a frequent conference and television guest, communicating the biblical truths of how to build healthy relationships. He works closely with pastors and health care professionals to bridge the gaps of emotional, relational, psychological and spiritual issues.

Colleen Laing

Clinical Program Co-ordinator
I have been director of the Mood Disorder Program for 5 years. It has been one of the most satisfying projects I’ve ever been part of. I meet with hundreds of people every year to help them understand depression and anxiety and to get them started on their journey of recovery by customizing programs that will work for them. Years ago I also suffered from Anxiety, and know personally how it can reek havoc on your self image, your relationships and family. But after using the techniques that we now teach at the center, I have put that all behind me and feel stronger and better then ever!

Pat Brodie, Reg. N., CPMHN, PHN

Therapist/Counsellor
Specializing: Individual & Group Therapy: Unipolar depression, postpartum, Bipolar, and Anxiety Disorders, Interpersonal Therapy
Pat is a registered nurse and a University of Toronto graduate in public health nursing. She is a certified mental health nurse with the Ont. College of Nurses. She is also a graduate of McMaster University with a Clinical Behaviour Sciences Diploma. She has worked as a faculty member in Health Science Department at McMaster teaching and supervising various programs. in Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), and Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy(CBT). Her experience in mental health has spanned over twenty years as a St. Joseph' Hospital employee at Community Psychiatry Services in Hamilton.

Gail Bruneau, BA, MSW, RSW

Therapist/Counsellor
Specializing : Individual and Couple Therapy, Mood Disorders, Conflict Management and Communication Counselling, Anger Management, Grief Counselling
Gail Bruneau received a BA in psychology from the University of Waterloo and a Masters of Social Work from the University of Toronto. She has worked as a social worker for the Ministries of Community & Social Services, Corrections and Health and for the past 10 years she was a Mental Health therapist in a Community Outreach Program at St. Catharines General Hospital.

She has completed additional training in the areas of Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Interpersonal Psychotherapy, (McMaster’s CBS program), 2 approaches that have been shown to be effective in working with individuals with individuals with depression and anxiety.

Her areas of specialty are depression, anxiety, anger management, and she emphasizes both communication and conflict management strategies in interpersonal relationships.

Jeff Doreen, B.Th., M.R.E. (Couns.)

Therapist/Counsellor
Specializing: Adolescent, Individual and Family Therapy
Jeff graduated with a Masters of Religious Education degree Emphasis in Counselling from McMaster University, and has two units of Clinical Education from Chedoke-McMaster Hospital. For the past ten years Jeff has been providing therapy with the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, Ministry of Corrections and Ministry of Community and Social Services. Jeff's approach, as understood by Henri Nouwen's "Wounded Healer", is to suffer with others in order to show compassion.

Jeff believes that this helps them feel understood and less alone. People find hope as he journeys together with them finding solutions to their struggles. Jeff uses Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy in helping youth and adults deal with addictions, anger management, ADD, ADHD, anxiety, depression, grief/loss, self esteem, behavioural issues, separation and divorce issues, communication issues and teen-parent relationships.

Mark Laing, B.A. Honours Psychology

Counselling Intern, Group Facilitator
Specializing:Individual & Marital Therapy/Counselling
I believe that therapy is not something you do to someone rather something you do with someone. Any one person will encounter times in their life when they feel stuck or trapped. Friends can offer some help but often the friendship itself disallows you from receiving the appropriate help, challenge and insight needed to make the appropriate changes or adjustments.

My work centers on marriages in crisis, the effects of affairs, the damage of pornography addictions, the hopelessness of mood disorders (depression, anxiety etc,), the frustration of inappropriate anger and the paralysis caused by low self-acceptance. Equipped with an honors degree in clinical psychology and certified as a pastoral counselor, I am able to help my clients from not only a clinical perspective but also a spiritual one as well.

Involvement with our Mood Disorder Program, author of a manual on marriage and currently writing a book on marriage are just some of the extracurricular activities I am involved with. Married with five children I also have the experiential understanding that furthers my ability to help you or your marriage get back on track.

Sheryl Guest, B.C.M., ACCC

Career & Life Coach
Sheryl is an Associate Certified Career Coach, has a Certificate in Counseling and is a member of the International Coach Federation.

Sheryl’s coaching logo includes a caterpillar and a butterfly. “There are so many things in our lives that direct our path...career, family, finances, health, even ministry. Sometimes that path deepens and becomes a rut and then it starts to close in over us like a cocoon. We forget that we have choices. We lose sight of our goals or somehow just can’t achieve them. Those things were never intended to box us in, they were intended to help us fly. Coaching allows me to watch people push back the walls that were closing in around them. Out comes a beautiful butterfly who is still responsible in their career, family, finances, health and ministry but this time, they are flying! It’s a beautiful process to watch!”