Meet Our Team!

We provide education and training that helps organizations build capacity, strengths, resources, and enhanced performance through strategic communication.

Dr. Elaine Cook, PhD. 

Elaine Cook has a PhD in applied behavioural psychology. As a certified solution-focused coach she works with individuals, families and organizations to facilitate conversations and implement humanistic programs that guide people toward development and personal wisdom. Currently, she works at Holland Bloorview Kid’s Rehabilitation Hospital and is responsible for training doctors, nurses, clinicians, students, youth and families in solution-focused communication practices. She is mother to three children and two fur-babies, and when she isn’t mothering or working she loves to ponder the nature of the universe and our place in it, as integrated, whole and healthy beings.

Cathy Petta, RN

Cathy Petta has been an RN for over 30 years, and has spent the last 16 years at Holland Bloorview, She spent her first two years here on the inpatient rehab unit, and for the last 14 years has been one of the nurses with the Psychopharmacology Clinic supporting children with ASD with severe interfering behaviors and their families. 

Since her first introduction to the Solution Focused approach in 2016 she has worked to  embed a Solution Focused approach  in all areas of her  practice at Holland Bloorview and beyond. She was one of the first cohort to successfully complete the certification in Humanistic solution focused health care coaching and facilitation at Holland Bloorview.

Her passion and best hope is to help other clinicians to bring the humanistic solution focused approach to their clinical practice.

Brian J. Freel, SFC

Brian Freel is an experienced coach, program facilitator and seminar/group leader. In his private practice Brian assists all types of clients including: children & youths, families, adults of all ages, couples and professionals, in groups and one-on-one consultations. He is passionate about everything solution focused and is an expert at leading from behind for a wide range of issues and concerns.

Brian brings a unique perspective and many years of experience to HB Humanistic Healthcare and states, without reservation, how honored he is to be part of such a progressive and dynamic team.

He is a lifelong learner and an incurable optimist.

In his spare time you may see Brian cycling the roads and mountain bike trails where he resides in the Niagara Region.

Nikky Henderson

Nikky Henderson brings an extremely positive outlook to her role as Program Assistant with the Solution Focused Team at Holland Bloorview. In her current role she shares her experience as a young person living with Cerebral Palsy, navigating through the health care system. Using her lived experience, she hopes to shed light on the opportunities for growth to allow for a more equitable and client-centred health care system. It is her hope that through embedding and implementation of Solution-Focused principals that all people especially those with disabilities are better able to recognize their inherent strengths and resources which allows for a better understanding of self. She is also a Youth Mentor at Holland Bloorview.

Wesley Magee-Saxton

Wesley Magee-Saxton is a multidisciplinary artist and storyteller. They are a recent graduate of the York University Theatre program, having earned their Bachelor of Fine Arts with a Specialized Honours in acting for the stage. They were trained in Solution Focused Humanistic Healthcare during their time as a Youth Leader at Holland Bloorview. As a CBS coach and co-facilitator on the team, they hope to bring the unique insights of their lived experience as a white disabled actor and apply it to a healthcare context. They endeavour to use the knowledge gifted to them by this experience and training, to hold space for participants of the workshops to view the work through the lens of someone intimately intertwined with the healthcare system. They wish to acknowledge the disparities of care between differing intersections within the current systems at play, and to use their privilege to be a guide towards progress.

 

Ashleigh Townley, MA

Ashleigh Townley is a knowledge translation specialist with Evidence to Care at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, where she promotes and implements the best available research evidence to inform care for children with disabilities. Additionally, she is a recent graduate of the Solution-Focused Health Care Certificate program, supporting staff, students, and families to have collaborative conversations that promote growth, development, and positive change to current challenges they may be facing.

 

Amanda Musto, OT Reg. (Ont). 

Amanda is an Occupational Therapist in the Community Outreach and Infant Development programs at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.  She consults to daycares, resource consultants and families to support development, inclusion and participation in play and group care. Amanda is a recent graduate of the Solution-Focused Health Care Certificate program.  She incorporates humanistic and solution focused principles in her consultations to elicit and amplify the strengths and resources of the individuals and the communities she works with.  She has a passion for sharing Humanistic and Solution Focused Coaching with others.

Creating solutions one conversation at a time

For more information, please contact:
Dr. Elaine Cook, PhD, Solution-Focused Team Lead, 
Holland Bloorview Humanistic Health Care Program
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