All members of The Aleo Collective (TAC) are professionals in individual private practices. Though each individual brings unique aspects to their approaches for disordered eating support, they are collectively accountable to collaboratively established values and ethics.
INTEGRITY means that we say what we mean and we mean what we say. We certainly don’t do everything, but what we do we strive to do well. We are accountable to our values, our clients, our collective, and our community.
Our current social systems work to isolate us from our COMMUNITY, and eating disorders thrive in isolation. True eating disorder recovery involves making meaningful connections to our world and building a life that feels worth living. Caring for each other is a radical act.
TAC was born from a shared frustration about the state of eating disorder treatment in our community. It takes bravery and AUDACITY to believe that things can be done differently — and even more to actually do things differently.
TAC members also hold regular clinical support meetings, and they facilitate each other’s professional development in this field on an ongoing basis.
“Aleo” is the Esperanto word for path. Esperanto is a language created in the 1800s by L.L. Zamenhof. He thought that if it became a universal second language, everyone would be able to understand each other, which he hoped would lead to world peace. Part of why we chose the word aleo for our collective is to acknowledge that we walk alongside each other on our paths through the world.
Therapy
Lee Thomas (they/them)
Registered Social Worker (RSW)
Who do I work with: Individual adults (18+) in New Brunswick, Ontario, or Alberta
About me: I have a Masters in Social Work with a Clinical Specialization, and I have been working as a private practice therapist since 2020. My approach is informed by queer theories, anti-oppressive practice, and harm-reduction philosophies. I’m trained in a variety of modalities, but the ones I tend to use most frequently are Internal Family Systems and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Ultimately my approach is eclectic— that’s what allows it to be tailored to you as an individual!
Raquel Griffin (she/her)
Registered Social Worker (RSW)
Who do I work with: Individual adults (19+) in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, or Ontario
About me: I am a Registered Social Worker and private practitioner therapist in Kjipuktuk (Halifax, Nova Scotia). I am one of only two therapists in Atlantic Canada who is a Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor. I hold Baccalaureate degrees in Psychology and Social Work and a Masters degree in Social Work.
I work from a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and client-centered approach where the therapeutic process is collaborative. My aim is to meet you where you’re at and together discover your goal for therapy, then find the best way forward for you. My approach is primarily informed by: ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy).
Nutrition Counselling
Courtenay Vickers (she/her)
Registered Dietitian (RD)
Who do I work with: Individual adults (17+) in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, or Ontario.
About me: I am a weight-inclusive Registered Dietitian providing compassionate, individualized,
recovery-oriented care to those navigating eating disorders or disordered eating. I am dedicated
to helping people make peace and freedom with food and their bodies.
Areas of specialty include eating disorders (including binge eating disorder, anorexia, bulimia, and ARFID), disordered eating, body image, and intuitive eating. I am a lifelong learner and use an anti-oppressive, trauma-informed lens with all clients to better meet folks where they are. I have over 5 years of clinical experience specifically with eating disorders and have been practicing as an RD since 2014.
Peer Support
Dustin LindenSmith (he/him)
Peer Supporter
Who do I work with: Individual adults (18+) anywhere in Canada
About me: I’m originally a jazz musician by training, a former IT professional, and a stay-at-home dad to three fantastic kids. I use my own lived experience & training with a harm reduction approach to support your own form of recovery from eating disorders or issues with your body image or self-image.
I help my clients by using mindfulness practices along with purposeful discussions to help you:
- cultivate inner compassion and self-acceptance
- learn how to connect with your body sensations, hunger, and fullness
- develop new ways to calm and comfort yourself without using food, eating or exercise in a disordered way
My work is fully inclusive and supportive towards all ethnicities, gender identities, abilities, body sizes, sexual orientations, and family types.
