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Meet our Team
Hope Leads is proud of what the practice has become - slow and soft but steady growth, great team collaboration and inspiring partnerships across different communities.
Our therapists are here to support you in a space that is kind, empowering and that is rooted in hope. We will walk alongside you with care and respect as you navigate life’s challenges. We got you!
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Joelle’s Story
Welcome! As a registered social worker and psychotherapist in Ontario, Canada, I have spent many years providing mental health care to racialized communities in various settings, including a community health center and private practice.
As a Black woman, I’ve had the privilege of learning so much about collective care, humor, intergenerational wisdom, and survival. My practice and approach integrate an Afrocentric framework that allows us to go beyond the individual and to understand how our community (e.g. “our village”) shapes our view of self. Not overexplaining, sharing a laugh, communicating through body language, and having compassion for the unspoken are just a few of the gems that come from my experiences working with racialized communities. This has shown me that therapeutic care goes beyond manuals and textbooks – my hope is to facilitate therapeutic spaces where you can nurture your authentic self from a place of emotional safety, joy, and empowerment.
I look forward to collaborating with you throughout your therapeutic journey!
Primary Areas of Focus:
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Anxiety
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Depression
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Gender Journey (dysphoria, coming out, etc)
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General Stress (workplace, cross-cultural, acculturation)
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Grief/Loss
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Life Transitions
Languages Spoken:
Michael can provide services in English and Tagalog.
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Queer Relationships (including ethical non-monogamy, polyamory)
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Racism and Discrimination
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Substance Use Management and Harm Reduction (crystal meth, cocaine, alcohol, marijuana)
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Trauma-Informed Care
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Michael’s Story
Hello, Kumusta (how are you)? As a psychotherapist and registered social worker in Toronto, Ontario, I have worked with many diverse communities, including those who have been marginalized because of their race, income, gender identity, and immigration & HIV status. Throughout my practice, I have learned that regardless of how difficult life is, caring for ourselves and each other is crucial to supporting our mental health. Even with the many struggles that affect us, mental health or otherwise, we still have the capacity to face difficult challenges with hope and humor in our hearts, one day at a time.
My personal experiences with both difficulty and care closely inform my psychotherapy practice. I draw inspiration from community members who have embraced and supported me as a newcomer in Toronto. My hope is to return the generosity and care I have experienced, holding space for your stories with the same care, kindness, and compassion that I experienced in the most challenging of times. Being heard and being seen matters. So I look forward to seeing and hearing you, and to sharing space with you when needed. Salamat (thank you) and talk soon!
Hope Leads is proud to introduce our expanded team of therapists. Read their stories and book an introductory meeting with them today.
Our Therapists
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Tolulola Taiwo-Hanna, MSW (she/her)
Together, I hope we can bring you to a place of healing; help you hold your thoughts and feelings with an open hand; work toward identifying your values and living more closely in line with them; and deepen your sense of self-love.
LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English
Elizabeth Carolina Ibarra, MSW, RSW (she/her)
I’m passionate about honouring people’s unique stories of resiliency within a cross-cultural worldview through trauma-informed and anti-oppressive counselling.
LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English
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Imogen Tam, MSW, RSW (She/They)
I understand the unique challenges of navigating identity and feelings of non/belonging. Intersectionality, cultural humility, client empowerment and unconditional high regard are some foundations of my work.
LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English
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Johanna George MSW, RSW (she/her)
Our past experiences can influence how we connect in the world, but by working together in the present, we can create a playful and compassionate space for you to step more fully into your authentic self. If you are looking for support with anxiety, substance or alcohol use, trauma or burnout.
LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English
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Ron Lorenzo, MA, MSW, RSW (he/him)
I utilize a spirituality-integrated psychotherapy approach that weaves together lessons from my lived experience with evidence-based modalities to create a compassionate and culturally sensitive space for healing and growth.
LANGUAGES SPOKEN: Tagalog, English