Merrill Barber, MSW, RSW, Accr. FM (OAFM)

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• Professional Family Mediator and Social Worker with over 15 years clinical experience
• Mediation Practitioner with Dr. Howard Irving, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto
• Boomerang Health, SickKids Hospital, Clinical Social Worker
• Master of Social Work, University of Toronto 
• Bachelor of Social Work, University of Victoria 
• Bachelor of Arts, York University
• Registered Social Worker (RSW) (Registered under the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers - OASWSSW)
• Registered Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW)
• Accredited Family Mediator, Ontario Association of Family Mediators (OAFM)
• Certified CBT Therapist - The Hincks Dellcrest Institute, The Hospital for Sick Kids
• Certified Trauma Counsellor - The Hincks Dellcrest Institute, The Hospital for Sick Kids
• Specialize in Attachment-focused adult psychotherapy.

Master of Social Work (MSW)

Field of study – Children and Families

University of Toronto

Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)

University of Victoria 

Bachelor of Arts (BA) 

Sociology   

York University

Social Worker, Psychotherapist and Family Mediator (MSW, RSW, Accr FM)

Private Practice, Toronto, ON

• Provide individual therapy for children, youth and adults; couples and family therapy
• Provide evidence based therapeutic interventions for anxiety and depression, emotion dysregulation, behavioural difficulties, family conflict, grief and bereavement, trauma, suicidal ideation, self harm, OCD and attachment
• Provide family mediation services for families going through separation and divorce. This includes dispute resolution and creating a parenting plan. 

Clinical Social Worker (MSW, RSW)

Boomerang Health (Powered by Sick Kids Hospital), Vaughan, ON

• Treat common behavioural and socio-emotional issues presented in children, adolescents and families
• Provide individual, family and parent-supported therapies for children and teens
• Provide consultation and recommendations to families, and liaise with referring physicians, Boomerang Health clinicians, school staff and other relevant agencies 
• Provide evidence based therapeutic interventions for childhood anxiety and depression, emotion dysregulation, behavioural difficulties and family conflict 
• Provide interventions to enhance coping and reduce distress in referred population
• Provide family mediation services for families going through separation and divorce. This includes dispute resolution and creating a parenting plan
• Provide parent consultation regarding parenting challenges, social-emotional and behavioural concerns and treatment planning
• Work with multidisciplinary team of health care professionals.

Accredited Family Mediator, OAFM     

Howard Irving and Associates, Toronto, ON   

• Co-mediate families with Dr. Howard Irving, specializing in parents and children experiencing separation and divorce. The practice focuses on the Therapeutic Family Mediation (TFM) method. Clients range from low to high conflict
• Contribute in areas of expertise, including: preparing parenting plans; addendums; marital mediation; parent-child mediation and individual counselling
• Practice therapeutic approaches including Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy, Emotion-Centred Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Brief Strategic Therapy, Structural Therapy and Couple Therapy for partner aggression, stepfamilies and intercultural relationships
• Assist with preparation and editing of articles and papers
• Assisted with Dr. Howard Irving’s published book, Children Come First: Mediation, Not Litigation When Marriage Ends (Dundurn Publishers, 2011)

Professional certifications, awards, courses, and workshops include:

• Certificate in attachment-focused adult psychotherapy: Advanced course. SickKids CCMH Learning Institute
• Children's grief and bereavement certificate program. The Hincks Dellcrest Institute, The Hospital for SickKids
• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) Certificate, Level 1. The Hincks Dellcrest Institute, The Hospital for SickKids
• Creative CBT Interventions for Children with Anxiety. The Hincks Dellcrest Institute, The Hospital for SickKids
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT): Basics. University of Toronto, School of Continuing Studies
• Trauma Certificate, Level 1: Trauma Counselling for Front-Line Workers. The Hincks Dellcrest Institute, The Hospital for SickKids 
• Infant and Early Mental Health: Understanding How Early Mental Health Influences Wellness Throughout Life – Workshop – The Hospital for Sick Kids / University of Toronto  
• Tri-Council Policy Statement 2: CORE (TCPS 2: CORE) Certificate of Completion, Panel on Research Ethics, Government of Canada
• Practicing Alliance In Social Work Certification, University of Toronto – Workshop 
• Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training – ASIST 
• Practice Seminar on Assessment and Interviewing Skills, University of Toronto 
• Childhood Traumatic Grief (CTG) Web Course, Medical University of South Carolina
• Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Web Course, Medical University of South Carolina 
• Diversity and Equity, Master of Social Work (MSW) Student Workshop – University of Toronto 
• Advanced Parenting Coordination Family Solutions, Barbara Fiddler, Ph.D. 
• Family Law Certificate Workshop, Riverdale Mediation 
• Solution-focused Counselling, University of Toronto 
• Ontario Association for Family Mediation (OAFM) 
• Certificate Program in Therapeutic Family Mediation, University of Toronto 
• Screening for Family Violence, Abuse, and Power Imbalances, University of Toronto 
• Cummings Family Scholarship Merit Award