A little about me…
Hi there! My name is Lia Marks, and I am Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist.
CREDENTIALS
I completed an Honours Bachelor of Arts, in Psychology and Sociology at The University of Western Ontario, and then moved back home to Toronto where I obtained my Masters of Social Work at the University of Toronto. I have several years of experience providing counselling and therapy to children, youth, adults and families in a variety of settings. I particularly love working with women to help them develop their emotional fluency, achieve balance, and reach their goals!
I am currently registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW Registration #825558) and I am a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW). I have developed my skills in working with young adults in particular and have additional training in the specific areas of trauma, anxiety, and addictions.
CERTIFICATIONS AND TRAININGS
Since completing my degrees, I have obtained a number of additional certifications and continuing education courses to broaden my skillset. These are listed below:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Russ Harris Learning ACT
Brief Narrative Therapy, SickKids CCMH Institute
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Fundamentals Certification, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
Level I: Affect Dysregulation, Survival Defenses, & Traumatic Memory, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute
National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Yoga and The Traumatized Body, Trauma Sensitive Yoga Australia
Narrative Therapy: The Basics, Mental Health Academy
Calming the Emotional Storm: Using Dialectical Behavioural Therapy to Help Your Clients, Learning Edge Seminar
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), Living Works Education
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Prevention and Management of Aggressive Behaviour Training
Fundamentals of Addictions, Matthew Berry PhD
You’re likely reading this because you’re looking for some support and want to know if I might be someone you could connect with. I know it can be really tough to reach out and you may not know what might be a good fit for you. So, I will try to make it a little easier for you by sharing bit about who I am, as well as my professional credentials and why I can help! If you think we’d be a good fit to work together, please feel free to contact me!
In 2016 I moved to the Gold Coast, Australia for 2 years before settling back home in Toronto. I absolutely loved the laid back lifestyle of the Gold Coast and you really can’t beat the beautiful beaches and surrounding mountains! I am a total beach bum at heart. While there, I even learned to surf and developed a daily meditation and journaling practice.
Although I was always passionate about wellness, it was such a joy to absorb the work-life balance of the Gold Coast and this experience really transformed the way I provided therapy to my clients and think about health overall. I had never met so many people who fully and whole-heartedly prioritize their well-being and mental health in an unfailing way. I learned so much from some amazing friends and mentors there about how to do this by incorporating a holistic understanding of emotional wellness. I truly realized the importance of integrating self-compassion and self-care into every single day and supporting my clients to do the same! As a new mama too, I understand the daily challenges and juggling acts that come along with parenting. I can help those I work with to bring balance back into their lives, so they are better able to manage life stressors, achieve their goals, and get unstuck!