Meet the Théla Team

Bonny founded Théla after years at the intersection of law, education, and human vulnerability — including work as a legal professor and extensive experience navigating the legal landscape alongside individuals at some of the most frightening moments of their lives. That background shapes everything about how Théla operates: the attentiveness to systemic context, the pace of the work, and the understanding that healing rarely happens in isolation from everything else a person is carrying.

She holds a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Education (EdD). She is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) with CRPO, a member of OAMHP and CCPA, and a faculty member at George Brown College. In 2022, she received the Attorney General's Victim Services Award of Distinction.

Bonny specializes in trauma, EMDR, ADHD, and neurodivergent support. She has over fourteen years of experience coaching and supporting individuals with ADHD — long before it became a mainstream conversation — and holds the ADHD Certified Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP) designation alongside certifications in autism spectrum support (ASDCS) and complex trauma (CCTP). She works with adults, couples, teens, and adolescents navigating ADHD, anxiety, identity, and the places where neurodivergence and trauma intersect.

Her clinical approach draws from EMDR, IFS, EFT, DBT, Gottman Method (Levels 1 & 2), somatic and polyvagal-informed therapy, narrative therapy, and sand tray — integrated with her canine-assisted therapy practice through Emma and Evee, Théla's resident therapy dogs.

Sessions are offered in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese.

Areas of Focus: Trauma & PTSD · EMDR · ADHD (teens & adults) · Autism Spectrum · Couples · Anxiety · Life Transitions · Immigration & Systemic Stress · Identity · Neurodivergent Support

Renata brings something rare to the Théla team: over fifteen years of clinical experience spanning two countries, a PhD in Child and Youth Studies, and a postdoctoral fellowship focused on marginalized populations, addiction, and animal-assisted therapy. She is also a Psychology Today contributor.

Born and trained in Brazil, Renata worked for over a decade as a psychologist within the Brazilian public health system — providing thousands of hours of therapy to children, adolescents, and adults navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, OCD, eating disorders, and domestic violence. She led interdisciplinary clinical teams, conducted psychological assessments, and developed therapeutic programs for children, youth, and families. After relocating to Canada, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Saskatchewan, working directly with Indigenous populations and psychiatric facilities, and subsequently trained at Michael Garron Hospital and the CAYAC Anxiety Clinic, where she continues to provide individual therapy for children and youth with anxiety and OCD.

Renata specializes in anxiety disorders, OCD, panic, depression, grief, and trauma. She is one of a small number of clinicians in Ontario holding a Certificate in Pet Loss Grief Support Specialist — a meaningful specialty for clients navigating the profound and often minimized grief of losing an animal companion.

Her approach is evidence-based and grounded in CBT, ERP, ACT, DBT, and TF-CBT, with training in animal-assisted therapy and a particular depth of experience working with anxious children and their families.

Sessions are offered in English and Portuguese.

Areas of Focus: Anxiety & OCD · Panic Disorder · Depression · Grief & Bereavement · Pet Loss · Trauma · Children & Adolescents · Family Support · Animal-Assisted Therapy

Caroline joins Théla as a graduating clinician from the Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology program at Yorkville University — bringing with her a background that is anything but typical. Before training as a therapist, she spent years in research and direct intervention: as a bilingual crisis responder with Kids Help Phone, a research assistant and coach supporting pregnant women with anxiety and depression at CHU Sainte-Justine, a community agent working with immigrant families, and a volunteer with the Military Family Resource Centre.

That lived proximity to crisis, vulnerability, and human resilience shapes how Caroline works — with steadiness, cultural attunement, and a genuine curiosity about each person's experience. She works with adults and young adults navigating ADHD, trauma, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, racial identity, life transitions, and relationship challenges. She also brings meaningful clinical and research grounding in perinatal and postpartum mental health.

Her primary modality is Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT), integrated with CBT, ACT, SFBT, motivational interviewing, IFS, DBT skills, Gottman-informed approaches, and mindfulness. She is registered as a direct billing provider with Medavie Blue Cross, Green Shield, and SSQ.

Caroline offers virtual sessions only, with evening and weekend availability — making her an accessible option for clients across Ontario who find daytime appointments difficult.

Sessions are offered in English, French, and Spanish.

Areas of Focus: ADHD · Trauma · Anxiety & Stress · Depression · Self-Esteem & Identity · Racial Identity · Life Transitions · Perinatal & Postpartum Mental Health · Relationships

Arella is the operational heart of Théla. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Waterloo — where she graduated with distinction — and is currently completing a Master of Arts in Developmental Psychology and Education at the University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). Her graduate research focuses on the detection of learning and understanding in children through facial expression and AI.

Arella's research background spans CAMH, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, and multiple University of Toronto labs, with published and in-review contributions to peer-reviewed journals on topics including cultural adaptation of CBT, compassionate care in pediatric transitions, and dementia caregiving. She has also worked directly with children and adults with developmental disabilities, as a cognitive skills trainer, and as a teaching assistant — giving her a grounded understanding of the populations Théla serves.

At Théla, Arella ensures that every client's experience — from first inquiry to ongoing care — is handled with warmth, efficiency, and the same standard of care that defines the clinical work itself. She is available in English, Cantonese, and Japanese.

Emma and Evee are active members of the Théla clinical team — not mascots, not decoration. Their presence in session offers a unique pathway into nervous system regulation, embodied safety, and trust that is particularly valuable for clients who find traditional talk therapy activating, for teens navigating anxiety or ADHD, and for anyone who has experienced the kind of safety that animals can offer when words fall short.

Emma and Evee are available for in-person sessions at our Markham location. Their involvement is always discussed and agreed upon in advance.