Andrea Kwan MSW, RSW
I’m Andrea (she/her), a Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist who specializes in grief counselling and education. I support individuals coping with grief, loss, and life transitions and focus on supporting those who have experienced sudden, unexpected, and out-of-order loss. I work from a trauma-informed, Intersectional, Feminist, Anti-Racist, Anti-Oppressive, and LGBTQ2S-allied perspective. I work with clients in-person in Toronto and virtually throughout Ontario.
I have experienced multiple personal losses; the most significant being the deaths of my parents in the Indian Ocean Tsunami when I was 19 years old. Through my own healing process, I have found my way to walking alongside others in their grief. I am committed to creating safe and inclusive spaces where bereaved individuals can grieve authentically and holistically.
My Approach
Grief is a natural part of the human experience. However, although we will all face loss at some point in our lives, because we live in a "grief-illiterate" and death-phobic culture many of us feel alone in our grief and are unsure of how to heal from such deep pain. Losing someone or something we love can be devastating, confusing, and disruptive but I believe that with the right supports, we all have the ability to learn to live with grief and to integrate it into our lives. I am here to support you in navigating this difficult, and often isolating, experience.
Your grief has a momentum of its own and a desire to be expressed. I am here to be a witness and to provide unconditional love and support - not platitudes or dismissiveness. Your grief is not a "problem" to be fixed but an experience and process that needs tending to - with care and skill. Through weekly or bi-weekly sessions, I will provide a safe and supportive environment for you to explore and express your grief, in ways that make sense for you, and at your own pace.
We all grieve uniquely and there is no "right" or "wrong" way. Our individual and collective grief experiences are deeply affected by our history of loss as well as the social, political, economic, and environmental structures within which we live. Grief impacts us mentally, physically, spiritually, socially, and emotionally. My compassionate presence and holistic approach will support you to examine all the ways that grief is affecting your life and well-being, and to tap into your inner resources and strengths while building new skills. I will support you to reconcile your grief, integrate your loss into your life and build your future.
My Background
I graduated from the University of Toronto with a Master of Social Work degree and am registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW, #820777). I have also received training and support from staff and volunteers at Bereaved Families of Ontario - Toronto and the AIDS Bereavement and Resiliency Program of Ontario.
As the former Bereavement Care Specialist at the Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities Hospice Program, I provided grief support and education to the community, and managed a peer-support bereavement program. I have given both individual and group support to grieving children, youth, and adults.
Areas of Treatment
Grief, Loss, Bereavement
End-of-life
Life Transitions
Divorce
Relationship Issues
Family Conflict
Peer Relationships
Racial Identity
Self Esteem
Stress
Anxiety
Trauma
Techniques Used
Motivational Interviewing
Narrative Therapy
Mindfulness
Psychodynamic Therapy
Education
Master of Social Work, University of Toronto
Honours Bachelor of Arts, University of Toronto
Certifications
Certificate in Grief Education, OISE Continuing and Professional Learning, University of Toronto
Certificate in Somatic Embodiment and Regulation Strategies (Levels 1-3), Linda Thai
Practice Focused Training in Prolonged Grief Disorder Therapy, The Center for Prolonged Grief, Columbia School of Social Work
Certificate in Children’s Grief and Bereavement, The Hincks-Dellcrest Centre
The Fundamentals of Hospice Palliative Care, Central East Hospice Palliative Care Network
Bereavement Volunteer Training, Bereaved Families of Ontario-Toronto
Professional Organizations
Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Members (OCSWSSW) (#820777)
Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW)
Schedule a Free 20-Minute Consultation.
Are you ready to connect? I am here to answer your questions.