Meet Our Volunteers, past and present

My name is Elmira. I had graduated from York University with an Hons. Bachelors in Sociology and Psychology. I am volunteering for BLCC in order to immerse myself into the counseling field and to learn about the application of psychological treatments implemented. My goal for the future is to become a Disability Counselor in order to help individuals cope with the major changes that arise in their lives, assist with transitioning back to normality, and to offer more inclusivity and diversity in my service

My name is Carlos Almeida and I have completed my undergraduate studies at UofT. There, I double majored in Human Biology & Psychology. I plan to pursue a career as a Counsellor/Psychotherapist. I began volunteering at BLCC to gain the experience and knowledge I require to pursue my career goals. At BLCC, I am one of the people responsible for taking care of administration tasks and I will always try to help out in any ​way I can.

​ ​Hi, my name is Ode. I’m a 4th year Hons. IBA Psychology student at York University-Glendon. I decided to volunteer at BLCC to gain more knowledge and experience in the field. As an immigrant myself, I hope to become a psychotherapist and work with immigrants and refugees from different cultural backgrounds and languages. I believe that this experience at BLCC and my multilingualism will help to achieve my goal.

​My name is Ellora Kothare and I am currently in my fourth year at the University of Toronto, studying Psychology, English, and Creative Expression & Society. At University there’s a focus on the theoretical side of psychotherapy, and volunteering at BLCC allows me to learn more about the practical side of it. I’m excited to keep working with such a great team!

My name is Taehee and I have completed my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of Toronto. I joined BLCC in 2018 as a student volunteer to gain hands-on experience in the mental health field. To date, BLCC has provided me with an eye-opening experience in numerous aspects of the field and has inspired me to exemplify my dedication to mental health and social justice with the aim of helping vulnerable populations in the community.

Hi my name is Kay-Ann Aarons. I have an Hons. BSc. in Psychology from the University of Toronto. I am currently studying to become a registered psychotherapist at the Transformational Arts College. I began volunteering at BLCC to learn more about the field of psychotherapy. BLCC serves a diverse range of clients and I am excited to be a part of a team who recognizes this need in the community.

My name is Gayathri and I am completing my BSc. in Neuroscience and Molecular Biology, Immunology, and disease, and I hope to pursue a career in the field of counselling and psychotherapy. My passion led me to join the amazing team at BLCC to gain more insight into how various approaches to therapy can be used to cater to a diverse range of people, and help them achieve mental well-being.

My name is Kiara and I am currently in my fourth year at the University of Toronto, studying Psychology and Philosophy. I began volunteering at BLCC to gain experience in a counseling and psychotherapy setting, hoping to better my knowledge in these areas. I hope to learn more about how to help a diverse range of people improve their mental health and well-being.

name is Renee and I am a graduate from the University of Waterloo in Joint Honours Kinesiology and Psychology (BSc) and am hoping to pursue a career as a practicing registered psychotherapist. I am extremely interested and passionate in helping individuals achieve wellness and happiness, therefore, I joined BLCC in 2017 to learn how to help others realize their capability and capacity for change to maximize their quality of life.

​My name is Helya and I have graduated from the University of Toronto with a major in Psychology and minors in Women and Gender studies and Professional Writing. I joined the fantastic team at BLCC to gain more experience in the mental health field and I must say I have learned much more than I imagined.

My name is Kirndeep and I’m a fourth-year Psychology student at York University. I began volunteering because I wanted to build upon my psychology degree and gain experience within the field before I applied to any future graduate school. My experience at Better Life Counselling Center has always been a positive one. I’m always learning and developing new skills.

​ My name is Amanda and I am a student at the University of Guelph majoring in Honours Psychology and minoring in Family and Child Studies. I wish to pursue a future in Clinical Psychology. My passion for mental health and helping others drives my interest. Volunteering at BLCC will allow me to gain experience and develop the skills I will need someday to pursue my passions in the form of a career.

​My name is Sandra Ragheb and I am a third year psychology student at the University of Toronto. I am pursuing to become a clinical psychologist. I started volunteering in January at BLCC to explore and further my knowledge in the practice of psychology. Volunteering at BLCC has allowed me to gain a lot of experience and skills that will help me in graduate school and future career.

My name is Parisa and I am currently finishing my undergraduate degree in Honours Bachelor of Science Psychology at York University. I currently volunteer at BLCC, where I hope to further my knowledge and skills in the field of psychology to better achieve my ultimate goal of becoming a psychologist.

I’m Joel and I’m a 3rd year student at the University of Toronto, doing a double-major in Physics and Psychology. I currently volunteer at BLCC in hoping to gain some experience and eventually become a practicing psychologist as well.

My name is Holly and I am currently completing my Masters in Clinical Counselling at Tyndale University College & Seminary. I graduated from Queen’s University in Psychology and joined the BLCC team in 2016. I joined BLCC to provide mental health support. I am passionate about mental health, psychology, and the Toronto Blue Jays!

My name is Claudia. I recently graduated from the University of Toronto with a bachelor’s of science in psychology and bioethics. I started volunteering at BLCC in 2022 to gain real-life experience with the mental health field. I look forward to applying what I am learning at BLCC to my future career in psychology; specifically, I hope to one day become a clinical psychologist and look forward to working with children, adolescents, and families from diverse backgrounds.