Shiri Joshua M.A. (Couns. Psych), OACCPP
![Shiri Joshua]()
Shiri Joshua acquired her educational background at York University
in Toronto, and the Adler School of Professional Psychology
in Toronto/Chicago. She is the director and founder of Mental
Health Resources Canada (MHRC), an online community of
mental health professionals; and has been working in private
practice and through several agencies as a Child, Adolescent,
and Adult psychotherapist. Shiri's work method incorporates the
psychodynamic approach, which seeks to understand the underlying
processes of a given behaviour or symptom.
Shiri has worked with clients as young as 4 years of age, teens,
and adults, around the issues of Abuse-related trauma, suicide
(especially teen suicide), relationship, sexual identity, and
addiction issues. She is a member in good standing of the
Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists
and Psychotherapists (OACCPP).
As a long time pet owner herself, Shiri was intrigued by the different
qualities of attachment represented through the Human/Animal
Bond. After experiencing the loss of one of her rabbits, Zoe,
Shiri sought an understanding ear, and was surprised to learn of
the severe lack of resources, especially in Canada. Shiri then
resolved to combine her clinical training in Counselling
Psychology to enhance her expertise in Animal Assisted
Therapy, and Pet Loss Bereavement Counselling.
She has attended numerous workshops and seminars on these two
intriguing topics both in Toronto, and in California. Among the
different mentors Shiri received her training from in this filed
of work, are Dr. Aubrey Fine, and Dr. Lorrie
Greene (both are renowned psychologists and authors
specializing in AAT & P. Loss).
Learning of the importance of allowing the
process of bereavement to take its natural course, and the
possible risks associated with ignoring these feelings (risks
such as a clinical depression, complicated bereavement, or even
suicidal feelings), Shiri's training and professional background
allowed her to offer her services to the community of Canadian
pet owners. She was recently invited to speak on Pet Loss Grief
at CTS TV's "On the Line," a daily live show dealing with
different relevant topics. The amount of calls and response to
the show further reinforced the need for such service.
Shiri's work includes facilitation of Pet Loss
Bereavement groups, individual counselling, and house calls,
where offers education about the process of grief, and resources
for coping. She is the founder of the
S.O.U.L. Academy: School of Compassion.
![MHRC]()
Mental Health Resources Canada