CURRICULUM VITAE

 

Susan Melanie O’Quinn

 

ACADEMIC PREPARATION:

 

Master of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, 2003

            Concentration: Individual, Family and Group Clinical Interventions

 

Bachelor of Social Work, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St.John’s, NF, 2000

 

Bachelor of Child Study, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1994

Concentrations: Developmental Disabilities and Program Development

 

Cyber Counselling Level I & II, Worldwide Therapy Online & University of Toronto,          

            Postgraduate Certificate April 2006.

 

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

 

 

AFFILIATE COUNSELLOR, 2006- Present

                        World Wide Therapy Online, CANADA

·         Provision of Online Counselling for Employee Assistance Programs.

 

SOCIAL WORKER /Infant Development Consultant, 2000-2009

Infant & Child Development Peel, Trillium Health Centre, Mississauga, ON

·         Assist with development and delivery of the Canadian Clinic for Adopted Children with Dr. Angelo Simone, Chief of Paediatrics, Trillium Health Centre.

·         Deliver a family centered, home-based early intervention program to families of young children (0-5) with bio-psycho-social risks or established conditions.

 

SOCIAL WORKER (Student Placement), 2002-2003

                        Children’s Assessment & Treatment Centre, Oakville, Ontario

·         Clinical social work interventions with children, youth (0-18) and their families within the context of a children’s mental health agency mandate.

 

CHILD MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST/ BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST, 1994-2000

                        Direct Home Services Program, Health & Community Services Western, Stephenville & Port aux Basques, NF

·         Early intervention program delivery (home based) to families of young children (infancy to school aged) with significant developmental delay(s) and disabling conditions.

·         Behavior modification program delivery (home based) to families of individuals who are developmentally delayed and display maladaptive behaviors (school age and above)

·         Completion of developmental and behavioral assessments.

·         Development of skill teaching and behavior modification programs, professional consultations, and multidisciplinary service coordination.

 

SOCIAL WORKER (student placement), January 1999 –May 1999

Sexual Abuse Community Services (SACS), Health and Community Services

Western, Stephenville, NF

·         Developed and co-facilitated group treatment model for young children affected by sexual abuse.

·         Co-facilitate group treatment model for women exiting violent relationships.

·         Provided individual & family counseling to adult survivors of child sexual abuse.

 

SUPPORT WORKER, October 1991- May 1994

            Gateway Homes Incorporated, Halifax, Nova Scotia

·         Provided support and assistance to developmentally delayed de-institutionalized adults living in a residential home (personal care, medications, promoting community inclusion).

 

YOUTH COUNSELLOR (student placement), winter 1994

Barnett House – Female youth Independent Living Transition Home.

·         Assisted and supported problem solving and independent living skills.

·         Assisted with completion and modeling of desirable behaviors, counseling and peer supervision.

 

CHILD COUNSELLOR (student placement), fall 1993

Bryony House – Transition House for Battered Women and their Children.

Halifax, Nova Scotia

·         Teaching and guiding children using V. Axline’s play therapy model.

·         Encouraging positive mother, child and sibling interactions.

 

 

RELATED EXPERIENCE

• Member, Valley Infant Parent Program Peel Advisory Group, Mississauga, 2007-2008

• Member, Ontario Community Champions Network (North American Council on Adoptable Children-NACAC, & Adoption Council of Ontario), Toronto, 2006-2007

• Chairperson, Success by Six Peel- Addiction sub-committee, ON,  2004-2006

• Member, Hope Place Advisory Committee, (woman’s addiction treatment)  ON, 2005
• Chairperson, Bay St. George Autism Committee, Stephenville, 1998

• Secretary, Mental Health Advisory Committee, NF, 1995-1997

• Teaching assistant, Sir Frederick Fraser School for the Blind, NS, 1993

• Respite Worker, Right Futures Project, NF & Halifax Children’s Aid Society, NS 1991-94

• Attendant Care Worker, Department of Social Services, NF. 1989-1990

• Supportive Co-worker, Bay St. George Employment Corporation (Integrated Employment), NF. 1989

• Board of Director, Bay St. George Association for Community Living, NF, 1986-1988

 

 

 

 

Workshops & Certificates

·      Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, 2010

·      Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, 2007               

·      Post Partum Mood Disorders, 2007

·      Working with High Risk Babies, 2007                       

·      Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder 2007

·      FASD with Donna DeBolt, 2007                                

·      Peel Children’s Aid Transformation Presentation, 2007

·      Understanding loss & grief with Ken Moses, 2007      

·         Evaluating Children with Trauma-Attachment Disorders, 2005  

·         The Alberta Infant Motor Scale 2005

·         Vicarious Trauma for Front Line Workers, 2005

·         Emotional Regulation, 2004

·         Project Management, 2003

·         Introduction to Movement for Early Interventionists, 2003

·         Key Concepts in Tests and Measurements, 2003

·         Intergenerational Trauma Treatment Model, 2002-2003

·         Narrative Therapy, 2002

·         Working Model of the Child Interview, 2002

·         Key Concepts in Assessment, 2002

·         Effective Parenting and Effective Parenting Programs, 2002

·         Gay & Lesbian Parenting and Family Systems, 2002

·         Women, Substance Use, Pregnancy & Parenting, 2002

·         Applied Behavioral Analysis, 2000

·         Reality Therapy, 1999

·         Male Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse, 1999

·         Suicide Intervention, 1999

·         Relationship Terrorism, 1998

·         Gambling Awareness, 1998

·         Youth and Drugs, 1998

·         Alcohol Awareness, 1997

·         Alcohol Addiction, 1997

 

 

 

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

 

Canadian Clinic for Adopted Children.  Presented at the 26^thMichigan Association for Infant Mental Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 2002.

 

Canadian Clinic for Adopted Children. Presented at the 3^rd annual conference for Children New to Canada, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto Ontario, October 2003

 

Health Issues in International Adoptees. Presented at the Adoption Council of Ontario Conference, Toronto Ontario, November 2003

 

Strengthening Families of Adoption.  Presented at the Early Years Conference Vancouver, British Columbia, February 2004.

 

Understanding Loss and grief in Adoption. Presented at the Ontario Association of Infant Development Conference, April, 2004

 

Post Adoption Early Intervention Support. Presented at the Annual Adoption Council Conference, Toronto Ontario, November 2004.

 

Substance Exposure and Early Development. Presented for Oasis Foster Parents, Toronto, On. March, 2005.

 

Promoting Best Outcomes in Adoption. Presented with Patricia Fenton at the Ontario Association of Infant Development/Infant Mental Health Promotion Project joint conference. Toronto, On  April, 2005

 

Child Development Needs in Adoption. Presented at the Adoption Council of Ontario Conference, Toronto, ON, October, 2005

 

Building Attachment Relationships. Presented at the Children’s Bridge Parenting Series, Mississauga, ON, October 2006 & Barrie, ON, March 2007.

 

Putting Adoption on the Table: Are we forgetting these children? Presented at Success by Six National Conference, Mississauga, ON, March 2007.

 

Exploring Post Adoption Depression. Community Presentation to the Success by Six Peel Post Partum Moods Disorder Committee, Mississauga, ON December 2007

 

Partnering with Early Intervention Services. Presented at the NACAC Adoption Roundtable Discussions, Toronto, ON June 2007

 

Critical Connections: Early Relationships and the Developing Child. Presented at the Adoption Resource Exchange Conference, Toronto, ON, April 2007 & Children’s Bridge Adoptalk Workshop, Mississauga, ON, (November 2007, Spring & Fall 2008 & St.John’s NL, April 2009)

 

Relationships First. Parent Presentation for Children’s Bridge Adoptalk Series (October 2009) and PRIDE information sessions (2010 /2011)

 

 

PUBLICATIONS

Supporting Adoptive Families to Minimize Trauma in IMPrint (41), The Infant Mental Health Promotion Project (IMP) Newsletter. Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, On. Winter 2004-2005  click here

 

Critical Connections: First Relationships and the Developing Child in AdoptionToday, Volume 11 Number 1 Editor Richard Fischer & Kim Phagon-Hansel august/september 2008 available online @ http://www.adoptinfo.net/catalog_g122.html?catId=164940

 

Murphy, L., Parnass, P., Mitchell, D., & O'Quinn, S. (2010). The emerging field of cybercounselling: Personal and professional reflections. Intervention. 132, 84-93.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

·         Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Services Workers.

Registration # 800976

·         Ontario Association of Infant Development

·         Ontario Association of Social Workers # 7427 

·         North American Council on Adoptable Children

 

 

LANGUAGE(S):

Verbal and written fluency in English