Kimberly Cato

Kimberly Cato has been an advocate for change, acceptance without judgement, and the dismantling of systems of oppression all her life. Moved into action by the emotional or physical pain of others, Kimberly established True Roots Counselling Services (True Roots) in 1996 to address issues of struggle within the community she served. For decades, Kimberly provided psychoeducational support through True Roots, on the side of her full-time work with Youth (Children’s Aid Society), Seniors (Long Term Care Facilities), Palliative Care Clients (Community-Based Hospice), Mental Health & Addictions Clients (Canadian Mental Health Association), and a multitude of other institutions.

After decades of providing services through various institutions, Kimberly discovered a wealth of resources, services and supports that were designed and developed by and for non-racialized individuals while racialize people were left out of the arena for assistance. In 2015, Kimberly prioritized True Roots and became intentionally focused on finding Culturally-Adapted Therapeutic Resources to address the issues of racialized, intergenerational, untreated trauma she had seen, and personally experienced, within the BIPoC community.

By studying with Dr. Joy Degruy (Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome), Resmaa Menakem (My Grandmother’s Hands, Education For Racial Equity), Dr. Jennifer Mullin (Decolonizing Therapy), and the Community Healing Network & Association of Black Psychologists (Emotional Emancipation Circles (SM)), Kimberly began cultivating a strategy of support for Black and Brown people who have felt left out of the therapy healing room as they struggle for identity within a societal system of structural racism designed to erase them.

Empowered by this wisdom, Kimberly now provides therapy for members of the BIPoC community who are blindsided & overwhelmed by life-altering circumstances to transform their trauma into triumph as her Full-Time practice while providing Diversity Equity & Inclusion and Anti-Black Racism Consultation to institutions and organizations on the side.

Kimberly is very excited about returning to OSRP at this time of global racial reckoning, particularly after seeing the opportunity for inclusivity through the Mentorship Program, BIPoC Bursaries and intentional policies for organizational change. She has very fond memories of participating on the OSRP Board as Chair of Professional Development in 2018 and is delighted to join the move toward a diverse pool of psychotherapists that represent the Ontario we serve.