If you’ve been following Ancestral Memory Therapy for a while, you may have noticed that things have been changing.
A lot.
And honestly, I haven’t had nearly enough time to sit down and tell you about all of it.
So, no time like the present!
Over the past little while, Ancestral Memory Therapy has gone through some major changes. We’ve grown our team, welcomed three amazing new therapists, expanded access to virtual therapy across Ontario, and opened a new full-time space in Hamilton.
It’s an exciting time, and while there is a lot that is new, the heart of what we do remains the same.
We believe therapy can be a place where we slow down, become curious about the stories we carry, understand the ways our experiences have shaped us, and begin creating something different.
Welcoming Three New Therapists
One of the biggest changes has been the growth of our clinical team.
We are incredibly excited to welcome:
Shamilla James, MSW, RSW
David Da Silva, MSW, RSW
Nikki Tollenaar, Registered Psychotherapist Qualifying
Each therapist brings something different to the practice. Their individual experiences, identities, clinical training, and therapeutic approaches allow us to support a broader range of people and experiences.
And that matters.
Finding the right therapist isn’t simply about finding someone with an available appointment. It’s about finding someone whose approach, perspective, and way of being feels like a good fit for you.
Here’s a little introduction to each of them.
Shamilla James, MSW, RSW (She/Her)
Shamilla is a trauma-informed therapist who works with people navigating experiences including trauma, racial trauma, reproductive mental health, grief and loss, life transitions, anxiety, and depression. (Ancestral Memory Therapy)
Her work recognizes that our experiences don’t happen in isolation. Our relationships, communities, cultures, and the systems around us can all influence how we experience ourselves and the world.
Shamilla’s practice is rooted in trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and anti-racist frameworks. She works collaboratively with clients to understand their experiences, reconnect with their strengths and values, and explore what healing and well-being can look like for them.
She draws from a number of therapeutic approaches, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, DBT skills, Narrative Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
One of the things we’re especially excited about is that Shamilla offers virtual therapy across Ontario, allowing clients throughout the province to access her support without needing to travel to Hamilton.
David Da Silva, MSW, RSW (HE/HIM/Them/They)
David brings a warm, affirming, and relational approach to his work.
As a second-generation Portuguese Canadian and queer therapist, David understands the complexities that can come with navigating identity, culture, family expectations, and systems that don’t always make space for the fullness of who we are. (Ancestral Memory Therapy)
David supports clients experiencing concerns including 2SLGBTQIA+ identity and experiences, anxiety and stress, neurodivergence, self-esteem, trauma, and depression.
His practice is grounded in anti-oppressive, decolonial, and person-centred approaches. He emphasizes collaboration, curiosity, warmth, humour, and self-compassion.
David also draws from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, mindfulness-based therapy, and Internal Family Systems-informed approaches.
Perhaps most importantly, David sees clients as the experts in their own lives. Therapy becomes a collaborative process of exploring what has shaped you, understanding yourself more deeply, and moving toward change that feels authentic and meaningful.
David offers in-person therapy in Hamilton as well as virtual therapy across Ontario.
Nikki Tollenaar, Registered Psychotherapist Qualifying (She/They)
We are also thrilled to welcome Nikki to the team.
Nikki is a Registered Psychotherapist Qualifying who works particularly with creative, neurodivergent, queer, and gender-diverse people navigating identity, relationships, life transitions, grief, attachment wounds, parentification, and shame.
Nikki’s work is relational and somatic, meaning there is room to explore not only the thoughts and stories we carry, but also how our experiences show up in our bodies and relationships.
Her therapeutic approach draws from Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, attachment theory, parts work, and mindfulness. (Ancestral Memory Therapy)
She brings nearly a decade of frontline community mental health and social service experience, including work in crisis intervention, harm reduction, and community health.
Nikki is particularly interested in helping clients understand the patterns and survival strategies they’ve developed over time, not from a place of judgment, but from curiosity and compassion.
Together, the work can become less about asking, “What’s wrong with me?” and more about asking, “What happened to me, what have I learned to do to stay safe, and what might be possible now?”
Nikki also offers virtual therapy across Ontario.
Virtual Therapy Across Ontario
One of the biggest changes happening at Ancestral Memory Therapy is that we’re making it easier for people to access therapy regardless of where they live in Ontario.
Our team offers virtual therapy across Ontario, which means you don’t necessarily have to live in Hamilton or Toronto to work with one of our therapists.
For many people, virtual therapy provides flexibility that traditional in-person appointments can’t.
You can connect with your therapist from home, avoid commuting, and fit therapy more easily into an already busy life.
And sometimes, being in your own environment can actually make it easier to settle into the work.
A New Full-Time Space in Hamilton
We’ve also found a new home.
Ancestral Memory Therapy now has a full-time space at 327 Ottawa St. N, Unit 213, Hamilton, Ontario. (Ancestral Memory Therapy)
Having a dedicated Hamilton space is a really meaningful milestone for us.
It’s more than just a new address.
It’s a place where we can continue building community, offering in-person therapy, and creating a physical environment where people can feel welcomed and supported.
We’re incredibly excited about what this space will allow us to do as the practice continues to grow.
What Hasn’t Changed
With all of these changes, it’s important to say what hasn’t changed.
Our belief that healing is deeply personal hasn’t changed.
Our commitment to trauma-informed care hasn’t changed.
Our interest in the ways that family, culture, community, history, identity, and intergenerational experiences can shape us hasn’t changed.
And our belief that therapy should create space for the whole person hasn’t changed.
What has changed is our capacity.
We now have more therapists, more perspectives, more ways to access care, and a dedicated space in Hamilton.
And that’s something worth celebrating.
A New Chapter for Ancestral Memory Therapy
Growth can be both exciting and a little overwhelming.
There have been a lot of moving pieces behind the scenes, and I know I’ve been quiet about many of them. But as I look at where Ancestral Memory Therapy is now, I’m incredibly grateful.
Grateful for the therapists who have joined us.
Grateful for the clients who trust us with their stories.
Grateful for everyone who has followed, shared, recommended, questioned, challenged, and supported our work.
And grateful that this little practice continues to evolve.
We’re still learning.
We’re still growing.
And we’re still creating space for people to explore the experiences that have shaped them, including the ones that may have started long before they were born.
This is a new chapter for Ancestral Memory Therapy.
And we’re so glad you’re here for it.
If you’re looking for support, you can explore our team and find the therapist whose approach feels right for you. We offer in-person therapy in Hamilton and Toronto, as well as virtual therapy across Ontario. (Ancestral Memory Therapy)
Welcome to the next chapter.
(327 Ottawa St. N, Unit 213). (Ancestral Memory Therapy)