Coaching with Jenny

04/19/2026

Updated Service Menu!

04/18/2026

Real Talk is a small group for neurodivergent teens where they build conversation skills and confidence through hands on, real life practice. Teens learn how to start conversations, keep them going, read social cues, handle awkward moments, and navigate everyday social interactions in a way that feels natural and authentic to them.

👥 Ages 14 to 18
📍 Augusta Public Library
🗓 Mondays, 6 to 8pm
📅 7 weeks starting July 6, 2026
👯‍♀️ Facilitated by an Occupational Therapist and a Child and Youth Care Practitioner

We work on things like:
✨ Starting conversations
✨ Knowing what to say next
✨ Reading social cues
✨ Handling awkward moments
✨ Building real friendships

All in a space that is supportive, low pressure, and neurodivergent friendly. This group is about giving teens tools, confidence, and space to be themselves while connecting with others.

Spots are limited, and a minimum of 4 participants is required to run the group. Reach out for details, fees, or using OAP funding.

📩 DM me or email to learn more

RealTalk ConfidenceBuilding NeurodiversityAffirming OAP LifeSkillsForTeens

04/15/2026

TEEN SCENE IS BACK!
What to Expect:
⭐ A relaxed, welcoming atmosphere – No pressure to socialize right away. Arrive, grab a snack, and settle in at your own pace.
⭐ Flexible activities – Choose from board games, creative projects, music-sharing, casual conversation, or just hanging out.
⭐ Breaks & downtime – Need to recharge? Take a break in a sensory-friendly space or step away for some quiet time.
⭐ Casual social chats – If you’re up for it, we offer optional discussions on topics like self advocacy, mental well being, joining in group conversations, and even texting etiquette!
⭐ No forced participation – Engage in activities in a way that feels right for you—whether that’s joining in, observing, or taking your time to warm up.

Why Join?
💬 Meet like-minded peers in a setting that understands and supports you.
🎨 Enjoy fun, engaging activities without pressure to perform or socialize in a certain way.
🤝 Build confidence in social interactions at your own pace.
🙋🏻‍♀️ Hosted by a neuro affirming Life Coach/Child and Youth Worker with 17+ experience working with Neurodivergent youth

Details & Registration:

📍 Location: 8115 Mill St North Augusta
💲 Cost:$20
📩 Spots are limited—register now! Link in Bio

04/15/2026

Come see me at the TISS wellness fair next week!!

One week away!

04/08/2026

I’m a Registered Social Worker and psychotherapist supporting children, teens, adults, and families since 2012. I help clients navigate anxiety, overwhelm, trauma, behavioural challenges, and life transitions with clarity, steadiness, and practical support.

04/07/2026

I’ll be there!! Hope you will too!
Save the date for 3rd annual DiversX conference!

Beyond the Label 2026: Expanding the Neurodiversity Umbrella

The 3rd Annual Beyond the Label Conference, taking place on May 24, 2026, at the North Grenville Municipal Centre, is a free community event dedicated to reimagining how we understand, support, and design for neurodiversity in our everyday environments.

This year, we are expanding beyond traditional conversations of ADHD and Autism to explore the broader neurodiversity umbrella, including:
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
- Acquired and Traumatic Brain Injury
- The impacts of trauma and nervous system regulation and more

These experiences are often misunderstood, underrepresented, and unsupported in our systems. This conference aims to bridge those gaps by bringing together educators, employers, community leaders, and individuals with lived experience to learn, reflect, and take action.

Our Focus
At Beyond the Label, we believe:
People shouldn’t have to fit into systems that weren’t designed for them
Universal design benefits everyone—not just those who are struggling
Neurodivergence is not a deficit, but a different way of experiencing and interacting with the world

This conference moves beyond awareness and into integration, equipping participants with practical tools, strategies, and frameworks they can immediately apply in:
- Classrooms
- Workplaces
- Community spaces

What You Can Expect
Participants will engage in:
- Interactive workshops and breakout sessions
- Hands-on tools like the Neuro-Inclusive Action Plan (N.A.P.)
- Experiential learning opportunities
- Panel discussions featuring lived experience and professional insight
- Networking with neurodivergent entrepreneurs and service providers

Attendees will leave with real, actionable strategies to create more inclusive, accessible, and equitable environments—where all individuals can thrive.

Who Should Attend?
This event is designed for:
- Educators, school staff, and administrators
- Employers, HR professionals, and hiring personnel
- Community agencies and service providers
- Healthcare and mental health professionals
- Neurodivergent individuals, advocates, and families

Get Involved
We are currently seeking:
- Speakers & breakout session facilitators
- Panelists with lived and/or professional experience
- Vendors (especially neurodivergent-led businesses and services)
- Volunteers

If you are passionate about advancing inclusion across the neurodiversity umbrella, we invite you to be part of this growing movement.

Beyond the Label is More Than a Conference
It’s a space where:
- Systems are questioned
- Lived experiences are centered
- And real change begins

Together, we are building a future where all brains belong—not just in theory, but in practice.

Regards,
Team DiversX
(Rebecca, Matthew, Kate, and Kathy-Ann)

04/03/2026

I’m so excited to share that I’ve joined the team!

I’m now accepting clients for neuroaffirming in-person counselling services, and I’m really looking forward to being able to offer another way to connect and support the teens and families I work with.

If you’re looking to use OAP funding for mental health services, reach out to learn more about how we can make that work for you or your family.

Coaching with Jenny’s core services like Teen Scene, virtual coaching sessions, and workshops will all continue as usual alongside this exciting new addition. I’m really looking forward to what this next step brings 🤍

Book an appointment today! https://www.islandparktherapy.ca/jennysmith

04/02/2026

Autism Awareness and Acceptance Day means something a little different to me every year.

Awareness is important, but acceptance is where real change happens. It’s about moving past just knowing autism exists and actually creating spaces where neurodivergent people feel understood, respected, and included as they are.

In my work and in my life, I see how powerful it is when teens are given the chance to show up without pressure to mask, perform, or fit into a box that was never made for them. Acceptance looks like flexibility, curiosity, and making room for different ways of thinking, communicating, and being.

For me, today is about listening more, assuming less, and continuing to build spaces where neurodivergent youth feel safe to be themselves.

And honestly, it’s also a reminder that we still have work to do

03/31/2026

Teen Scene is BACK for spring 🌷🔥
Longer days, better vibes, and a place to just show up as you are.
Spots are limited, so send me a message to grab yours and get the details!
#

02/20/2026

This week I attended the AGM for the Ontario Association of Child and Youth Care 💛

And honestly… it reconnected me to the heart of why I do this work. It reminded me that Child and Youth Care isn’t just a job title. It’s a way of being.

It’s:
• Showing up in the moment
• Holding space in the hard
• Seeing behaviour as communication
• Understanding context matters
• Believing relationships are the intervention

CYCPs work in the life-space. We don’t just “teach skills.” We co-regulate, we attune, we advocate, we model, we reflect. We sit beside young people in real time and help them make meaning of their world.

It reminded me that this field is rooted in care, ethics, relational practice, and deep respect for young people and families. It reminded me that our work matters. That how we show up matters.

And it reminded me why I started.

I’m proud to be a CYCP.
I’m proud of this profession.
And I’m more grounded than ever in the work.

To my fellow CYCPs, thank you for the work you do in the moments no one sees. 💛

01/16/2026

Hey community!
For those looking at post secondary check out CICE at Brockville SLC virtual info night. It might be a good fit for you! For more info click on the links in the original post.

From the website: The Community Integration through Co-operative Education (CICE) program is an academic based program. It is a two-year certificate program designed for adults with developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities, acquired brain injuries or other significant learning challenges who wish to further their education/vocational training in a community college setting. CICE students will have the opportunity to complete an individualized CICE program of study including courses from a minimum of two or more areas of concentration selected from St. Lawrence College’s program offerings.

If you know a student who may be interested in the Community Integration through Cooperative Education (CICE) program, our next virtual CICE Information Session will take place on Thursday, January 15th at 6:00pm.

This session will provide an overview of the program and supports available to students. We encourage all interested students and their families to attend to learn more and to ensure their application is complete.

For more information, please contact Jodie JMacquisten@sl.on.ca.

01/13/2026

Hey Community! Check out Autism Ontario East Region March Break Reimbursement fund! Feel free to share to anyone that can benefit - every little bit helps 💵

March Break Reimbursement Fund – closes Jan 20th

Need Support For Your Child with ASD* During March Break?
The March Break Reimbursement Fund is available to Ontario families of children or youth with ASD who retain the services of a one-to-one support worker OR who have paid for their child to attend a March Break camp or program.
Maximum reimbursements of $350 per child or youth (up to 18th birthday) will be made to subsidize services purchased during the March Break Week.

https://www.autismontario.com/marchbreakapply