emerging minds
Emerging Minds is a treatment centre for children and youth on the Autism Spectrum. As an interdisciplinary team, we draw from contemporary, best-practice strategies to design individualized programs that incorporate the goals of the child and the family.
Emerging Minds provides family therapy for families facing the challenges of having a children with disabilities.
Psychological services
Dr. Korneluk and Dr. Visram provide psychological services for children and youth on the Autism Spectrum.
Areas of focus
Beyond Autism Spectrum Disorders, Emerging Minds also provides psychological services for a range of issues including developmental disabilities, anxiety, and pain management. For more information, please call or email Dr. Faizah Visram.
Yolanda Korneluk,
PhD, CPsych
Clinical Director
Dr. Korneluk conducts assessments for preschoolers, school aged children and adolescents with suspected or confirmed developmental disabilities, including Autism Spectrum Disorders.
In addition to assessment, Yolanda’s work currently includes supervision of behavioural consultants, and intensive intervention programs in the home and in the community. She also maintains a practice with a focus on providing individual therapy to adolescents with Asperger Syndrome and other issues.
Yolanda was previously with the Ottawa Children’s Treatment Centre, where she was a clinical coordinator for multidisciplinary therapy teams. She is a registered member of the College of Psychologists of Ontario.
Robin Gaines,
PhD, CC-SLP, SLP (C), CASLPO
Robin is a Speech and Language Pathologist specializing in services for toddler, preschool and school aged children with phonological, language, and social-pragmatic delays/disorders. She develops and supervises intervention programs for young children and their families.
Dr. Gaines is a Clinical Researcher and Speech/Language Pathologist with the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario and the First Words Preschool Speech and Language Program in Ottawa. She also holds an adjunct professorship with the School of Rehabilitation at the University of Ottawa.
Véronique Chiasson,
OT Reg. (Ontario)
Véronique is a bilingual Occupational Therapist working in the community and directly with families to provide assessment, consultation and intervention services to children. She consults to Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) programs, and is an experienced ABA therapist.
Véronique also works with children with suspected or confirmed Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), providing assessment and treatment for these children and their families. She also conducts education sessions about DCD to teachers in school settings.
Seana Tallon,
M.A., Reg. CASLPO, Reg. OSLA
Seana Tallon is a Speech–Language Pathologist who employs a family-centred approach in her assessment and treatment for toddlers, preschool-aged, and school-aged children with phonological, language, motor-speech, and social-pragmatic delays and disorders. Seana is a Hanen-certified SLP, with an expertise in parent and educator training.
Seana Tallon works as an SLP at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario and the First Words Program. As well, she consults to preschool programs in the community, including the Emerging Minds preschool program for children with autism.
Seana is currently accepting new clients.
Julie Martin-MacKay,
MSW, RSW
Julie is a bilingual psychotherapist offering individual, couple and family counselling. She focuses on the areas of grief counselling, family dynamics and relationship support. Her approach is to help families build on their strengths and resilience.
Julie has worked for 22 years in a range of healthcare areas, including high-risk obstetrics and cancer care, as well as with children and families with physical and developmental disabilities at the Ottawa Children’s Treatment Centre.
Faizah Visram,
PhD, CPsych
Dr. Visram works with children, youth, and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders, intellectual disability and dual diagnoses. As well, Faizah provides psycho-educational assessments for children with suspected or confirmed gifted abilities and/or learning disabilities.
Faizah also provides services in the areas of anxiety, pain management and elimination disorders. She enjoys working with families, and has expertise in family therapy.
Faizah provides behaviour consultation to community agencies working with children and adults with disabilities.
Rachael Riethman,
BSc
Rachael a Therapy Coordinator at Emerging Minds. She oversees Educators, and acts as a liaison between them, members of the interdisciplinary team, and families.
Rachael has been working with children since 1997, and with children with Autism since 2002. She has worked in preschool, elementary school, specialized nursery school settings, and has implemented home-based programs for children with Autism.
Rachael has a Bachelor of Science from Carleton University, and is a graduate of the Autism and Behavioural Science Program at Algonquin College.
Fiona Dacosta,
Fiona is a Therapy Coordinator at Emerging Minds. She oversees Educators at Emerging Minds, and at the Emerging Minds Specialised Preschool Program.
Fiona has worked with children with special needs since 1996, and with children with autism since 2007. She has worked in daycare and nursery school settings and has implemented home and preschool programs for children with autism.
Fiona has a Bachelor of Psychology from Carleton University, is a graduate of the Early Childhood Education program at St. Lawrence college in Kingston.
