Sandra Martey

I am a seasoned Masters level Registered Social Worker, accredited by the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW). With a wealth of expertise spanning over three decades, My professional journey as a Clinical Social Worker has traversed both hospital and community settings, affording me a comprehensive range of experiences and skills across the spectrum of social work. I bring a client-centered approach to my practice, delighting in meaningful engagement with clients to illuminate areas for growth and improvement. My commitment extends to applying a diverse set of practice concepts to real-world scenarios, honed through my rich varied work experiences. Notably, my exceptional interpersonal skills are a cornerstone of my practice, greatly influencing my interactions with individuals hailing from diverse and multifaceted socio-economic backgrounds. A hallmark of my practice is my unwavering dedication to empower clients to recognize their strengths, cultivate healthy coping strategies, and advocate for positive changes in their lives. My extensive training in social work, mental health, addictions, and crisis intervention have equipped me to assist clients in resolving multifarious issues and life challenges. Employing a strength-based framework infused with a range of modalities, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, I seek to maximize the potential of my clients by emphasizing empowerment and the acknowledgment of strengths. I firmly believe that the fundamental principles of warmth, positive regard, genuineness, empathy, and concern constitute the most effective tools in fostering open dialogue with clients and facilitating their journey toward meaningful change. Furthermore, I truly believe that the client-therapist relationship is the linchpin of effective transformation. I am dedicated to helping clients overcome challenges related to life changes, interpersonal issues, and mental health. With a belief that every client is an individual, I employ a wide range of social modalities to enhance the well-being of the individual and families alike. I am comfortable describing myself as a distinguished clinical social worker boasting over three decades of experience in hospital and community settings. Whilst working as a child protection social worker, crisis worker in the ER and a mental health social worker, I had the opportunity of working with clients from from all walks of life, including the native communities. My baseline approach to practice has always been to enhance the well-being of individuals and families alike. I gained valuable experience by being open to incorporate my skill set with their societal values and notion of healing. Furthermore, having a diverse array of experiences and skills has enabled me to maintain an empathetic and client-centered approach to practice. My most valuable experience with working with clients from the native communities, has been applying a trauma informed approach allowing the clients to identify their strengths whilst helping them to build healing strategies that were specific to their world.