The individuals that make up the team at The Nightingale Centre have extensive experience in supporting children, youth, and their families through grief, death and dying. Coming from diverse backgrounds in psychology, organizational governance, thanatology and more, each member of The Nightingale Team shares a passion for supporting our community through significant and devastating loss
Dr. Laura Brown
Dr. Laura Brown is a registered Clinical Psychologist whose life work has primarily been to help pre-teen, teenage, and young adult individuals and their families struggling with a variety of mental health challenges. For the past 15 years in her private practice work with Insight Psychology on Norfolk in Guelph, Ontario, she has provided therapy for a variety of learning, emotional, and mental health issues, as well as learning to cope with the challenges of living. However, her early training at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Hospital for Sick Children, and University Health Network Psychosocial Oncology Program has also provided her with the unique ability to work with young people coping with physical, life-threatening, or chronic illness and/or pain, as well as children, adolescents, and their families coping with grief and bereavement.
For 7 years, Laura volunteered with Hospice Wellington providing grief support to families coping with the bereavement associated with the loss of beloved member of their lives. It was through her work with Hospice that she recognized the need for a dedicated non-profit centre to serve the grief and bereavement needs of children and youth in Guelph and Wellington County.
Laura grew up in Guelph, loves her roles as mother, stepmother, and aunt within a tribe of young people. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with friends, walking her two dogs, gardening, being physically active, and hanging out with her large and diverse family.
Dr. Adelle Pratt
Dr. Adelle Pratt is a Registered Clinical Psychologist with the College of Psychologists of Ontario. She received her doctorate in clinical psychology from The University of Western Ontario. She has worked in many different child and adolescent care settings in Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, including the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, the IWK Grace Health Centre, and the Saint John Community Mental Health Centre (Child and Adolescent team). She has been practicing in Guelph since 2009 with the group at Insight Psychology on Norfolk.
Adelle is interested in the learning, development, and social-emotional growth of children and teens. At Insight, her practice is divided about equally into assessment and treatment. She works with children and teens with many different concerns, such as anxiety, depression, life transition stress, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and family relationship issues. Cognitive behavioural therapy, solution-focused therapy, relational therapy, insight-oriented therapy, and other approaches are often used.
Adelle feels lucky to be able to work with many dedicated families in the Guelph-Wellington community and be a part of their often difficult journey. She is a mother to two school-aged children. To recharge her own batteries, she enjoys running, gardening, chasing after her two ve
Adelle is interested in the learning, development, and social-emotional growth of children and teens. At Insight, her practice is divided about equally into assessment and treatment. She works with children and teens with many different concerns, such as anxiety, depression, life transition stress, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and family relationship issues. Cognitive behavioural therapy, solution-focused therapy, relational therapy, insight-oriented therapy, and other approaches are often used.
Adelle feels lucky to be able to work with many dedicated families in the Guelph-Wellington community and be a part of their often difficult journey. She is a mother to two school-aged children. To recharge her own batteries, she enjoys running, gardening, chasing after her two ve
Bill Allen
Bill Allen is currently Managing Director of WRA Management Group specializing in strategic and business planning, organizational governance and program review. He has the unique background of having worked within both government and industry. Following a 33-year career with the Ontario Public Service, Bill held several leadership roles in both the tourism and agriculture industries, including President and CEO of Tourism Toronto and the inaugural President of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario. In his consulting role, he has assisted many not-for-profit boards in strategic repositioning, governance and program reviews.
Bill has volunteered on several not-for-profit and charity boards as a board member, committee chair and board chair. With the Ontario government, he held positions in six different ministries, culminating as Deputy-Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport.
Bill holds a Bachelor and Master of Science from the University of Guelph and an MBA specializing in organizational development from Laurier University. He is an avid cyclist and downhill skier.
Bill has volunteered on several not-for-profit and charity boards as a board member, committee chair and board chair. With the Ontario government, he held positions in six different ministries, culminating as Deputy-Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport.
Bill holds a Bachelor and Master of Science from the University of Guelph and an MBA specializing in organizational development from Laurier University. He is an avid cyclist and downhill skier.
Madison Lambden
Madison Lambden is a Public Relations and Digital Marketing professional whose passion lies in creating meaningful human connections wherever she goes. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Business Specialization) degree in the Creative Industries with a focus on Professional Communications from Ryerson University. As a student leader, Madison was involved in extracurriculars related to public relations, marketing, communications, events and peer mentoring.
In 2007, Madison suffered the personal tragic loss of her younger brother, Nicholas Lambden. As a bereaved adolescent, Madison quickly realized the lack of both peer and professional support that was available to her. Throughout her grief journey, she has found healing in providing peer support to others and assisting in the development of her brother’s foundation, which serves to support less fortunate youth in the community through sports, education, and the arts. Madison’s personal experience coping with a significant loss at such a vulnerable age has fuelled her desire to give back to the grieving and bereaved individuals of the Guelph community through The Nightingale Centre.
As a Guelph native, Madison holds the community extremely close to her heart. She hopes to be able to spark a sense of hope among youth experiencing similar journeys with her story and the insight she has gained. More importantly, she wants to ensure that bereaved children, youth and their families in the Guelph community never have to feel as isolated as she once did.
In 2007, Madison suffered the personal tragic loss of her younger brother, Nicholas Lambden. As a bereaved adolescent, Madison quickly realized the lack of both peer and professional support that was available to her. Throughout her grief journey, she has found healing in providing peer support to others and assisting in the development of her brother’s foundation, which serves to support less fortunate youth in the community through sports, education, and the arts. Madison’s personal experience coping with a significant loss at such a vulnerable age has fuelled her desire to give back to the grieving and bereaved individuals of the Guelph community through The Nightingale Centre.
As a Guelph native, Madison holds the community extremely close to her heart. She hopes to be able to spark a sense of hope among youth experiencing similar journeys with her story and the insight she has gained. More importantly, she wants to ensure that bereaved children, youth and their families in the Guelph community never have to feel as isolated as she once did.
Susan Lambden
Susan Lambden is an experienced sales professional who has lived and worked in the Guelph community for over 30 years. She holds an Honours Degree in Biochemistry and Nutrition along with a Bachelors of Education. Susan brings to the table experience in owning and running her own small business, which she operated for a number of years. Further, she has dedicated countless hours volunteering with the Upper Grand District School Board, sitting on various committees including health and safety, boundary realignments and principal designations. Susan was actively involved in her children’s school Parent Council, organizing extracurriculars, fundraising events and tutoring programs for the students and school community.
Susan suffered the personal tragic loss of her son, Nicholas Lambden, in 2007. She was successful in finding bereavement support for herself, but was made aware of the lack of programs available for her daughter throughout their bereavement journey. Since then, she has found fulfillment in providing peer support to those who have also lost their children. She is most passionate about giving back to the community through her son’s foundation, which serves to support less fortunate youth through sports, education, and the arts.
Susan looks forward to supporting The Nightingale Centre’s mission in ensuring that bereaved children and youth will have a safe space to access the support and counselling that they need.
Susan suffered the personal tragic loss of her son, Nicholas Lambden, in 2007. She was successful in finding bereavement support for herself, but was made aware of the lack of programs available for her daughter throughout their bereavement journey. Since then, she has found fulfillment in providing peer support to those who have also lost their children. She is most passionate about giving back to the community through her son’s foundation, which serves to support less fortunate youth through sports, education, and the arts.
Susan looks forward to supporting The Nightingale Centre’s mission in ensuring that bereaved children and youth will have a safe space to access the support and counselling that they need.
Ryan Vielma
Ryan Vielma is an Account Manager at Intrigue in Guelph. His goal is to live and breathe the company’s purpose - Empowering Leaders, Strengthening Communities. Everywhere Ryan goes, and everything he does is geared around the word “Community”, which is why The Nightingale Centre in Guelph is so important to him.
Ryan is on the board for the Young Professionals Network (YPN) in Guelph, where he helps facilitate events that bring young professionals in the community together to share, connect and develop as leaders in their respective area.
After graduating from Wilfrid Laurier University with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration (BBA), he joined the Laurier Alumni Relations department as a Communications Officer for the Annual Giving team. Ryan fell in love with the Laurier community and working with the Annual Giving team to raise funds to support the University, the students and the faculty was a perfect fit.
Born and raised in Guelph, Ryan feels a sense of pride and responsibility to see his community grow and flourish. Ryan is passionate about making a positive impact on people’s lives and is thrilled to be able to help The Nightingale Centre reach those who are in bereavement.
Ryan is on the board for the Young Professionals Network (YPN) in Guelph, where he helps facilitate events that bring young professionals in the community together to share, connect and develop as leaders in their respective area.
After graduating from Wilfrid Laurier University with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration (BBA), he joined the Laurier Alumni Relations department as a Communications Officer for the Annual Giving team. Ryan fell in love with the Laurier community and working with the Annual Giving team to raise funds to support the University, the students and the faculty was a perfect fit.
Born and raised in Guelph, Ryan feels a sense of pride and responsibility to see his community grow and flourish. Ryan is passionate about making a positive impact on people’s lives and is thrilled to be able to help The Nightingale Centre reach those who are in bereavement.
Dr. Jim Brown
Jim Brown is a physician with a focused practice in psychotherapy. His practice of working with couples and with men in group therapy is central to his psychotherapeutic work. His initial training in therapy was with Interfaith Counselling Centre in Kitchener, ON, after which he was certified as a couple and family therapist.
Prior to his training as a therapist, Jim was trained in laboratory medicine and retired from that work as Director of Laboratories at Guelph General Hospital in 1988. He currently has a private practice in psychotherapy in his home beside his wife, Jean, who is a registered nurse and therapist.
Jim believes that his experience as a life partner, parent, and his participation in a Men’s Group for 30 years provides much of the perspective that he brings to his work. Currently, as he is more aware of his ageing, he has a daily practice of meditating on living and dying and is keenly interested in understanding more of the bereavement process in himself and others.
Prior to his training as a therapist, Jim was trained in laboratory medicine and retired from that work as Director of Laboratories at Guelph General Hospital in 1988. He currently has a private practice in psychotherapy in his home beside his wife, Jean, who is a registered nurse and therapist.
Jim believes that his experience as a life partner, parent, and his participation in a Men’s Group for 30 years provides much of the perspective that he brings to his work. Currently, as he is more aware of his ageing, he has a daily practice of meditating on living and dying and is keenly interested in understanding more of the bereavement process in himself and others.
Jean Brown
Jean Brown is a registered nurse with a Master’s degree in Couple and Family therapy, graduating from the University of Guelph in 1991. Jean is passionate about relationships - with ourselves, with each other, and with the wider world. She has always seen the importance in helping people to navigate life cycle issues across the life span, assisting them in using healthy communication to focus on their physical, emotional, and mental health.
For over 5 years, Jean volunteered with Hospice Wellington providing individual and group bereavement counselling. She also co-facilitated a support group for families of people living with a brain tumour, knowing that when one family member suffers, all are affected. She is always looking for practical ways to help people to honour and regulate their emotional wellbeing and their connections with each other.
Jean is no stranger to grief and loss on a personal as well as a professional level. Being part of The Nightingale Centre seems fitting in recognizing that grandparents as well as parents are deeply affected when loss occurs in a family. She feels honoured to be part of such a dynamic and compassionate team.
For over 5 years, Jean volunteered with Hospice Wellington providing individual and group bereavement counselling. She also co-facilitated a support group for families of people living with a brain tumour, knowing that when one family member suffers, all are affected. She is always looking for practical ways to help people to honour and regulate their emotional wellbeing and their connections with each other.
Jean is no stranger to grief and loss on a personal as well as a professional level. Being part of The Nightingale Centre seems fitting in recognizing that grandparents as well as parents are deeply affected when loss occurs in a family. She feels honoured to be part of such a dynamic and compassionate team.
Dr. Bob Wickett
Coming Soon.
Nicky Seligman
Nicky is a Psychology alumnus from Queen’s University. Currently, she is pursuing her master’s degree at McMaster University in Child Life and Pediatric Psychosocial Care. She’s worked extensively with organizations across Ontario supporting children, such as Dr. Jay Children’s Grief Centre, Camp Oochigeas and the Hospital for Sick Children. She is passionate about working with children and ensuring they have access to the support they need in order to help them deal with tough topics, such has death and terminal diagnoses. She is so excited to be a part of the launch of The Nightingale Centre to support grieving children, youth and families in the Guelph community.
Vimy Henderson
Coming Soon.