I started Timely because I saw a lack of skilled administrative support being offered for Canadian Mental Health Practitioners, and I wanted to help.
You play a vital role in the health care system. Unlike many other providers, most psychotherapists, social workers, psychologists, and counsellors are expected to do everything on their own. From the very start of Timely, it has been my mission to give you the help you deserve, while you’re supporting others on their healing journey.
As as someone who has both administrative experience and an education background in mental health, I found myself in a unique position to offer what I call “mental health informed administrative care”. I hung out my shingle and word about my services grew…fast. Within six months in operation, I hired my first employee. Now we’re about to celebrate our 6th year in business, and the Timely Team is currently 17 employees and growing.
I think a part of why I get along so well with therapists is my sense of humour! For some reason, people seem to think therapists are always serious, when most are absolutely hilarious human beings.
I went to Humber College and took the post-graduate Comedy Writing and Performance Program. I learned how to perform, develop scripts, write my own press releases and how to craft jokes. I love the art and skill of stand-up comedy. To be a good stand-up comedian you must understand people and how to tell a story in just a few words. As fun as it was though, doing stand-up just didn’t feel like a good long term choice for me.
Rory is a Registered Psychotherapist and a clinical supervisor. When he began setting up his group practice (which is now has over 20 associates), I saw firsthand all the learning and extra hours outside of seeing clients he had to put in while building his business.
It was through helping him that I was first approached by a colleague of his to lend a hand with some of her website copy and a few other tasks. I have worked in social media management, administration, and copy writing for many years so helping her came naturally.
I began to see that my administrative and copywriting skills, along with my formal education in Psychology (from Wilfred Laurier) and Gestalt Psychotherapy (from the Gestalt Institute of Toronto) could be quite helpful to therapists. Soon after, I officially opened Timely Virtual Assistant Services.
As Timely VA Services began to grow, so did my team of brilliant, therapy informed employees (and to be clear, they are employees, not contractors).
I pride myself in being the kind of employer that I always wanted to have. We collaborate together, give support and hold space when a stressful day happens, and of course celebrate the heck out of Administrative Professionals Day!
I specifically hire each and every employee based on one basic personality trait: kindness. Because if there’s one thing that every therapy client needs when they reach out for help, it’s a compassionate and caring human being responding to them.
From a credentials standpoint, these admin rock stars all have extensive experience working in the mental health administration field, or educational background in psychology and mental health.
Timely employees also have a working knowledge of Jane App and Owl Practice and I personally train them in how to provide personalized administrative support for therapists and their clients. Everyone on staff is a Canadian citizen, and also has Canada specific medical confidentiality training, Indigenous Awareness training, and suicide prevention training.
Melanie started as a VA and my part-time helper, but rocketed her way up to Operations Manager for Timely. She came to the team with 15+ years of pre-pandemic remote work experience, a BA in Psychology, and work experience in both customer service and medical administration. Along with supporting our team, she is the VA for several clinics, including a fast growing clinic in Kingston with 15+ therapists.
Melanie has brought so much to Timely. I’m grateful for her sense of humour, her calm and warm demeanour and her eagerness to learn new things. She’s always willing to help, whether it’s by answering questions, offering advice, teaching a new skill or even just being a sounding board to talk things out. She’s my right-hand gal and is beloved by her clients!
Along with supporting her clients at Timely, Jesika is also a practicing social worker registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. She has been a therapist for several years and uses some of my personal favourite modalities including Somatic Experiencing, and EMDR. Jesika has a passion for culturally informed support and has specific training around the Trauma of Racism and Culturally Competent Therapy. She has a B.Sc in Psychology, and a M.Ed. Counselling, University of Ottawa.
Initially what drew me to Jesika was her gentle way of connecting and her quick and efficient communication style. Since joining our team, I’ve also had the joy of getting to know her very subtle but fantastic sense of humour and the ease at which she learns new skills and accomplishes tasks.
Fiona is the kind of VA that understands the importance of communication. She is someone who will check in when something is unclear, and creates a welcoming space for clients to do the same. Fiona has a BA in Psychology with a concentration in Health Psychology, Minor in
Neuroscience and Mental Health.
What I appreciate so much about Fiona is her kindness, curiosity and conscientiousness. She is thoughtful, bright, and continues to impress me with her quiet confidence (and competence).
Valentina has become a mentor to new employees at Timely and I am always blown away by her warm and enthusiastic personality. Val is someone who is very focused on providing truly affirming care to all and just brings a truly positive attitude to our team.
Her extensive experience working in shelters and crisis support lines makes her a great fit for providing compassionate care for therapy clinic clients. Valentina has her BA in Psychology and held a 4.0 GPA throughout her time at Trent University (while working full time and earning a full scholarship). Valentina is bi-lingual and is fluent in both English and Spanish.
What I appreciate the most about Valentina is her problem solving ability. She always seems to be able to find a solution for any challenge that comes our way. Along with providing administrative assistance.
Val’s role at Timely has expanded and she now assists with the organizational consulting and admin system upgrade support that we do at Timely.
Madison is uniquely qualified to offer support to mental health professionals, because she is a fully Registered Psychotherapist herself!
Madison graduated from the prestigious Relational and Family Therapy program at the University of Guelph, and has several years experience practicing within the field. Her desire to maintain a sustainable work/life balance, while continuing to work within the world of mental health, prompted her to seek out ways to focus more on the “behind the scenes” areas of support. That decision brought Madison to Timely, where she is now offering our clients a unique form of care, with clinical office support for group practice owners.
As an office manager, Madison can help clinic owners with onboarding new associates, facilitating peer case consultation, checking over clinical notes to make sure that associates are following best practices for note taking, and look at associate retention rate for clients and discuss suggestions to improve their numbers). She can be that first point of contact for your clinic should you, as a clinic owner, need to take time away from your group practice due to illness, vacation, or maternity leave.
When Madison and I first met, I was really impressed with her calm and peaceful presence, her knowledge of mental health, and her openness to exploring new ideas and ways of doing things. As I’ve gotten to know Madison more, what really stands out to me is her quiet confidence and warm communication style. She is succinct while also exuding kindness and clarity.
*Please note that Madison is only available for office management clients at this time*
Laura is a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor and has been working for 4 years supporting clients. She recognized the need to balance her private practice with a different form of work, and found us! After speaking with Laura, I knew she would be a great fit for our team, and an amazing VA for any clinic or solo practitioner. She has her BA in Psychology and attended a Masters Level equivalent training with Clearmind International, where she received a diploma in Transpersonal Counselling.
Laura lives in BC and is our only VA at Timely in that time zone.
What I love about Laura is her crystal clear understanding of how to support both our therapy clients, and their patients. She knows the struggles that therapists can face administratively, and also approaches each patient interaction with compassion and support. In short, she’s a VA that any clinic or therapist would benefit from having on their team.
Cori has come to Timely with several years experience as a senior VA for a busy psychology clinic. Cori brings with her a wealth of knowledge and care to her work with both clients and team members. Educationally, she has a BA in Psychology. Since joining Timely Cori’s become a sought after VA for clinics where an eye for precision is needed.
What I love about Cori is her warm, grounded and calm presence. She also has the fantastic ability to balance perfectly both compassion and professionalism in her communication.
Cas has become a vital member at Timely. She offers the kind of warm, affirming administrative care that every therapy clinic hopes for. As someone who has previously worked with elderly populations, Cas is highly skilled at sincere, clear and kind communication with clients.
Along with mental health administration, Cas also has a background in real estate, and because of this, she is very aware of the importance of attention to detail when it comes to paperwork and well crafted emails. Cas has an Honours BA in Peace and Conflict from the University of Waterloo and is soon beginning her educational journey towards getting her Masters in Social Work.
What I love about Cas is her razor sharp critical thinking skills and the incredibly insightful questions that she asks. She emanates a welcoming and warm vibe and is an absolute delight to work with.
Megan came to Timely with a wealth of skills and experience. Megan is bilingual in French and English, has a BA in Psychology and is currently at school part time for medical administration.
As a person, Megan is thoughtful and gentle in how she connects with others. She has previous experience working with senior citizens and it shows in her supportive and caring approach. She has a way of moving through her tasks with grace and efficiency, and she has a keen eye for detail.
What I appreciate deeply about Megan is the way she is able to adjust according to the needs of her clients. She is someone who takes her job seriously and is always looking for ways to add extra support where it may be needed. Megan does not shy away from an extra task and she has that wonderful “can-do” attitude that I am always looking for!
Alisha H is one of our most senior virtual assistants and is a mentor to our newer employees. She is also our go-to gal for all things Jane related! Prior to joining us at Timely, Alisha worked for Toronto’s public library system, and you should see her when she’s given a task that involves editing a spreadsheet or specialized form! WOW! She has that rare quality of being excellent with both data and people!
Alisha has a BA in English and a minor in Psychology, and along with spreadsheets, she has a passion for language (current count – she knows 4!). What I love about Alisha is the way she will always jump in to help if someone is in need, and her wisdom in knowing when to ask for support, which, in the business of mental health, is a key skill to have.
There are headliners and fineliners in this world, and Laurel is the best kind of fineliner – her attention to detail is second to none. She is really good at speaking up and asking questions when clarity is needed, and is the ultimate behind the scenes support for any therapist.
Laurel is a master when it comes to supportive yet professional emails, and is great with following up with clients and therapists alike. Laurel has a work background that includes mental health and often has supported vulnerable people during very difficult times in their lives. She has worked at Extended Families Support Services and understands well how important gentle, and nonjudgmental care is. She has her BA in Communications from Wilfrid Laurier and a diploma as a Social Service Worker.
What I love about Laurel is her understanding nature. She seeks to see the humanity in every situation. I also really appreciate that she is never afraid to ask questions, speak up or offer suggestions for improvement. Her collaborative approach to working with others has made her an easy fit within the Timely team, and I feel lucky to have her with us!
Maria M. is a VA who has a big heart and a brilliant mind. She is bilingual in both French and English and has worked extensively with vulnerable populations. Maria has supported at risk teens, and worked as a child and youth counsellor for years within a day treatment program in Toronto. She has also been a crisis support line responder and has a deep understanding of what it means to provide compassionate care.
Maria has an Honours BA in French Language, a Diploma in Child and Youth Care and is currently beginning her journey to get her Masters in Social Work.
What I love about Maria beyond just her general bright mind, is her emotional intelligence. She knows how to read a situation and adjust accordingly with warmth and a supportive attitude. Maria is accepting new clients and we are thrilled to have her on our team.
Carla is the kind of person that any employer would be lucky to have. She cares deeply about her work, and goes above and beyond to make sure that things are done right.
From an educational perspective, Carla has her BA in Criminal Justice and her Masters in Psychology (and graduated with a 4.0 GPA!) Along with being intellectually skilled, Carla is also an athlete, winning a university soccer scholarship. During her final year of her Masters program Carla subsequently became a soccer coach and Sports Psychology assistant professor for Northwestern Oklahoma State University. Before working at Timely, Carla was an administrative assistant for a busy therapy clinic in central Ontario and has a keen understanding for what it takes to provide a warm and caring welcome to new therapy inquiries.
What I love about Carla is that she really and truly puts her heart into her work. When she is in, she gives it her all. Carla is also someone who knows to ask questions when something isn’t clear, and is efficient with her time management. We feel grateful she’s a part of our Timely team!
Jessica is a Timely team member who really “gets” mental health. We are so happy to have her working here!
Jessica has an extensive work background within counselling and mental health. She has worked as a Case Manager at Canadian Mental Health Association, and has also taken contracts to provide support for children’s aid programs across Ontario. She has her BA in Social Developmental Studies and a diploma as a Social Service Worker.
What I love about Jessica is that she truly understands how critical communication is when it comes to working in the field of mental health. She is clear, quick, and knows how to hold space and listen well. Jessica asks thoughtful questions when she’s unsure, and knows how to move through her tasks with ease and efficiency. Her relaxed sense of humour and knowledge of psychology sets everyone she meets at ease, and we are so happy to have her on our team.
Kayla is a VA with an extensive background in mental health and administration. Along with working at Timely, Kayla also works part time at the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and has previous experience working for both small businesses and within the airline industry. Kayla is used to working in fast paced environments where attention to detail matters. She has an Honours BA in Psychology and an educational background in business marketing as well.
What I love about Kayla is her critical thinking skills. She always thinks things through, and has a tendency to ask insightful questions. She’s also quick on her feet, stays professional during high pressure situations and easily pivots when needed, to accommodate new responsibilities. In short, she is a woman that any business owner would benefit from having on their team.