How It Started
Our Fruitful Journey
In 2017, Darlene Cyrus-Blaize, the founder of Fruits From The Roots and a Registered Psychotherapist in Ontario, found herself in need of a psychotherapist to help manage the anxiety and stress related to a major change in her career and personal life. Due to her busy schedule, she knew distance counselling would best fit her lifestyle and desired to work with a clinician of colour. However, after an unfruitful and exhausting search to find the best therapist in Toronto that met her needs, as a Registered Psychotherapist herself she was determined more than ever to be the change that she wanted to see in her city!
In 2019, she started her exclusively online Psychotherapy and Consulting Private Practice. Since then, the Practice has grown to also serve as a Professional training site for Qualifying Registered Psychotherapists seeking Independent status designations from the College of Registered Psychotherapist of Ontario. Together the team is uniquely trained in addressing the various Mental Health challenges that have been known to impact the success of the modern-day working professional and entrepreneur.
Psychotherapy Support
Our Approach to Therapy
At Fruits From The Roots, we pride ourselves in offering psychotherapeutic support from Registered Psychotherapists that is first and foremost strength-based and client-centered. Moreover, you will encounter clinicians who assume a non-judgmental, anti-oppressive, and liberatory approach to the provision of services This means that we aim to create a safe, collaborative, and empowering space that is attuned to your unique attributes and mental health needs. Some of the theoretical approaches that inform our work, include solution-focused, emotionally-focused, narrative, and cognitive behavioural, and trauma-informed therapies.
Qualifying Team
Meet Our Therapists
Darlene is an experienced Registered Psychotherapist with over 13 years of clinical experience, particularly in the provision of Solution-Focused, Cognitive-Behaviour, and Narrative therapies. Clinical issues commonly addressed in therapy pertain to workplace trauma, racial trauma, performance anxieties, depression, relational discord, life discontentment and low motivation.
Darlene’s approach is one that is non-judgmental, anti-oppressive, affirming, strength-based, & collaborative in nature. I’m also an Educator and teach Graduate-level Psychology courses at City University of Seattle (Canadian Campus). Darlene frequently Chairs exam panels that qualify individuals towards clinical practice; and she is a much sought-after Clinical Supervisor.
Darlene has extensive experience providing External Clinical Supervision and Consultation services both within the private and public sectors. Moreover, her knowledge has been numerously shared with the CRPO’s Quality Assurance team as a Practice Standards Case Writer and Peer Circle Contributor
I am dedicated to guiding individuals toward emotional well-being and personal growth. I believe that each person’s journey is unique, and with a strong foundation in both CBT and Psychodynamic approaches, I tailor my therapeutic techniques to align with your individual needs and goals.
Throughout my practice in clinical psychology for over 6 years, I have successfully worked with children, youth and adults facing a wide range of concerns such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, trauma, stress, chronic pain and professional performance.
Together, we will explore the root causes of your challenges, develop coping strategies, and work towards fostering lasting positive and fruitful change.
Sandra’s client-centered and collaborative approach focuses on understanding client’s unique perspectives through their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Sandra applies evidence-based techniques and interventions tailored to the client’s specific needs to help navigate difficult situations and promote mental health and happiness. Her diverse therapeutic approach incorporates Narrative, Solution-Focused Therapy, Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and Acceptance Commitment Therapy to equip clients with the necessary tools to promote healthy and positive change. Sandra believes that clients are the experts in their own lives, and is committed to listening to their experiences and supporting them through the therapeutic process.
As a Registered Psychotherapist, Sandra is dedicated to helping clients find clarity and solutions for issues such as anxiety, depression, stress, or workplace problems. She fosters a non-judgmental, empathetic, and safe space. Together, she will support you to embark on a journey of self-discovery and growth, where you can feel heard, understood, and empowered to achieve the goals that are important to you and live a fruitful life.
From a very young age, Brett’s passions have included psychology, philosophy and history. After completing a Master’s of Arts in Profiling and Behavioural Analysis, and in the midst of an accomplished business career, Brett decided to fulfill a life long passion and undertake training to become a psychotherapist. The three years of psychotherapy he had undergone in his early 20’s had been a life changing experience. He believes that everyone can benefit from it, and that people can work through their problems in the safe environment of the therapeutic relationship. He looks forward to working with clients dealing with burnout, stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD, trauma and a variety of other issues, as well as those who seek help supporting their performance at work and in life.
Discrimination is a very real thing that many people face on a daily basis, and Brett is particularly sensitive to this, working with clients in a culturally sensitive way, with a particular focus on social justice and advocacy.
I am dedicated to providing support and guidance to individuals facing personal and professional challenges. Life can be overwhelming, and it’s okay to seek help in navigating its ups and downs. I believe in creating a safe and non-judgmental space for clients to explore their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. My goal is to help individuals gain a deeper understanding of themselves and work towards positive change. I place great emphasis on building a trusting therapeutic relationship and strive to create an environment where clients feel supported and empowered.
I understand that each person’s journey is unique, which is why I tailor my therapeutic approach using client-centred and evidence-based interventions to help clients achieve their specific goals.
If you are seeking support on your mental health journey, I am here to help you take the first step towards healing and self-discovery. Whether you are dealing with stress, anxiety, or relationship issues or need a space to explore your thoughts, I am dedicated to supporting you on your path to well-being. You don’t have to navigate life’s challenges alone – I am here to journey alongside you towards a fruitful path forward.
I am passionate about ways in which we can all live a more holistic and authentic life. My approach in therapy is non-judgmental, strength-based, and collaborative. With Cognitive-Behavioural, Mindfulness-Based, Solution-Focused, Acceptance Commitment Therapy, & Person-Centered therapies, I foster mental and emotional resilience. I support clients struggling with anxiety, depression, workplace stress and burnout, confidence, or relationship challenges. Often such clients want relief from their emotional overwhelm and guidance towards a happier and more fulfilling life, consequently through collaboration we develop therapeutic goals that aim to build balance/harmony, motivation, resilience, and personal growth.
I have experience working with organizational leaders and those in other the helping professions confidently regain stability and work-life balance while managing high demands. Currently, I am on the board of Vision Youth Leadership Program helping the youth become inspirational future leaders.
If you’re ready to break free from repeating cycles and embrace a happier, more balanced life, I invite you to connect with me. Together, we will navigate your challenges and uncover your fruitful and joyous life.
I bring a wealth of clinical knowledge having worked in the field of mental health for 15 years. My experience and lens are ones based on lived cross-cultural International and Canadian experience.
I’ve worked with clients across a range of age groups; pre-school, elementary, teens and young adults; issues and areas of concern being school, relationships, anxiety, low moods, trauma, difficult behaviour, work related stress, in individual and community-based settings.
I work from an anti-oppressive and strength-based lens using interventions and techniques like REBT, SFBT, CBT, DBT, EFFT, Positive Psychology and Mindfulness.
Brendan practices person-centered therapy and is focused on listening to, connecting with, and encouraging his clients in a non-judgemental manner. He is supportive of the LGBTQ+ community and has experience working with a variety of individuals including those who face anxiety, depression, trauma, neurodiversity, disabilities, life transitions, and chronic health conditions. As an individual who is visually impaired and manages chronic health conditions, Brendan brings a unique set of experiences to the counseling environment. His life circumstances have helped him understand how it feels to face stigma and challenging situations, as well as the powerful influence of professional help.
In his professional and personal life, Brendan has been particularly drawn to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Emotion Focused Therapy.
Brenna has been an advocate for mental health and wellness since she first learned what the word “anxiety” meant. So many folks go through life not understanding why they feel the way they do and end up feeling alone as they navigate life’s challenges. No one deserves to feel alone and everyone deserves to feel safe and supported. This is the kind of environment Brenna strives to create for every client she sees. She believes that all her clients have the ability to build the life they want for themselves, but we all need a little help getting there from time to time. Together with her clients, Brenna will explore life experiences, challenges and goals, and the best next steps towards healing and wellness.
Brenna is a firm believer that her clients are the experts of their own lives and aims to find skills and coping strategies that are as unique as each person she meets. Brenna utilizes approaches that affirm client strengths and their ability to achieve goals. Some examples of these approaches include Solution-Focused Therapy, Narrative and Compassion-Focused Therapy, however she also likes borrowing from other evidenced-based approaches like Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy and Psychodynamic when it’s the right fit.
Denise has been providing counselling and guidance to individuals from diverse backgrounds for many years. Her international experience spans several cultures and settings, and she brings a true passion for psychotherapy, engaging with her clients to understand their perspectives and journey with them to new beginnings.
Her approach is an integrative one using intervention strategies of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness, Rogerian Person-Centred Therapy, Existential, Solution Focused and Narrative Therapy.
Denise’s clinical work with clients includes job transitioning, anxiety, stress, grief/loss, and trauma; she supports clients across the lifespan ranging from school-aged children to teenagers, young adults, parents, and seniors.
Through her many years of experience, she has been able to practice a profession she loves and for which she has a natural talent. Connect with Denise as she walks alongside you, providing support and guidance as you travel along the path toward healing, empowerment and living a more fulfilling life.
Nadia (she/her) is passionate about supporting clients navigating anxiety, trauma, and identity-related experiences. She brings over nine years of experience in mental health settings, with a particular focus on working with racialized, queer, and other marginalized communities.
Nadia strives to create a grounded, compassionate space where clients feel seen, supported, and empowered. Her approach is collaborative and client-centered, drawing on trauma-informed, narrative, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)-informed interventions to help clients explore their stories, build resilience, and cultivate a sense of stability in the face of life’s challenges. Her areas of focus include anxiety disorders, burnout, gender-affirming therapy, experiences of violence, eating disorders, body dysmorphia, interpersonal challenges, and self-esteem concerns.
In addition to her clinical work, Nadia is currently pursuing a PhD focused on policy reform in family law, with an emphasis on creating safeguards for underserved populations. She is deeply committed to both individual healing and broader systemic change.
Nadiatou (Nadia) Fagbemi is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) who offers person-centred, integrative therapy rooted in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Narrative Therapy. Drawing from her lived experience as a Black-African immigrant woman, Nadia creates a safe, inclusive space for women—especially racialized women—to explore their stories, reconnect with themselves, and build meaningful relationships. Her practice is dedicated to helping clients define life on their own terms and foster lasting personal growth.
While working as a mental health coach with CMHA in the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy program, Sonia utilizes cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to coach youth and adults suffering from anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation..
Sonia’s goal is to provide you with a welcoming, non-judgmental space to acquire a deeper understanding and practical tools to explore your stories, overcome emotional pain and reconnect with your strength and purpose. Her practice is based on integrative therapeutic models, including but not limited to CBT, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Adlerian Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Narrative therapy, and Somatic Experiencing, which equips me with a versatile toolkit to tailor treatment to each client’s unique needs, fostering meaningful and lasting change.
She operates from a holistic, trauma-informed, culturally responsive approach that honors your lived reality and empowers you to heal and thrive.
Cheryl received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Bachelor of Social Work from York University, and her Master of Social Work from Dalhousie University. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Social Justice Education from OISE, University of Toronto.
Cheryl has previously worked in the areas of accessibility, disability, and sexual violence. She has also worked in community mental health, Indigenous health (on and off reserve), and homelessness. She currently operates a therapy and counselling practice primarily supporting BIPOC and LGBTQ communities. She is trained specifically in culturally sensitive Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and EMDR. She approaches supporting communities from a holistic perspective, in hopes that the entire person can be fully seen and heard for the sake of healing.
Cheryl was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario to Jamaican parents. She lives in the city with her daughter, her rabbit, and her dog. In her spare time, she enjoys knitting, collecting sneakers and vinyl records, listening to social justice podcasts, and conducting genealogy searches.
Life has a way of shifting under our feet through transitions, relationship strain, or the steady weight of emotional overwhelm. Rihab offers a supportive and grounded space to slow things down, explore what is happening beneath the surface, and reconnect with the parts of you that already know how to adapt and endure. Her approach is trauma informed and attachment focused, and when it feels meaningful to you, she may integrate spirituality into the work. Whether you are navigating identity changes, trauma, hormonal shifts, or relationship patterns that no longer fit, she aims to work with you to build clarity strength, and lasting change. She creates a compassionate and steady space to explore your experiences and reconnect with your strengths.
Rihab often supports clients working through relationships, parenting, emotional regulation, and the complexity of holding many roles at once. She works from an IFS, CBT, & DBT lens that is centered on safety, curiosity, and fruitful change that holds overtime.
Kennedy offers a supportive and non-judgmental space where you can show up exactly as you are. Life can feel overwhelming at times, and you don’t have to navigate it alone. She views therapy as a collaborative process rooted in trust, safety, and respect. One where you are met with compassion, curiosity, and steadiness.
Her approach is grounded in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and informed by an integrative framework that centres on strengths-based and anti-oppressive practices. She draws from evidence-based modalities while remaining flexible and responsive to your unique needs, experiences, and goals.
Kennedy believes that you are the expert of your life. She sees her role as supportingis you become the best authentic version of yourself. Together she aims to help you better understand yourself, strengthen your coping skills, and move toward meaningful and fruitful changes in a way that suits you.
Laila brings a collaborative, client-centered approach to her work, grounded in the belief that clients are the experts in their own lives. Her role is to support, guide, and walk alongside clients as they deepen self-understanding and work toward meaningful change. She also recognizes that no two clients are alike and tailors her approach to honor each person’s unique context, strengths, and goals.
Laila’s practice is informed by a decolonized integrative framework that centers strengths-based, anti-oppressive, and trauma-informed principles. She draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT), while remaining flexible and responsive to each client’s intersectional identities.
Laila is passionate about supporting clients navigating anxiety, depression, life transitions, and identity-related experiences and is looking forward to helping you nurture a fruitful life.
Melissa is a Therapist in Training who brings a warm, compassionate, and person-centered approach to counselling. She believes that each person brings unique strengths, experiences, and inner resources to the therapeutic process. Through a collaborative and non-judgmental approach, Melissa works to create a safe and supportive space where clients can explore their experiences, deepen self-understanding, and identify meaningful pathways toward growth and change.
Grounded in a strength-based perspective, Melissa seeks to recognize what is already working while supporting clients in navigating challenges at a pace that feels comfortable and authentic. Her approach honours each client as the expert in their own life and emphasizes empowerment, resilience, and the development of practical strategies that support living a fruitful life. Her clinical work is supervised by Darlene Cyrus-Blaize, Ed.D., M.A., RP.
Destiny will support the functioning of the Practice, aiming to optimize it’s flow. With experience in client care, operations, and communication, Destiny enjoys helping create an environment that feels organized, welcoming, and easy to navigate. She is proud to be part of a team dedicated to mental health, healing, and accessible support.

Positively Impacting Lives
We are Transforming Lives
Are you a busy individual trying to balance the demands of work and home life, yet feeling overwhelmed? Welcome to Fruits from the Roots – your destination to find a Registered Psychotherapist online. We’ve spent well over the last decade helping individuals across Canada and numerous other countries gain insight and clarity towards setting and accomplishing meaningful goals. Our approach is client-centered, solution-focused, and strength-based, ensuring a supportive and safe environment where clients can grow and thrive.
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Our Mission
The mission is to create a safe and empowering place where individuals can engage in a personal development process wherein they gain essential knowledge and develop the practical skills needed to attain their goals all through the exposure and integration of research-driven information, self-reflective exercises, and thought-provoking dialogue.
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Our Vision
To support individuals on their life journey develop a healthy, compassionate, and fulfilling relationship with themselves and the world around them.

Our Upheld Values
I believe… In everyone’s right to their own opinion, voice, and autonomy! In everyone’s power to fulfill the changes they wish to see. Everyone deserves the chance to develop a healthy, compassionate, and fulfilling relationship with themselves and the world around them. In the Strength of Unity and its ability to drive change. No one deserves to go through this life feeling lonely. In Compassion, Kindness, Gratitude, Happiness, Empathy, and Respect!!! In a Higher Power outside of ourselves that brings about Comfort, Direction, and Purpose to every aspect of one’s life when sought out.
Organizations We Cater
Organizations We Provide Service

Hope 24/7
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Approved Employee Assistance Services Provider

Afro Caribbean Business Network

Rise

Culture Check
Revive
Frequently Asked Questions
Start Your Fruitful Journey
We invite you to join us in creating a safe, collaborative, and empowering space attuned to your unique attributes and mental health needs.
