Latoya Ried

About Author

Latoya T. Reid stands as a trailblazer in Canada's mental health landscape, serving as Clinical Director and Co-Founder of ReiDefine Wellness, the country's first all-Black owned brick-and-mortar private practice offering multi-provincial services across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. A registered social worker with credentials spanning three provinces, Reid brings a unique blend of clinical expertise and social justice advocacy to her practice. Her impressive accolades include the University of Regina Lifetime Achiever Award for Humanitarianism and Community Activism (2021), CBC Future 40 Winner Saskatchewan (2021), and multiple President's Medal nominations. Reid's therapeutic approach centers on decolonizing mental health care, addressing trauma through culturally responsive, anti-oppressive methods. She specializes in EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Internal Family Systems, and Emotional Focused Couples Therapy, serving diverse populations dealing with complex trauma, depression, anxiety, and relationship challenges. Beyond her clinical work, Reid has made significant organizational impact, leading the York Region District School Board's Dismantling Hate & Oppression Framework project affecting over 100,000 students and staff. She's developed groundbreaking curricula, including the first Black Mental Health Curriculum for the Toronto Community Benefits Network, and has consulted for major organizations including Microsoft Canada, VHA Home Health Care, and the Government of Canada's Correctional Service. A published researcher and international presenter, Reid's thesis work on Central American migrants in North American media was unanimously nominated for the President's Medal. Her commitment to destigmatizing mental health extends to her radio show "Let's Unpack That with ReiDefine Wellness" and her ongoing advocacy for accessible, culturally informed therapeutic services. Through ReiDefine Wellness, Reid continues to challenge traditional mental health paradigms while building bridges between communities and healing—one client, one conversation, and one breakthrough at a time.