Meet the Team
Dr. Michelle Fardella, C. Psych
Clinical/School Psychologist
Director
(she/her)
I love working in a multidisciplinary team, with schools, and collaboratively with families. WonderTree is my opportunity to bring those passions together and provide fast, evidence-based care to families in Ontario. I want to help you help your child. Whether that be through an assessment to explore a potential diagnosis, working with you as a parent, your family, or your child in therapy, or consulting with your child’s clinical team here at WonderTree or their school. I provide integrative treatment, drawing from CBT, EFFT/EFT, ERP, and attachment based therapies to children and families. I support youth presenting with various needs, including autistic youth, those with ADHD, learning disabilities, mood, emotion dysregulation, or behavioural concerns. My early career focused on the mental health and well-being of autistic youth and their families, and this is still an area of passion I carry forward today. I have a special clinical interest in abuse prevention and sexual health and relationship education in neurodivergent youth.
Personally, I am a mother to two young children living in the Caledon region. I also have personal experience navigating IEPs, testing, and child advocacy.
Education
PhD 2016
York University, Toronto, ON.
Clinical-Developmental Psychology, CPA Accredited
MA 2011
York University, Toronto, ON.
Clinical-Developmental Psychology, CPA Accredited
Honors BA 2008
York University, Toronto, ON.
Psychology and Criminology
Professional Affiliations
Registered with the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario in good standing
Member of the Ontario Psychological Association
Registered provider with Autism Canada's Community Assistance Program
Select Media
Ongoing authorship on WonderTree blog- https://www.wondertreepractice.ca/blog
Monthly contributing author to the Orangeville Citizen- Community Voices
Podcast/Radio:
The Heart Behind the Hustle | Dr. Michelle Fardella on FoundHer Rising
Sex Education and Autism | Dr. Michelle Fardella and Dr. Taylor Day
Select Research
Weiss, J.A., & Fardella, M.A. (2018). Victimization and perpetration experiences in adults with autism. Frontiers in Psychiatry, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00203
Fardella, M.A., Burnham Riosa, P., & Weiss, J.A. (2018). A qualitative investigation of risk and protective factors for interpersonal violence in adults on the autism spectrum. Disability and Society, https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2018.1498320
Weiss, J. A., Burnham Riosa, P., Robinson, S., Ryan, S., Tint, A., Viecili, M., … Shine, R. (2016). Understanding Special Olympics Experiences from the Athlete Perspectives Using Photo-Elicitation: A Qualitative Study. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12287
Viecili, M.A. & Weiss, J.A. (2015). Reliability and validity of the Pediatric Quality of Life
InventoryTM (PedsQLTM) Version 4.0 Generic Core scales in children, youth, and young adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 120(4): 289-301.
Weiss, J.A., Viecili, M.A., & Bohr, Y. (2014). Parenting stress as a correlate of CBT responsiveness in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and anxiety. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 30(3), 154-164.
Brown- Lavoie, S.M., Viecili, M.A., & Weiss, J.A. (2014). Sexual knowledge and victimization in adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(9), 2185-2196.