Help People Now
Satori Homes grew from a desire and a commitment to ensure that when children and youth are unable to live at home with their families, they can be supported and cared for in a family-based setting where they can further grow and thrive. Having worked with children, youth, and families in various capacities, founders Stephanie and Lori saw a need for more foster homes where the care providers are intensely supported, receive ongoing training and mentoring, and most importantly, have a solid understanding of Trauma-Informed Care.
Stephanie and Lori started Satori in 2013, working closely with the Ministry of Children, Community, and Social Services to obtain a license. Satori officially opened in March 2014 after recruiting, approving, and training its first set of Foster Care Providers. Since day one, Stephanie and Lori have been strategic in their growth plan, as it has always been important to them that they remain small enough to ensure that they know each and every young person they support, as well as each and every foster family. Satori’s commitment is to provide quality, responsive, and individualized support and services.
Help People Now
At Satori, we go above and beyond to ensure that we provide quality care and support that is tailored to each individual young person. We are committed to ensuring that the supports and services we provide take into consideration the unique needs of the young people we are supporting. This includes honouring their culture, identity, religion, orientation, family connection, skills, interests and talents.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach at Satori. The supports and services we provide are just as diverse as the kids and families we work with.
experience and guidance
Keeping Caseloads low and manageable. We have strategically limited our growth to ensure that we can remain responsive to the young people we support, and to our foster care providers.
We have a small but mighty team committed and compassionate about the work we do. We work very hard to retain our staff so that young people and foster families don’t have to navigate staff turnover, changing roles, and delays in Resource Support
We know the impact that trauma can have on a young person. We ensure that all our foster care providers and direct support staff receive on-going training on Trauma Informed Caregiving. This includes pre-service training, as well as ongoing training through workshops, bi-weekly support groups with a Trauma and Attachment Specialist, and access to a library of resources.
Each young person and each foster family is assigned a Resource Supervisor This person is the go-to for everything including navigating the day-to-day ins and outs of foster care, helping with paperwork, debriefing and guidance, and a listening ear.
We are available 24/7 and we work hard to ensure the person on the receiving end is familiar to both the young people we support, and to our Foster Care Providers.
In addition to our Resource and Direct Support Team, we also have a full-time Clinical and Program Lead who fulfills a variety of roles including individual counseling for children and youth, direct support to Foster Care Providers, referrals to, and liaison with community services providers and coaching and mentoring.
We recognize that every family has their own unique needs and what is helpful for one family may not be helpful for another. The Self Care Allowance offers flexibility to meet your needs. This allowance can be used for things that help alleviated additional stressors. Options can include such things as respite care, babysitting, fitness programs, and/or house cleaning.
At Satori we believe that we never stop learning. We have access to a wide range of training programs and opportunities that are available at no cost to our Foster Care Providers and Support Staff.
Director of Service, Owner/Operator
Resource Supervisor
Resource Supervisor
Clinical and Programming Lead
Senior Office Manager
Resource Supervisor
After completing a degree in Child and Youth Studies at the University of Guelph, focusing her studies on complex needs populations, Stephanie began her career as a frontline worker in a residential program for children and youth with moderate to severe emotional and behavioral difficulties. As her career progressed she went on to work as a member of the Community Prevention and Intervention Team at the Children’s Aid Society, managed programs for the John Howard Society and then returned to residential and foster care programs where she fulfilled many roles ranging from Resource Supervisor to Program Manager.
Stephanie brings more than 20 years’ experience working with complex needs children, youth, and their families as well as training adults, facilitating groups, and program management. She possesses specialized training in many areas including, but not limited to: Collaborative and Proactive Solutions, Trauma Informed Caregiving, Suicide Intervention and Prevention, Attachment Disorders, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and Children’s Mental Health.
Stephanie has completed the Structured Analysis Family Evaluation (SAFE) program as well as the SAFE Supervisor Training. Stephanie is the lead Home Study Practitioner for Satori Homes.
Lori started her career in corrections after studying Community and Social Justice, working primarily with young people in detention and custody programs. Lori moved from corrections and began working as a frontline worker in a residential program for children and youth with moderate to severe emotional and behavioural difficulties. Lori’s career in the field of children’s services progressed as she moved from front-line worker to supervisor and then into a management role. She has over 20 years experience running residential and foster care programs.
Lori has had the opportunity to observe first hand the crucial roles of family supports, effective communication, and clinical services. She recognizes the need to build individual programs for each young person, drawing on their strengths and abilities. Lori is passionate about bettering the services for young people in care and is committed to developing effective youth and family-focused strategies, that are both engaging and empowering.
Lori possesses specialized training in many areas including, but not limited to: Trauma informed Caregiving and Leadership, Effective strategies for Autism/ASD, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Collaborative and Proactive Solutions, Suicide Prevention and Intervention, Attachment Disorders and is a certified trainer for NVCI (Non-Violent Crisis Intervention). Lori is also a Home Study Practitioner, having completed the Structured Analysis Family Evaluation (SAFE) training program in 2017.
Karen has supported vulnerable and at-risk young people since graduating from the University of Guelph, ON in the early 2000s. Karen has also served children, youth and adults with developmental disabilities and learned much about current systems in place and how to navigate them.
Karen spent years of her career in group residential and fostering settings, before she and her partner fostered complex youth for several years. Karen also worked for Family Counselling and Support Services (now “Compass Community Services”) where she could connect families and individuals living with a variety of challenges with needed supports. In this role, Karen would collaborate with other community agencies and think out of the box to ensure individuals and families received the help they deserved.
Karen has been a Resource Supervisor with Satori Homes since 2016. Supporting families who open their homes to young people brings her great joy as these are the best people! Karen has said supporting and advocating for the children and youth in Satori’s care is her passion and her privilege.
Emilie joined the Satori Team in 2018. She is a graduate of the Child, Youth, and Family Studies Program at the University of Guelph. Prior to joining the Satori team, Emilie held various roles with increasing responsibility in the field of social services, including experiences in school settings, group-based care, and supporting vulnerable and at-risk children and youth experiencing homelessness. Although Emilie began her time at Satori as a Foster Family Support Worker, she later found her true calling as a Resource Supervisor, as supporting both families and young people has always been a passion for her. Emilie values continuous learning and has taken many workshops and training including Trauma-Informed Care and Practice, Relationships and Attachment, and Culturally Competent Care. Emilie also became a certified Home Study Practitioner with Satori, after having successfully completing the Structured Analysis Family Evaluation (SAFE) training program.
Emilie brings an innovative and creative approach, and is committed and compassionate about providing quality care and services to the children, youth and families we support.
Julia is a Registered Social Worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) and a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW). With a diverse background spanning child welfare, community mental health, non-profit organizations, and schools, Julia brings a wealth of experience to her work with children, youth, and families.
Julia first joined Satori as a placement student while completing her Bachelor of Applied Science in Child, Youth and Family Studies at the University of Guelph (2018). After completing her placement, she was hired as a Foster Family Support Worker before earning her Master of Social Work degree from Wilfrid Laurier University (2021). Today, she serves as the Clinical and Programming Lead at Satori, working with a multi-disciplinary team to provide evidence-based clinical services that support healing, resilience, and growth.
Julia is deeply committed to journeying alongside children, youth, and families as they navigate their healing journeys. Her approach is relationally focused, trauma-informed, and strengths-based. She draws from a wide range of therapeutic modalities tailored to the unique needs of each individual and family. Julia believes in the importance of collaboration, creativity, and flexibility to build strong, trusting relationships with the young people she supports. Recognizing the critical role of caregivers, she actively involves them in the therapeutic process ensuring that therapeutic interventions extend beyond the therapy room.
As a lifelong learner, Julia is dedicated to expanding her skills and knowledge. She has completed specialized training in:
Child and Youth Mental Health (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Trauma-Informed Caregiving and Interpersonal Neurobiology
Attachment-based interventions such as CONNECT (attachment-focused program for parents and caregivers), Circle of Security Parenting, and Theraplay® Level 1
Play therapy and expressive arts
Suicide Intervention and Prevention
Indigenous Cultural Sensitivity, Anti-Black Racism, and Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Attachment, Self Regulation, and Competency (ARC) Framework
Julia is also set to complete foundational training in SMART (Sensory Motor Arousal Regulation Therapy) in the Spring of 2025.
Karin joined the Satori team in June 2018 as a part-time Administrative Assistant. As the company continued to grow, so did Karin’s role. In 2019 Karin became the Senior Office Manager; responsible for the overall coordination of a broad range of services that allow the organization to operate efficiently. In general, Karin is the “go-to” person for the many administrative tasks that need to be completed. Karin plays a key role in maintaining files, ensuring all required documentation is completed and collected, keeping foster care providers informed of their paperwork requirements, implementing and maintaining procedures/office administrative systems, employee onboarding, attending meetings with senior management, and assisting the organization’s HR function by keeping personnel records up to date, .
Karin graduated from the University of Toledo with a Bachelor of Science degree. She went on to play basketball professionally in Finland, Spain, and Germany. After retiring from professional Basketball, Karin returned to Canada and began working with youth in a residential program for children where she advanced into a Supervisor’s role. In this role, she had the opportunity to learn the behind-the-scenes operation of a private agency supporting children and youth in care. Eventually, Karin would move on from this field and start her training business which she successfully operated for 10 years. Now as a member of the Satori team, Karin loves being a part of an organization that works tirelessly to better serve our youth and families
Megan holds a degree in Psychology as well as Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies from the University of Waterloo. During her studies, she completed an internship where she explored and applied Restorative Justice principles, deepening her commitment to relationship-based approaches.
Megan began her journey at Satori in a frontline role as a Foster Family Support Worker, working directly with youth and caregivers. Her time in this role offered many valuable insights that continue to inform her practice. In her current position as Resource Supervisor, Megan remains grounded in these experiences, taking the time to build meaningful relationships with the youth and families she serves.
A strong advocate for lifelong learning, Megan has completed a wide range of professional development, including training in Trauma-Informed Care and Practice, Transformative Mediation, Relationships and Attachment, and various cultural competency workshops. She is also a certified Home Study Practitioner, having successfully completed the Structured Analysis Family Evaluation (SAFE) training program.
Megan brings empathy and curiosity to her work, believing there is always more to learn. She is deeply committed to creating supportive circles of care around youth and connecting them to the services and communities they need. She recognizes the vital role foster families play in the lives of young people and is dedicated to ensuring everyone involved feels heard, valued, and supported. Megan meets people where they are, fostering understanding and building momentum toward positive change.
