Jenny McMahon BSW
Jenny is a counsellor and peer supporter with a BSW from McMaster University, who completed their student placement at Stardust!
They have a background in Gender, Sexuality, Feminist & Social Justice Studies, as well as a range of social justice, community organizing, harm reduction, and frontline work.
Jenny is passionate about unraveling the stories we tell about ourselves and the meanings we give and get from them, and moving towards new ways of being and relating. Foundational to her work is the belief that we do not need “fixing;” that our bodies were made to hold complex and difficult realities and opposing truths. They are
mindful of the ways in which capitalism, ableism, gender-based oppression, colonialism and racism impact how we move through the world and relate to one another, and is inspired by the ways in which we can rebuild a connection to ourselves and to the world despite the ways these systems can fracture it.
Jenny is a queer and genderqueer human with lived experience in the mental health system, of complex trauma and suicidality. She lives in Hamilton with her partner and two weird and wonderful cats. They have a deep love of music, poetry, writing, and astrology, and the many beautiful and very human ways we make sense of our experiences. Some of Jenny’s favourite ways of making sense of their own experiences are spending time in nature gazing up at the trees, swimming, reading books, writing poems, cooking for loved ones and dancing their little heart out in their living room.
Fee Structure
The Green Bottle System is an economic justice tool developed by Alexis J Cunningfolk, who created it with the idea that finances should not be the only factor in determining whether someone can access care/products/services/etc.
Please read the graphic and assess where you fall in terms of financial resources. We don't ask for income verification, we trust that you will select the tier that fits your circumstances best.
That said, please be mindful that if you choose a price at the lower end of the scale when you can afford to pay a higher price, you are limiting access for those who truly need financial flexibility.
Image description: a white square image with 3 bottles drawn on it. The title reads "The Green Bottle - where you fall on the sliding scale". Written vertically beside the first bottle is "financial privilege", and written underneath all 3 bottles are the words "personal financial experience". The first bottle is labeled "Tier 3", and is coloured entirely green. The text over the bottle reads, "I am comfortably able to meet all of my basic* needs. I may have some debt but it does not prohibit attainment of basic needs. I own my home or property or I rent a higher-end property. I own or lease a car. I am employed or do not need to work to meet my needs. I have reliable access to health care. I have access to financial savings, family wealth, and/or resources in times of need. I have an expendable** income. I can always buy new items. I can afford multiple vacations of take time off for leisure." The second bottle is labeled "Tier 2", and is coloured green about halfway up the bottle. The text over the bottle reads "I may stress about meeting my basic needs but still regularly achieve them. I may have some debt, but it does not prohibit attainment of basic needs. I have daily reliable transporation. I am employed. I have access to health care. I might have access to financial savings. I have some expendable income. I am able to buy some new items & I thrift others. I can take time off either for sickness of leisure and am still able to pay next month's bills. I can travel annually without financial burden." The third bottle is labeled "Tier 1", and the bottle appears mostly empty except for a small amount of green at the bottom. The text overtop reads "I frequently stress about meeting basic needs & don't always achieve them. I have debt and it sometimes prohibits me from meeting my basic needs. I rent lower-end properties or have unstable housing. I do not have a car or have limited access to a car and gas. I am unemployed, underemployed, or have been denied work due to incarceration history. I qualify for public aid, including food stamps & health care. I am supporting children, elders, or other dependents. I have no access to savings. I have no or very limited expendable income. I rarely buy new items because I am unable to afford them. I cannot afford a vacation or take time off without financial burden." At the bottom of the image, text reads "basic needs include food, housing, and transportation. Expendable income might mean you are able to buy coffee or tea at a shop, go to the movies or a concern, buy new clothes, bokos, and similar items each month, etc. This image was created by Alexs J Cunningfolk | www.wortsandcunning.com with additions from Britt Hawthorne | www.embracingequity.org"
Why might I feel weird or uncomfortable about this?
Because capitalism tells us that our emotional and financial worth is based on our productivity, and that if we are financially limited it's because we have failed to be productive enough or work hard enough. Systems of power rely on poverty to continue exploiting our labour, and the shame we feel about our perceived failings keeps us quiet and obedient within this system.
Your access to money is not an indicator of your worth, intelligence, drive, or hard work. Your access (or lack of access) to money does not mean you don't deserve care.
Read more about this approach here:
Radical History Club
The Sliding Scale: A Tool for Economic Justice
Areas of Focus
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Narrative Therapy
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DBT-Informed Therapy
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Client-Centred
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Peer Support
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Harm Reduction
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Trauma-Informed
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Strengths-Based
Fees
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Tier 1: $75/session
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Tier 2: $100/session
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Tier 3: $125/session
Please choose the tier that is the most financially feasible for you. Refer to the 'Green Bottle' diagram above for guidance if you're unsure which tier is right for you.
Please note: if these rates are not affordable for you, get in touch with us and we will try our best to figure out a rate that is doable. It is important that money isn't the barrier to you getting support.