We are proud to celebrate a remarkable milestone for Sabra Desai, former Chair of the Board of Directors of The Gatehouse, who has successfully completed her PhD. This accomplishment reflects years of dedication, scholarship, and an unwavering commitment to advancing knowledge and creating meaningful impact in the fields of mental health, education, and social justice.
During her time as Chair, Sabra provided thoughtful leadership and guidance, helping strengthen the organization and support its mission. Her passion for learning and her commitment to community have long inspired those who have had the privilege of working alongside her. Achieving her PhD marks another important chapter in a career devoted to service, advocacy, and transformative education.
PhD Research: Centering the Voices of Youth in Care
Dr. Desai’s doctoral research examines systemic neglect within Ontario’s child welfare system by centering the voices of youth in care, former youth in care, and adoptees. Drawing on testimonies from the 2012 Youth Leaving Care Hearings, her work challenges deficit-based narratives and highlights how institutional policies shape young people’s experiences of instability, exclusion, and harm as they transition out of care.
Using a social justice education framework informed by Critical Race Theory, feminist theory, and critical discourse analysis, her research calls for meaningful youth-informed policy reform. The work advocates for a more equitable and humane child welfare system grounded in dignity, belonging, empowerment, and educational opportunity.
This research is deeply personal and rooted in Dr. Desai’s lifelong commitment to social justice. Growing up under apartheid, immigrating to Canada, and working across child welfare and education systems shaped her understanding of how institutions can both support and marginalize individuals. Her work with marginalized youth further deepened her concern for young people aging out of care.
Committed to addressing historical and systemic inequities, Dr. Desai sought to respond to the lack of youth-led research within Canadian child welfare. By centering the voices and testimonies of those most directly affected, her research exposes systemic neglect while advocating for policies that are more just, humane, and youth-informed.
Professional Background and Contributions
Dr. Desai is a Kellogg Fellow, a registered trauma-informed social worker, psychotherapist, and transformational educator consultant. She specializes in working with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, using culturally responsive approaches to mental health and well-being that personalize therapy for each client.
Her multidisciplinary therapeutic approach integrates Emotion Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, and Mindfulness practices, grounded in resilience and a strength-based, client-centered framework. She works with individuals and couples experiencing anxiety, depression, shame, trauma (including intergenerational and vicarious trauma), life transitions, grief, and loss.
Dr. Desai’s international work has included providing therapy to couples and individuals living with HIV/AIDS, addressing issues of guilt, shame, and betrayal. She has also provided organizational training and community capacity-building initiatives on human rights, newcomer integration, health, and mental health, supporting personal and organizational transformation through relationship-building and change.
Her academic career includes teaching social work at York University and Ryerson University, and most recently serving as faculty in the School of Social and Community Services at Humber College. Her publications address critical social issues including youth advocacy, violence against women, diversity, and inclusion.
Dr. Desai has also played an important role in community advocacy. She collaborated with a group of women to advocate for a shelter for women and children fleeing family violence—an effort that led to the creation of Interim Place, the first shelter in Peel Region. More recently, in partnership with Humber College and community organizations, she initiated a Mental Health Community of Practice to support staff working with youth by strengthening knowledge, skills, collaboration, and networking opportunities.
Throughout her career, Dr. Desai has received numerous awards recognizing her leadership in advocacy, social justice, and education, including the 2015 YWCA Woman of Distinction Award for Education.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Sabra Desai on this extraordinary achievement. Her work continues to inspire meaningful change and contributes to building more compassionate, equitable systems for individuals and communities.
Dr. Desai will be presenting at our upcoming Transforming Trauma Festival on May 11 to 13, 2026 sharing key insights from her research. Register for the festival at https://thegatehouse.org/transforming-trauma-together-festival
