Dr. Shely Polak
Clinical Social Worker & Family Mediator (she/her)
Shely is a clinical social worker specializing in working with separated, divorced and high conflict families. Her goal is to provide child-focused services, reduce conflict between parents, and improve the overall wellbeing of children and families.
Shely holds a Master of Social Work degree and a PhD from the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto. She is a registered social worker and accredited family mediator through the Ontario Association of Family Mediation. Shely is the founder and director of a boutique clinical practice providing specialized services related to families impacted by separation and divorce and high conflict coparenting dynamics in the York Region. She is also adjunct faculty at the Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto.
She has published in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters on topics related to separated/divorced families involved with the court system. She is a frequent presenter at national and international professional and academic conferences in high conflict separation/divorce and parent-child contact problems.
Shely was the recipient of the Nicolas Bala Award for Excellence in Children & Family Law in October 2016. She is a member of the Ontario College of Social Workers, Ontario Association of Social Workers, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, and the Ontario Association of Family Mediators.
She is currently the President of the Board of Directors for the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Ontario Chapter.
Shely is bilingual in English and Spanish. In her free time, Shely enjoys relishing life’s moments with her three young children and spouse, Netflix, wine, and good dark chocolate.