Our Story
NowWhat? Support Services began in 2016 when two Hamilton moms, Milena Romalis and Rina Rodak — both professionals in education and disability support, and both raising neurodivergent kids — kept hearing the same question from overwhelmed families: “Now what?”
They saw how hard it was for already overloaded families to navigate new diagnoses, long waitlists, confusing systems, and disconnected services. So they started small: offering consulting services from their living rooms, helping families understand new diagnoses, access funding, and create real-life strategies that actually fit their home routines. Word spread quickly, and with no outside funding (just grit, sacrifice, and a lot of late nights), NowWhat grew into something much bigger.
Who We Are Today
Today, NowWhat is a women-led, collaborative, multi-disciplinary family systems clinic based in Ancaster, Ontario — and we’re proud to be known as a place where neurodiverse families feel seen, supported, and understood.
We’re a team of:
- 40+ therapists (OT, SLP, Psychotherapy, Developmental Therapy, Social Work, Child & Youth Work, Executive Function Coaches)
- 20+ administrative and support staff
- 15–20 practicum students and summer team members each year (3rd and 4th year students in related fields)
- 2 locations (we opened our first teen & adult satellite clinic in the Ancaster Business Park in late 2024)
All working together to support hundreds of neurodiverse children, teens, adults, and families across the GTA and beyond.
We intentionally hire clinicians and support staff with lived neurodivergence experience (Autism, ADHD, OCD, learning differences) so our clients feel connected to people who truly “get it.”
What We Do At NowWhat Supports
We offer support across the lifespan — from early childhood to adulthood — through services that are practical, affirming, strengths-focused, and joyful. Our programs include:
- Clinical counselling and psychotherapy for children, teens, adults, couples, and families
- Occupational Therapy & Speech-Language Therapy for all ages
- Interest-based therapeutic groups for kids and teens (D&D, sports and gym-based, gaming, cooking, etc)
- ADHD & Executive Function coaching – blending practical support with skill development
- Neuro-inclusive Separation & Divorce support for whole families
- Parent coaching and counselling across the life span
- DBT-based programs redesigned for real families (preventative, joyful, ADHD-friendly social-emotional skill-building)
- Therapeutic PA days and school break camps for kids who need more support than mainstream camps can offer
- A year-round intensive day program for children with layered support needs needing coordinated, one-roof support
- Ontario Autism Program (OAP) eligible clinical services and case management support
Families often come to us after hitting long waitlists, dead ends, or feeling misunderstood in school, health, and mental health systems. Many of our referrals come from pediatricians, hospitals, schools, and child development centres across the GTA.
As an organization, we are deeply committed to:
- Equitable access, keeping our costs as low as possible while remaining sustainable as a social enterprise
- Fair, living-wage employment and stability for our team
- Offering high-quality student placements (McMaster, Laurier, Mohawk, Yorkville & more)
- Co-creating a neuro-inclusive workplace with our incredible, diverse team
- Upholding high clinical standards while innovating bravely to meet new needs
Our Vision
We’re here to change the mental health and developmental support landscape in Canada — to challenge norms, and champion ‘minds of all kinds’ across the lifespan. We’re working toward a future where families have access to:
- Inclusive, gender-aware assessment and support
- Services built for neurodiverse brains, not around them
- Joyful, modern, empowering programs instead of outdated, one-size-fits-all resources
- Coordinated care without waitlists, gatekeeping, or frustrating red tape
Our long-term goals include:
- Creating neuro-affirming training programs, systems, and models for communities and workplaces across Canada
- Developing innovative, neuro-inclusive resources
- Continuing to hire and train high-quality, neurodiverse therapists
- Eventually, our dream is to purchase our existing building and potentially open more satellite locations to expand our reach
Why We’re Here
At our core, we believe every family and individual deserves timely, compassionate, flexible support — the kind we want for our own families.
We’re here to walk alongside you through diagnosis, growth, setbacks, questions, and milestones — always with curiosity, respect, and a belief that every mind deserves a place to shine.
Want to Help Us Build The Dream?
In order to stay flexible, responsive and innovative, without excessive red tape, we choose to remain private in structure, which means we don’t receive government funding. If you’re a corporation or individual looking to sponsor an organization that aligns with your values, and champion minds of all kinds alongside us, please reach out to info@nowwhatsupports.ca – we’d love to partner with you! Sponsorships can be written off as advertising expenses, offering corporations the same tax benefits as charitable giving.
If you’re a person with resources and knowledge in the world of private-sector fundraising, and you are passionate about keeping inclusive mental health supports available here in Hamilton – we’d love to sit down and talk.
Land Acknowledgement
NowWhat? Supports is situated on the traditional territories of the Erie, Neutral, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee, and Mississaugas peoples. This land is covered by the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, a peace agreement between the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples, which established a shared responsibility to care for the resources of the Great Lakes and ensure their sustainable use. We also acknowledge the history of the 1792 Between the Lakes Purchase, a treaty between the Crown and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, and its ongoing impact on the land and its people.
We recognize that this territory remains the home of many Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island, who continue to maintain deep, enduring connections to this land, its waters, and its resources. Today, the Hamilton area is a hub for a diverse Indigenous community, and we are grateful for the opportunity to work, live, and grow on this land. Many of our staff, clients, and community members are Indigenous, and we are committed to honoring their culture, traditions, and teachings in all that we do.
We acknowledge that as settlers on this land, we carry the responsibility to learn about its rich Indigenous history and to understand the lasting effects of colonization. We recognize that we are beneficiaries of colonial systems and structures that have contributed to systemic inequities for Indigenous peoples. With this recognition, we make a commitment to continually examine our role in these processes, to challenge the legacies of colonization, and to actively support the work of reconciliation.
We encourage all who read this to pause and reflect daily on the history and ongoing experiences of Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island and around the world. Let us honor the strength, resilience, and wisdom of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples who have cared for this land since time immemorial. May we, as residents, neighbors, and allies, take conscious steps toward healing and building relationships based on respect, trust, and justice.
Why Land Acknowledgements Matter
Land acknowledgements are a key element of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action, recognizing the enduring presence and rights of the First Peoples of this land. They are a vital part of the broader movement toward reconciliation, fostering a deeper understanding of the sacred bond between Indigenous peoples and the land.
While colonial systems have often treated land as a commodity, Indigenous peoples have always understood their relationship to the Earth as one of stewardship, care, and mutual respect. The land is not merely a resource, but a living entity that is integral to their identity, culture, traditions, and spiritual practices. Acknowledging this relationship is an important step in healing the wounds of colonialism, recognizing the harm done, and affirming our collective commitment to justice and reparative actions.
By reflecting on the significance of land and its connection to Indigenous peoples, we are reminded of our shared responsibility to honor this history, engage in meaningful dialogue, and work together to create a more just and equitable future.