Andrea Benites, Ph.D., RSW, MSW, is a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist who has spent more than ten years caring for people living with cancer and the families who love them. Her clinical career has taken her through respected cancer programs on two continents: leading hospitals across Brazil and, more recently, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, where she has walked with patients and their families through every stage of the experience: the shock of a new diagnosis, the long months of treatment, the recalibration of survivorship, and, when needed, advanced illness. Andrea is known for her holistic presence and for her commitment to honouring each person’s values in the room.
Her formal training began in Brazil. She earned both her undergraduate and Master’s degrees in Psychology at São Paulo State University (UNESP) and then completed a Ph.D. in Psychology at the University of São Paulo (USP). After moving to Canada, she added a Master of Social Work from the University of Toronto with a specialization in Health and Mental Health. Andrea’s clinical work integrates a broad range of evidence‑based modalities — including Emotion‑Focused Therapy (EFT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Solution‑Focused Therapy, Trauma‑Informed Care, mindfulness‑based interventions, and Humanistic‑Existential Psychotherapy; an unusually wide toolkit she tailors to the person and the moment, rather than fitting patients to a single approach.
As a scholar, Andrea has published in international journals including the European Journal of Cancer Care, Supportive Care in Cancer, and Death Studies, and her research continues to shape the way she practices. She is a passionate advocate for making psychosocial care approachable and genuinely useful to people confronting the emotional, psychological, and existential weight of a cancer diagnosis. Andrea and the Cancer Fatigue Services team are ready to stand beside you and the people who love you, bringing steady, evidence‑informed care to wherever you are on your journey.
