Kristin Trotter

- 2018

• Name	Kristin Trotter
  Born	Lindsay, Ops Twp., Victoria Co., Ontario, Canada
  Gender	Female
  Honoured	2013	Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	YMCA Cambridge recognized her work with a Women of Distinction Award
  Name	Kristin Trotter
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-130751
  Died	28 Sep 2018
  	Cause: cancer
  Person ID	I130751	Generations
  Last Modified	6 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	Robert "Bob" Trotter
  Family ID	F32242	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Barry Ries
  Children	1. Izaak Ries
  Last Modified	7 Apr 2024
  Family ID	F39170	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Lifetimes: Daredevil horse riding, animal loving teen became beloved therapist and teacher Kristin Trotter of Waterloo, died: Sept. 28, 2018 of cancer by Valerie Hill Waterloo Region Record WATERLOO - Kristin Trotter, never let fun with her friends get in the way of her homework; a lifelong discipline that led to a stellar career as an academic and psychotherapist. "She wouldn't go out on a Friday night if she had an exam Monday," said her mom, Alice Trotter. "She was a good student." Good student indeed. Kristin attained a PhD in social work in 2000, graduating from Wilfrid Laurier University with a gold medal for academic excellence. Born in Lindsay (she always refused to reveal her birth year), the middle of three daughters, the family moved to Elmira when her father, journalist Bob Trotter, got a job as editor of the Elmira Signet newspaper. The paper closed in 1982. Her parents said she grew up a horse crazy girl, galloping all over town on her white Arabian, Goldie. Kristin and her sister Susan even delivered The Record newspaper on horseback around Elmira but their favourite event was the annual Elmira Fall Fair parade and horse race where the girls always rode bareback and Kristin pretty much always won the races. One year, her parents recall some macho guys came into town all duded up in cowboy attire, riding muscly quarter horses assuming Kristin and her sister Susan wouldn't stand a chance on the race track. Turns out it was the cowboys who didn't stand a chance and there is a photo of teenage Kristin on her horse, flying across the finish line in first place. Her parents still smile at the memory of how much Kristin loved horses. All animals actually. "You never knew what she was going to bring home," said Bob, recalling one particularly large German shepherd-type dog who just happened to follow her home. She eventually confessed, there might have been some coercion on her part. Once Kristin graduated from Elmira District High School, her life became all about education. In 1975, she graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of Waterloo's psychology faculty. She dabbled with the idea of following in her father's footsteps, graduating from Conestoga College with a diploma in journalism in 1983 but as her partner of 33 years, Barry Ries, said "it wasn't where her heart was, she was much happier being a therapist." Returning to the academic stream, Kristin entered the master of theological studies program at Wilfrid Laurier University's Lutheran Seminary where she trained to be a couples and family therapist. At the time, the program was the only one of its kind in Canada offering intensive studies. That seminary program further stoked her academic ambitions. "I don't think she (originally) had aspirations to get a PhD," said her father. "When she got involved in scholastics at Laurier, she grabbed it. "She wanted to know more, she was very curious." Barry spoke about Kristin's keen intellect, her passion for learning, how she was always taking courses, learning new therapeutic techniques, researching ideas. "She adored her clients and loved feeling she was able to help them," said Barry. In 2000, Kristin was granted a PhD from Wilfrid Laurier University faculty of social work which gave her a new level of professional credentials. She had a particular interest in helping victims of trauma and had, in fact, written her PhD thesis on the ethnic conflict in Bosnia in the 1990s, interviewing refugees and tracking how they adjusted to life in Canada. Starting in 1994, Kristin was in private practice in individual, couples and family therapy, both at home and at the Anello Clinic in Cambridge. Barry and her parents, who spoke with many of her former clients, said they often hear the same refrain, that Kristin had saved their lives, that she possessed an ability to connect with a patient and truly understand what they were feeling and thinking. After working as an instructor at Laurier and the University of Waterloo starting in the mid-1990s, Kristin joined the social work faculty in 2009 as an assistant professor. "Her students really loved her and she loved them," said Alice. "They'd do anything to get into a class she was teaching." Longtime friend and colleague, marriage and family therapist, Gloria Taylor, said Kristin's approach to clients and to students was different but equally effective. "She was pretty agile," said Gloria of her friend's ability to move so seamlessly between the two worlds. In the classroom she "was not your standard variety teacher," said Gloria. In therapy, Kristin practised the "use of self" method, where therapists share their own experiences with clients and in this sharing create a bond. "The focus is intense for 50 or 60 minutes," said Gloria. "Something goes on at such a deep level." Though Kristin was a private person, when it came to her clients she would willingly share her life if it would help them. "As a therapist, she was pretty bold," said Gloria. "She would not mince words." Being straightforward meant Kristin's clients immediately trusted her. "People would be ready to follow her," said Gloria. In this world of teaching and therapy, Kristin had little free time. "She worked far too many hours," said Barry, adding they did travel a bit but usually related to attending conferences. In 2012, they planned a vacation in Cuba and Kristin used the opportunity to connect with a social work academic there. She never wasted time, particularly if something could be learned or shared. In 2013, the YMCA Cambridge recognized her work with a Women of Distinction Award. Barry said the award surprised her, that though she was always a proponent of women's rights, Kristin tended to work behind the scenes. She was not one to be out front marching with a placard protesting. When they met more than three decades ago, Kristin had been married for a short time and she had a daughter, Kaitlin. After she met Barry, they had a son together, Izaak. Kristin was diagnosed with colon cancer two years ago and following treatment it was thought she would be OK but the cancer returned, this time spreading to her lungs and brain. "She kept working up to the end," said Alice. One of her clients even came for counselling to her hospital bedside though Kristin's doctors had only given her six months to live. She just wouldn't give up, right until she died Sept. 28. "That's our lady," said her proud father. vhill@therecord.com Hill, V. (2018). Lifetimes: Daredevil horse riding, animal loving teen became beloved therapist and teacher. TheRecord.com. Retrieved 15 October 2018, from https://www.therecord.com/whatson-story/8964855-lifetimes-daredevil-horse-riding-animal-loving-teen-became-beloved-therapist-and-teacher/

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - - Lindsay, Ops Twp., Victoria Co., Ontario, Canada Honoured - YMCA Cambridge recognized her work with a Women of Distinction Award - 2013 - Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth