Evan is a bilingual Registered Provisional Psychologist dedicated to providing compassionate, culturally responsive care. He has experience in helping clients overcome depression, anxiety, addictions, stress, and trauma, Evan also has experience in working with diverse populations, particularly individuals from visible minority communities, as well as youth and athletes. A primary goal for Evan is to ensure that clients receive personalized, evidence-based care.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, experiencing low confidence, helpless or hopeless, feeling like a mis-fit to your family or community, or just unsure of where to turn, you might be looking for someone who understands what you’re going through. Evan can help you navigate these difficult emotions and experiences.

Evan knows firsthand the difficulties of navigating identity and cultural pressures. He uses these personal experiences to help people who might be feeling isolated or unsure of their place in the world. Evan moved to Canada in search of better opportunities. He is aware of both the potentials Canada offers, and the many challenges that immigrants and first generation Canadians may face. Issues around identity, belonging, accepted and fitting in are all areas Evan has strengths in helping his clients to manage.

Struggling with depression or anxiety can feel overwhelming. It’s not usual to feel like you have done something wrong for having these emotions. It’s not unusual for other people to blame you for having these emotions. You might hear people say, “if you would just try harder” or “just relax” or “other people have it worse so what is your problem”. In reality, these feelings arise from prolonged stress, unresolved trauma, or imbalances in the brain. Life’s challenges, like relationship issues, career pressures, or past events beyond your control, can weigh heavily and lead to these emotions. Evan’s clinical skills can help to break free from this cycle. Using evidence-based therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), trauma-focused therapy, mindfulness, Evan has helped people reconnect with life, manage worry, and rediscover a sense of purpose. Evan can help you move beyond being defined by these feelings. There is a way to feel better, to regain control.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by past trauma, know that the distressing symptoms you’re experiencing, such as flashbacks, sleep disturbances, nightmares or emotional volatility or numbness, are treatable. It is possible, with the right therapeutic approach, to reduce or eliminate many of these experiences. Trauma often leaves deep emotional scars that can feel impossible to heal on your own. Trauma symptoms are somewhat like an electrical short in your brain that leave you feeling like the trauma is happening over and over. Evan understands how overwhelming this can be, and his trauma-focused approach aims to help you gradually reduce these painful symptoms. With his empathetic and structured guidance, you can regain a sense of safety and control in your life. You don’t have to keep living in the shadow of your past.

If you’re an athlete under pressure, it’s important to know that the stress and anxiety you’re feeling are often responses to the immense expectations placed on you. Balancing academic/work, athletic, and personal life can create an overwhelming sense of pressure that makes it difficult to stay grounded. As a former University of Alberta Track and Field and Soccer athlete, a member of Team Alberta, and member a professional soccer academy in France, Evan has been honored with multiple awards for his athletic, academic, and community involvement. Evan has been in your shoes, and he knows the unique challenges athletes face. Whether you’re struggling with performance anxiety or feeling like you’re losing your balance in life, Evan’s here to help you manage that stress and build the resilience you need to succeed—both on and off the field.

For those navigating identity or racial challenges, it’s common to feel isolated, loneliness, or rejected. Social judgement and/or pressure from your own community pressures can result in disconnected from friends, family, work colleagues’. This can lead to, confusion, sadness and anger. Issues of race and identity can create deep emotional strain. All of these experiences are a natural response to these challenges. As a Black male provisional psychologist, Evan understands firsthand how difficult this can be. He provides culturally responsive care, helping you overcome these emotions, replacing them with hope, connection, and worthiness. Evan will help you to rediscover your strong sense of self.

Graduating Summa Cum Ladue from the University of Alberta Master of Educational Psychology, Evan’s approach integrates Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), trauma-focused therapy, and Sport Psychology. He offers counseling services in both French and English, making his services accessible to a broader range of clients.

Evan began working as a mental health therapist is 2017. His original work was with orphans and underprivileged families. He expanded his clinical experiences over time in providing counselling supports to minority teens and adults. Evan has also provided psychological therapy to athletes competing at both at community levels and at university, provincial and professional athletes.

Evan provides evening and weekend appointments to best meet his client’s scheduling requests.

Evan is a bilingual Registered Provisional Psychologist dedicated to providing compassionate, cul... Read More

Theresa is a Registered Provisional Psychologist. She has been working in the mental health field since starting her training in the field of Psychology in 1997. In 2009 she obtained a Masters in Education Psychology – Special Education. In January of 2021 Theresa moved more fully into Clinical and Counselling Psychology. Theresa is well recognized in the general public and Indigenous communities for her skills in mental health, knowledge of brain/ behaviour/ psychological development across a lifetime, and ability to work collaboratively with individuals and groups from many personal, cultural and professional backgrounds.

Theresa is proud to claim her Indigenous heritage as a Cree woman from Tallcree First Nation. Theresa has taken her experience as a visible minority and transformed that into clinical skills in working with individuals who feel like they do not ‘fit in’ with the general population due to ‘being different’. Whether being different is because of struggles with mental health, unique ways of thinking, low sense of self, or being targeted as a visible or invisible minority (i.e. neurodiverse, LGBTQ++, cultural or religious background) Theresa has both the knowledge and skills to help that person to heal and become confident in who they are.

Adults

Theresa brings a soft, listening style into her sessions working with adults. Clients who feel unheard, alone, and/or not good enough often say that Theresa is an amazing support for them. They find that Theresa connects with them and is able to stay with them as they grieve loss, struggle with addiction, or worry about themselves, their children or their future.

Theresa brings a strong understanding of how addiction can reach across generations, negatively impacting lives from parents to children, and then to grandchildren. She knows how to help clients break the cycle of intergenerational abuse and neglect.

Children

Theresa realized early in her training that children are most likely to accept support when the support comes in the form that they choose use and learn through every day. This can be play, drawing, dance, and storytelling. She also knows that being a ‘therapist who plays with children’ is not same clinically as a therapist who is trained specifically in leading edge Play Therapy techniques, and who regularly gets skill development feedback from clinically recognized Play Therapists. To provide the children who work with her the best possible chance of recovery and growth, Theresa has taken advanced training in Play Therapy, Sandtray Therapy, Theraplay, and attachment based therapy. Each of these research based, and clinically proven approaches are consistently shown to help children deal with both common and exceptional challenges.

Theresa’s work with children starts by helping both the child and their parent feel comfortable in the Play Therapy office. She begins by asking each about their concerns and goals. Everyone is involved in figuring out what is needed for each family member to feel better. While Theresa has helped many children to resolve struggles with depression, trauma, school fears, learning difficulties, attention and impulse control difficulty, peer pressure, neglect, communication difficulties, social skills challenges and domestic difficulties in individual counseling, Theresa knows that the greatest successes come when the work in the therapy room is continued at home. So, depending on each presenting issue, Theresa may work 1:1 with the child, or may work with a child-parent pair, or even whole families.

When children aren’t doing well it can be incredibly distressing for the parent. Theresa takes the approach that helping the child often involves working with the parent as well. Sometimes its small tweaks in parenting skills that make all the difference. Knowing how to help your child through emotional distress can be an incredible relief. A child’s rage, failure to follow direction, emotional withdrawal, can all be signs of psychological or emotional distress. Theresa helps parents to figure out what lies underneath the behavior teaches parents how to make a meaningful and deep connection with their child to shift those behaviors. Over a course of therapy this often leads to reduced stress and increased joy in the home for everyone.

Teens

The teen years bring a tremendous amount of change. Teens often seem to listen more to friends, videos on social media sites, and even information they find random webpages than the wisdom of their parents. It can be scary to see a teenage child start to engage in behaviors that are confusing, potentially risky, or seem to be entirely random. Mood swings, sudden shifts in connection and disconnection with parents, siblings, teachers, peers and previously loved activities and sports can be very disconcerting for parents. There can be fears about drugs, inappropriate relationships, academic failure, and decision making that could have long-term negative effects on an adolescent future.

While many teens manage their adolescent years well, other teens face significant issues. Peer pressure, gender identity, academic expectations, interpersonal skills, exposure to trauma, substance use/abuse, and social/cultural/racial issues can all come into play. Disrupted homelife due to domestic issues, parent mental health challenges, parental work stress or financial issues can show up in teens as moodiness, anger outbursts, and changes in physical appearance through weight gain/loss, body art, clothing and hairstyle choices, and how and where they choose to spend their time. Some teens withdraw into their rooms, others start spending time with risk taking friends, while others attempt to become exceptional students, athletes, or mini-parents to their siblings. Each of these responses to stress can lead to difficulty with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, aggression, identity distress, or reactionary, emotion based thinking.

Theresa knows how hard it can be for parents to see their child in pain. She can provide a safe and calm space for teens to learn how to engage with, learn about, and express their emotions in healthily ways. Theresa helps teens and their loved ones learn to communicate and share even hard emotions in a way that ends with each family member feeling heard and cared about. While much of her teen work is done one to one, when appropriate, Theresa will help parents and their adolescent children together in order to rebuild long-term connection.

Lifetime Development / Mental Health – Individual and Couples Work

Historically the consensus was that brain development stopped somewhere during adolescence. Then it was found that major parts of the brain involved in more complex decision making and advanced reasoning continued to develop well into early adulthood. We now know that the brain changes throughout a lifetime. Brain changes impact how we think. Brain changes impact how we feel emotions. Brain chance can alter personality, sense of self, interaction skills, work and social capacity. A major factor of brain change in adults can be tied to stress.

Theresa’s strong background in brain development over a human lifetime aids her in helping children and teens deal with learning challenges, behavioral issues (due to life experiences, hormones, and genetics) and emotional difficulty.

For adults and teens, Theresa is able to utilize her knowledge of brain development or brain change to help clients understand mental health and psychological issues such as depression, anxiety, emotional dysregulation, feels and fears of loneliness, loss, trauma, homelife and worksite dysfunction, and relationship breakdown. While most people can deal with life challenges as they come, at a certain point even the most resilient begin to feel overwhelmed. Feeling stuck, confused, or helpless are common reasons that people come to therapy. Theresa is able to help clients understand the reasons underneath their distress, and then help clients to make the changes they want to make so that the distress resolves.

Using Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness for Individuals, Emotionally Focused Therapy for Individuals (EFIT) and Couples (EFT), and specific therapy techniques designed for particular challenges, Theresa is able to help clients regain control of their self. She helps the people she works with unravel the negative impact of stress on their emotions, physical wellbeing, and on their thinking. As her clients feel increasingly settled, they often report improvements in sleep, interpersonal relationships, workplace achievement, and overall physical and mental health.

Availability

Theresa offers evening opens to ensure that her child, teen, adult and couples clients can book appointments that do not interfere with daytime commitments.

Theresa is a Registered Provisional Psychologist. She has been working in the mental health fiel... Read More

Madison has worked in the mental health field since 2021. She is currently completing her Master’s level practicum in Counselling Psychology. Madison has experience working with children and teens with a variety of emotional and behavioural challenges such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Madison has experience working with adults with issues related to grief and loss, body image, perfectionism, academic stress, anxiety, depression, addiction, and relationship challenges. She is a skilled, compassionate, and empathetic therapist. Madison is focused helping her clients reach their goals and improve their quality of life.

Madison offers children a fully equipped, child focused space to be in. Such a space helps children to feel that they are of value. By working with children in a space that feels made for them, children are more comfortable to freely their thoughts, emotions, and dreams. Madison is also able to help parents and children reconnect. While able to help children work through many things 1:1, Madison also works with parents and children together so that the gains made in therapy are continued into the home.

Madison has helped children struggling with impulse control, behavioral challenges, trauma exposures, family breakdown, blended family challenges, and parent-child relationship difficulties. She has also helped children and their families address difficulties managing school expectations, general social skills, anger, shyness and social withdrawal. She is comfortable helping children who are having difficulty managing grief and loss.

Madison has had specialized training in working with children with Autism. She has helped families and autistic children reduce such concerning behaviors as pika (eating nonfood items), picky eating, elopement, and aggressive behaviours. She has also assisted in helping children on the spectrum and their families better manage common hygiene challenge issues such as showering, brushing teeth, washing hands, brushing hair, dressing themselves and so on. With supports many spectrum or complex needs children Madison has worked with have exhibited decreased aggressive behaviours, increased flexibility, and increased independence.

Madison’s is experienced at working with the multidisciplinary teams that are often involved in children with more complex needs.

Teens present with their own set of challenges. Teens are trying to develop their own identities while at the same fit in with peers, which can mean they do not always feel they fit with their family. Teens are realizing that life at home is not the same as life in other places, and this can lead to distress, outrage, a desire to change (themselves, their family, or even the world), or frustration. Teens are dealing with hormones that can markedly impact thought and behavior. They are dealing with confusion about what the future looks like for them. Teens may also be dealing with homelife challenges, negative interactions with friends, historical traumas, or fear about the future.

Madison’s approach is to connect with the teen. To hear their story. Madison will then work with the teen in a way that is meaningful to that adolescent. She will give the teen a place to talk, a place to challenge, and a place to develop a sense of control for themselves. As teens feel heard and are given skills on how to manage their emotions, impulses and dreams, most adolescents will start to feel calmer. Over time, many of the distressing emotions and behaviors will reduce. This allows the teenager to refocus on making positive connections, developing a health support system, and move successfully into adulthood.

Madison has experience supporting adults enduring challenges such as grief and loss, addiction, school stress, anxiety, depression, and financial stress. Madison likes to begin her time with you by hearing your story. She will ask questions focused on gaining an understanding on what brought you to therapy, what things you have already tried to do to figure things out (as there is no point in repeating things that have not worked), and what you are hoping to achieve through therapy. Through an ongoing process of listening and exploring, Madison will use her skills and knowledge to help you deal with the distress. Madison’s goal is that you will leave with understanding, competency and control.

She has several years of experience working with adults in crisis as a crisis responder and peer support volunteer. She also has years of experience working with adults who are dealing with stress, relationship breakdown, parenting issues, and difficulties with family dynamics.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Madison is completing MEd Counselling Psychology from the University of Lethbridge and is completing her final practicum hours for her degree. Madison has completed foundational work in Play Therapy. Madison receives regular supervision from a Certified Play Therapist Supervisor (CPT-S).

Madison has previously worked as Registered Behaviour Technician (RBT), and as a Therapeutic Assistant in schools and with families in their homes. In her roles as a Therapeutic Assistant or as an RBT she has worked with multiple cross-disciplinary teams including behaviour analysts’ specialists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, families and schools in developing and implementing behaviour plans for children on the autism spectrum.

Madison has experience working with children, teens and adults in individual, family and group settings. She has delivered evidence-based interventions, led social skills groups, supported individualized behaviour plans, and collaborated with teachers, parents, and other professionals. Her work has led to measurable improvements in confidence, emotional regulation and problem-solving skills for her clients.

Madison provides daytime, evening and weekend appointments to best meet her client’s needs.

Madison has worked in the mental health field since 2021. She is currently completing her Master... Read More

Kris is a Registered Psychologist. He has completed a Master’s in Education with a major in Counselling. Kris has developed a counselling model that is client-centered, and trauma informed. Kris prioritizes the counsellor-client relationship as a key means for creating a safe space that allows the client to talk about difficult and challenging issues.

Kris primarily utilizes Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Narrative Therapy, and Mindfulness approaches. Kris listens carefully to your story, and then helps you shift yourself into the person you hope to become. The therapy goal is for you to regain control of your life. In session, Kris works collaboratively with you by helping you discover the meaning behind your thoughts, feelings, and actions. By uncovering your core beliefs with patience, empathy, and safety, Kris helps you to create the desired change.

Adults

Kris has experience working with adults and supporting them through anxiety (i.e. generalized anxiety, social anxiety, workplace anxiety/stress, perfectionism, Covid-19 anxiety…). He also specifically helps individuals dealing with imposter syndrome, depression, generalized stress, addictions, difficulties with decision making, communication breakdown issues, and complex trauma. Kris is open to dealing with many issues, and when his clients bring in something new to work on, Kris listens carefully to understand the you and the challenges you are facing. He seeks out therapy solutions that best fit the your goals, and then engages with you to create change.

Couples Counselling

Kris an experienced couples counsellor. He utilizes the gold standard, research proven Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) approach. Using EFT he enables each person to connect with, and share their feelings. As each partner in the couple become more confident in expressing their emotions, and in being heard, communication increases, along with a general sense of safety and connection. Through this approach Kris helps couples to understand and become more comfortable in sharing and ‘being with’ the feelings that can be difficult to express and hear. Over time the couple is able to move away from unhealthy, disruptive and potentially toxic interaction patterns. As each person in the couple becomes a better communicator, and feels safer in sharing their emotions, Kris helps the couple to develop new, more positive interaction patterns. In this way each person learns to empathize with their partner. Each person learns how to heal the rough spots within their self, support their partner in healing, and strengthen the relationship overall. Addictions

A primary element of addictions is avoidance. The act of using (i.e. drugs, alcohol…) overly engaging in normally socially acceptable activities (i.e. over exercising, loosing hours on the internet, shopping beyond need…) and/or not being able to stop certain activities once started (i.e. gambling, compulsive theft, rage outbursts that get out of control…) are often a means of avoidance. The addiction ‘saves’ the person from having to deal with uncomfortable emotions, thoughts, or memories.

Kris understands how addictive behaviour is generally a symptom of a breakdown in primary attachment (i.e. parent-child), an unresolved trauma, unmet emotional need, or sense of being “not good enough” or “unloveable”. Kris utilizes his therapy skills to gently allow his client to face the what they have avoided for so long. With Kris’ support many people have been able to move from a place of fear, confusion and/or despair, into a place of acceptance. Kris’ non-judgmental approach enables self-forgiveness for the client. As the client is able to address what they have avoided for so long the addiction often disappears. Kris then helps the client make amends where they are needed, and then helps the client move more into a more productive, positive, and self-confident place within the client’s chose community.

Sport Psychology

Kris works with athletes on any problems or topics they bring into session. He is passionate about helping athletes understand their personal psychology. He helps athletes to improve their situational reasoning, overall problem-solving skills, and sharpen their focus. Kris works with athletes to manage pressure and stress. Kris offers help with concentration, mental toughness, peak performance, self-talk, and learning different ways to potentially improve their performance in their sport.

As a young athlete in a small town, Kris grew up playing a plethora of team and individual sports. Using his natural leadership skills, he was the captain of many different teams, always focusing on how he could maximize his team’s performance. Kris paid close attention to learning about how his actions and his performance affected his teammates.

Kris ended up playing university volleyball as a setter for The King’s University Eagles from 2012-2017. In 2017 Kris was named to the ACAC North All Conference Team. He was named a CCAA Academic All Canadian.

Through his time playing club and university volleyball, Kris’s was involved with several sport psychologists. He learned the value of sports psychology. Kris developed a particular interest in how sports psychology may impact individual and whole team performance.

Kris is a Registered Psychologist. He has completed a Master’s in Education with a major in Coun... Read More

Kim Houlihan has over two decades of experience working with children, adolescents, and adults. Kim has a particular interest in working with clients of all ages dealing with trauma, and the associated challenges of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mood shifts, addiction associated with trauma, and general stress.

In addition to her extensive background in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) for treating trauma and PTSD, she is also versed in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). CBT is the recommended treatment approach for anxiety and depression. Kim draws on her training in mind-body awareness, and the art of self-creation through story, to help her clients connect with their thoughts, emotions, and physical senses. This self-narrative approach enables many clients to regain control over their personal life stories, and move towards becoming the person they would choose to be.

CHILDREN (AGES 8 YEARS AND UP) Kim has worked extensively with complex presentation children to help them deal with a variety of issues. Complex presentation children are children facing multiple challenges.

These challenges may include behavioural issues, parenting challenges, schoolwork difficulties, issues around self-esteem, and/or difficulty with impulse control, or difficulties adjusting to parental separation/divorce or blended families. Other children Kim works with, may be facing struggles with acute or chronic medical challenges. More recently, Kim has been helping children deal with struggles around physical distancing, loss of connection to friends and family members, general sense of being isolated or trapped, and generalized anxiety.

For some children, the challenges they face may include: exposure to domestic distress, substance abuse in the home, family violence, physical/emotional/sexual abuse and/or neglect. A certain portion of the clients Kim works with regularly have had to manage living in multiple homes, loss of culture, and/or bullying due to racism.

Kim approaches each child as a unique individual. She gathers information from the child’s parents/caregivers and in dialogue develops an acceptable treatment plan for all parties. Kim’s primary goal is to help children feel connected to and accepted by, those who love and care for them. Kim believes that by strengthening the parent/caregiver child bond, children are provided the best opportunity to heal and move towards their full potential. Kim utilizes Play Therapy, Sandtray Therapy, Mindfulness, and Theraplay (play focused on parent-child attachment) to help children and their parents heal. Kim also has advanced training in using Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) with traumatized children.

TEENS Kim’s approach to teens is straightforward and clear. She believes that teenagers have many abilities that if appropriately noticed and nurtured will help them become contributing, confident adults. Kim finds that teens respond well to ‘having something in their hands’ when they are doing their therapy work, and to that end she has a variety of tools and approaches. These include art therapy (painting, sculpture, drawing), age appropriate Sandtray work, various writing techniques and Somatic Experiencing Therapy, which helps the teen connect their emotions to their physical being and thoughts.

Kim has a strong background in working with teens struggling with depression, anxiety, attention problems, impulsive behaviours, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, boundary difficulties, substance abuse/addiction, mood swings, behavioural challenges, self-identity difficulties, self-harm and suicidal thoughts. Kim has completed advanced training in EMDR therapy to work with traumatized teens.

Kim is prepared to work with teen’s 1:1, or with teens and parents together based on what is most needful. She will work with teens in the modality that best fits for them. Kim understands that not every distressed adolescent believes counselling is for them. Kim is trained in approaches that increase the likelihood of the teenager “buying into” counselling. Her clinical experience has taught her to listen well, not only to clients’ words, posture, body language, and movement, but also to the different voices that personify what they want, and what’s getting in the way.

ADULTS Kim recognizes that the foundation for success in therapy rests on her ability to establish a positive, authentic and trusting therapeutic relationship with you. Getting to know you at a pace that’s comfortable for you helps her to gain an understanding of what’s at the heart of the issues that bring you to counselling. Kim endeavours to bear witness to your life narrative of her clients in a relational capacity. Kim’s first therapeutic goal is to establish a strong and authentic relationship. Within this relationship her hope is that you will feel respected and safe to explore the feelings, thoughts, and events leading you into therapy.

Kim has helped many adults dealing with workplace stress, anxiety, grief, loss, loneliness, self-esteem challenges, substance abuse/addiction, and depression. She has worked with many individuals struggling with a history of, or currently faced with, breakdown in interpersonal relationships due to communication failures, mental health issues for the you or your partner, domestic aggression/violence, or trauma due to current or recent events. THERAPEUTIC TRAINING Kim is able to provide treatment using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness, Narrative Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, EMDR, and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and via Somatic Experiencing.

She is also trained in Motivational Interviewing, which is the gold standard technique for engaging individuals who are unsure if they are struggling with addictions or other mental health concerns, despite what those around them may say.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND Kim is a Registered Social Worker with the Alberta College of Social Workers and she holds a Clinical designation. She holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Calgary and a Bachelor degree in Psychology through the University of Alberta.

Kim has applied her skills in a variety of settings including school-based therapy services, community-based outpatient therapy with Alberta Health Services, privately with adults impacted by intimate partner violence and with families working with Children’s Services.

Kim Houlihan has over two decades of experience working with children, adolescents, and adults. ... Read More

Sophie Olsen, M.C. (masters level clinician) Sophie is completing her practicum as a Master in Counselling student. She has worked with individuals from a variety of backgrounds. Sophie has helped people that are dealing with stressful situations. She has many years of experience helping individuals who are struggling with anxiety, depression, adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism (for adults), drug and alcohol addictions, grief/loss, and relationship challenges.

Sophie has additional training in working with individuals who have been negatively impacted by cultural biases, stereotyping, and discrimination. Her experience in helping visible and invisible minorities has included individuals struggling with mental health issues, cultural misunderstandings, developmental challenges, ageism and women’s issues. Sophie also has training and has worked with many First Nations, Metis, Inuit and Indigenous peoples. Sophie has supported individuals who are dealing with life changes associated with aging. This includes handling retirement, changes in physical and mental ability, long term illnesses, and shifts in personal independence.

Sophie understands that struggling with anxiety and depression can be debilitating, overwhelming and painful. Whether feelings of anxiety and depression are triggered by events, prolonged stress, brain imbalances, past experiences or an unknown reason, it can take over your life and make it difficult to function in your day to day. It is even more painful when people around you do not fully understand your experience, and give you surface level advice like “stop worrying” or “look at your life – you should be happy”.

Sophie is a good person to explore what is happening for you. She is comfortable talking about emotions. Sophie will be present and supportive with you become more comfortable exploring, managing and lessening difficult emotions. As things start to make sense, what is going on now starts to make sense, what on in the past starts to make sense, it becomes possible to regain a sense of control. Along with a sense of control will come new skills to manage your anxiety and depression.

Relationships are a fundamental part of humans’ lives and can bring so much joy, but can also bring distress and pain. Social media, television tells us that relationships must be perfect to be worth it. Reality is quite different. Relationships are wonderful, confusing, disappointing, lonely, scary, frustrating, and deeply felt. They are also the trigger for many issues, such as anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, addictions, and choices that we might regret even a few minutes later.

Different types of relationships can require different types of interactions. Not everyone is as skilled at dealing with their boss, their child, their partner, or their friend in the same way. Sometimes getting a second opinion, advice or place to just talk things out helps to sort out relationship confusion.

Sophie has a strong belief that how we handle our emotions now (positively or negatively), is rooted in our prior relationships and attachment experiences. How our caregivers, family and friends interacted as we grew up may have become the model we unintentionally follow as adults. From the parent who said as a child “I will never say this to my children, and then I did”, to the partner who sees that they are repeating negative cycles from their own parents Sophie can assist you in acting in lines with your own values and goals.

Dealing with the past may be dealing with traumas (large and small), dealing with loss, dealing with feeling not good enough, not loveable, not worthy, the small voices that have somehow taken over current life.

LIFE STRESSORS AND CHANGES

Grief and loss are huge life stressors. A job change, a relationship breakdown, an illness or injury that impacts ability over time can all create stress. Sometimes it is not something that happens to us, but something that happens to our friend, partner, child, or family member. Sometimes it happens to our job, sometimes it happens on tv or elsewhere in the world. Fear about climate change, fear about wars, political leaders, and natural disasters can all create a kind of chronic distress. That distress can come out in mood, in how we interact with others, or in simply trying to withdraw from life.

Therapy for life stressors and life changes is all about having a place to unravel all the thoughts. It is about having someone who will not shut you down, turn you away, or change the topic. Therapy for life stressors is about finding a way to have power over your choices. This includes being able to manage feelings and thoughts. Sophie is able to help you move out of the thought loops. Her goal is for you to be able to plan, organize and take action, and in control.

Sophie utilizes Emotionally Focused Therapy to help individuals understand what unhelpful emotions and patterns keep repeating in their relationships. Through therapy, her clients are able to stop themselves from repeating old negative loops. Instead, her clients are able to mindfully choose what they need, how to ask for it, and how to feel heard and accepted. Emotionally Focused is the gold standard approach for helping individuals and couples heal both historical and current relationship challenges.

Sophie utilizes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help individuals get to a place of being ok with difficult feelings. This means feeling safe to have emotions that were previously ‘not allowed’ or discouraged as a child. This means that you can feel that you have value and can choose to live without being trapped by or ruled by difficult emotions. It isn’t about never feeling angry, or sad, scared, or frustrated. It is about being able to have emotions and come out feeling confident and able. For example, if you feel you want to socially connect, but suffer from social anxiety, Sophie is able to help you be more ok in groups or even just with a few people you care about.

Sophie is completing her degree in Master of Counselling from City University. She has worked for the Alberta Government in policy and development in the areas of Ministry of Status of Women, Mental Health Addiction, and Ministry of Health in Continuing Care.

Previously, she was a behavioural interventionist at the Centre of Autism where she provided one on one support to children with Autism and their families. She has also worked as social skills leader where she co-facilitated a social skills program for children and teenagers of a variety of ages with difficulties interacting successfully with others due to social skills challenges.

Sophie Olsen, M.C. (masters level clinician) Sophie is completing her practicum as a Master in Co... Read More

Stephanie has over 20 years of experience providing psychotherapy for people from all walks of life. Stephanie has extensive training in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), which is the gold standard treatment for Anxiety and Depression. She is also a certified hypnotherapist. Stephanie works with adults, teens, parent and child dyads, children one on one, and whole families. She is skilled in treating addictions and trauma. Stephanie has a particular interest in assisting individuals struggling with self-confidence, goal setting and follow-through, and poor self image. CHILDREN Stephanie is only one of two Certified Play Therapists in the Greater Edmonton Area. She has presented on train the therapist workshops, on radio and on television regarding her work with children and play therapy. Stephanie is comfortable working with children on a 1:1 basis. She also honours the critical relationship between children and their primary caregiver(s) (i.e. parent, grandparent, foster/adoptive parent, extended family member…) by regularly works with both the parent and child together in session. After all, the parent-child relationship is the singular most important bond in any persons life. Her skills in helping children and their parents learn to mutually listen, problem solve together, and overcome life’s daily and unexpected challenges is key to lifelong mental health. Stephanie has helped children deal with trauma (i.e. accident, medial illness/injury, abuse, neglect), school performance, peer interactions, behavioural issues, emotional difficulties, and parent-child relationship challenges. TEENS Stephanie’s truly enjoys working with teenage clients. Her clients often comment that ‘she gets it’. They feel that Stephanie is able to ‘speak my language’. Stephanie’s approach of mixing talk therapy, with hands on experiential work (i.e. music therapy, art therapy, clay therapy…) allows her to connect with teen clients in a way that many other clinicians can not. Her background in working with complex individuals means that she is comfortable working with teens who are facing multiple mental health, social, and historical challenges. She is calm in the face of anger outbursts, comforting when the tears come, and plain speaking. This style helps teens to trust her, and so be able to engage in work they might not feel ‘safe’ to do other places. Stephanie’s therapy work with teens is recognized in the community, and other therapists will refer clients to her on a regular basis. ADULTS Stephanie’s background in adult client work is primarily with individuals with complex issues. An individual is considered to have complex issues when they are are struggling with more than one diffiulty at a time. For example, Stephanie has significant experience helping client’s overcome current or historical abuse (i.e. physical, sexual and/or emotional) while they are dealing with active addictions (i.e. drugs, alcohol, internet, gambling, gaming…). Other complex clients may be individuals who are try to handle mood swings (depression, anxiety, bi-polar..), while also facing housing concerns, food scarcity, or current domestic abuse. Stephanie is well established as an expert in assisting clients work through grief and loss, to overcome general anxiety, performance or social anxiety, anger challenges, and to effectively deal with historical or current bullying. Stephanie has assisted many clients in recovering from low self-esteem, workplace difficulties and feeling overwhelmed by stress. She is familiar with, and can assist in addressing the common ‘side effects’ of anxiety or trauma, such as sleeping difficulties, hypervigalence, ‘run away brain’, attention and focus difficulties. Stephanie also works with adults struggling with how to care for ageing and potentially mentally or physically unwell parents. She can relate to the difficulties of raising ones own children, working, maintaining a household while providing increasing levels of assistance and support to much loved elders. Stephanie routinely works with Treaty clients and Residential School Survivors and their descendants. She has worked with WCB clients, individuals on workplace disability, and those on insurance claims. HIGH PERFORMANCE | SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY - CHILDREN / TEENS Having competed on the World Championship stage in the Japanese sports of Kendo and Iadio, and now as a Sensi within the Edmonton community, Stephanie is uniquely positioned to help children and teens struggling with high performance challenges. She has a real world understanding of the commitment and sacrifice for the entire family that goes into high performance sports. Stephanie brings the ability to not only help the athlete achieve the mental confidence, resilience, and focus they need, but also to work with the various family members (i.e. parents, siblings, extended family…) who can be impacted in many ways by lifestyle demands brought on with high performance sports. COMPLEX (MULTI-DIGANOSIS) Stephanie has many years of experience helping clients to overcome obstacles created by complex special needs. Clients with complex special needs often have multiple diagnosis both physical and/or mental illness, and may be living in a home with others who struggle with similar challenges. For example, a complex client may have challenges with addiction and a mental health issue (i.e. depression / anxiety), they may be dealing with repeated trauma exposures over their lifetime and current emotional volatility. A complex client could be a caregiver to an older parent struggling with dementia, while the client is also trying to raise young children and deal with workplace stress. THERAPEUTIC TRAINING In addition to her training in Cognitive Behavioural therapy, Narrative therapy, and Motivational Interviewing, many of Stephanie’s’ teen and adult clients also benefit from hypnotherapy. She also holds a Certificate in Clinical Hypnotherapy and is a member of the Canadian Federation of Clinical Hypnosis - Alberta Society. Stephanie uses Clinical hypnotherapy to address issues of weight loss, smoking, phobia, pain management and improving sports performance. She is an approved provider for First Nations and Residential School survivors. She is also certified to perform home assessments for families looking to adopt. She is a Certified Play Therapist and a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist. Stephanie is a member in good standing with the Canadian Association for Child and Play Therapy and the United States Association for Play Therapy. Stephanie finds the creative aspects of play, expressive arts, writing, music and sand tray work very effective in helping the people she works with solve their challenges. PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND Stephanie is a Registered Social Worker with the Alberta College of Social Workers and she has the Clinical designation. She is also on the Approved Clinical Social Worker Supervisor list to provide supervision to Social Workers who are applying to be on the Clinical Social Work registry. She has a Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Manitoba and Bachelor degrees in Social Work and Arts (majoring in Psychology) from the University of British Columbia. Stephanie has worked in various Alberta Health treatment programs as a therapist. She has treated clients through various Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) as a front line therapist, team lead, and mental health program manager. In addition, Stephanie has taught various mental health and therapy classes to university students.

Stephanie offers in-Person and Video Therapy from our Sherwood Park office

Stephanie has over 20 years of experience providing psychotherapy for people from all walks of li... Read More

Ellery has been a Registered Psychologist since 2012.

Ellery has worked in a variety of settings including hospital inpatient settings, in community clinics, and in university mental health clinics. Ellery has helped clients deal with trauma, acute and chronic illness, depression and anxiety, health psychology, addictions, relationship challenges, workplace stress, and multicultural counselling. She has helped her clients manage or over come a wide range of issues, including grief, life stress, eating concerns, perfectionistic traits, self-esteem, and relationship problems. Ellery is also comfortable with and has assisted many individuals who are working through gender identity issues, and the potential collateral issues of family, friends, community, or work disruptions that can sometimes occur.

EMOTIONAL DISTRESS (ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, ANGER, STRESS) Ellery has a strong background in Cognitive Behavior Therapy ( CBT). CBT is extremely helpful in aiding clients in learning to understand and manage their emotions. Emotions are a normal aspect of everyday life. Ellery is skilled at helping clients regain control of emotions that have spiraled out of control. She helps clients slow their minds down. As she helps her client’s minds to calm, they are then able to work through such issues anxiety, depression, grief, low self-esteem, confusion, and general unhappiness. By helping her clients become more emotionally settled, Ellery can then assist her clients in resolving prior and current experiences of bullying, abuse, burnout, stress, loss, and trauma. Ellery is also able to help clients deal with behaviors such as addiction (substance abuse, internet, gambling, shopping) that often arise as a result of emotional distress.

Depression leaves a person feeling tired, hopeless, helpless and alone. When depression deepens, even small tasks can start to seem insurmountable. Ellery knows how depression can lead to withdrawal from, or loss of friends. It can result in having to take time off work, or job loss. Depression can even cause people to give up on the various activities and hobbies that used to make them feel happy.

Anxiety can have similar outcomes, but more often result in feeling immobilized, overwhelemed, and out of control. Whether it’s anxiety about a few specific things (i.e. driving, giving presentations, writing tests, trying to make friends…) and/ or more generalized worry about natural events, the economy, or what could go wrong) anxiety can cause significant frustration. Ellery brings extensive experience and many different approaches to helping people reduce their depression and/or anxiety symptoms. She has helped her clients deal anxiety around singular evenings, ongoing issues, and clients who are naturally anxious.

ADDICTIONS Ellery can help provide treatment for substance use or abuse, time lost to doom scrolling, wandering the internet, video gaming, gambling, shopping or other addictive type behaviours. Addictive type behaviours described a wide range of habits or actions that repeat over and over, and that cause distress for you, your loved ones, friends or result in workplace challenges. Ellery’s approach to addictive behaviour is to figure out the underlying cause. Ellery’s clinical experience, and research show that by treating the source that drives the addiction, the addictive behaviours often disssapear. The source may be having experienced historical trauma or neglect; chronic or more recent emotional distress due to loneliness, feeling misunderstood, or rejected; the desire to mute or suppress emotional pain; to manage stress; or in the case of gambling, the belief that the problem can be solved with the next win.

Ellery works with the client to understand why the behaviour is causing concern, how the client would like to change their life, and what treatment approaches will work for the client. She then develops a treatment plan with the client. Each step is focused on supporting the client in making small, manageable changes to their life. Ellery’s goal is that the client gets to a place where they feel in control of their emotions, reactions, and behaviours. She knows that this process can be complicated and take time, and that it often does not go in a straight line.

TRAUMA Ellery is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) and CBT. These are the two recommended treatment approaches for trauma. Trauma can be caused by any number of events, big or small. It can be a car accident, a natural disaster, a violent attack, or the loss of a loved one. It can also be caused by more subtle experiences, such as bullying, neglect, or emotional abuse. When people, particularly children, are repeatedly exposed to abuse or neglect over time, then a profound form of trauma may present in later adulthood that is frequently mis-diagnosed as Borderline Personality Disorder, Major Depression, or any number of impulse control or behavior labels. No matter what the cause, trauma can have a profound impact on our lives. It can lead to a range of symptoms, including anxiety, depression, memory challenges, mood swings, irritability, difficulty with focus and attention, chronic fatigue, physical pain that may appear and disappear for no obvious physical reason, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and dissociation. While many people naturally recover from trauma exposures over a few days or weeks, for others traumatic events can ‘set in’ over time.

Acute trauma such as a break-in, recent assault, or exposure to a car accident may leave a person shaken. It is natural to either want to talk a lot about the experience to friends and family, or to completely withdraw for a few days. Sometimes people will attempt to deal with acute trauma through diversion or distraction, such as taking on extra projects, working overtime, or focusing on video games, exercise, or some other distracting task. Over time, most people recover and re-engage with life as before. For some though, the avoidance behaviours, the overreaction to stress, the hypervigalence and anxiety can begin to take over. Victims of direct or indirect trauma may also start to find it difficult to trust others. They may no longer feel safe in crowds, or even with smaller groups of people that in the past they knew and felt comfortable to be with. Loosing interest in activities and social occasions that were enjoyable in the past can often happen. Eventually some victims of trauma find themselves isolated between their work and home, or even just at home.

Ellery has specialized in trauma work for over seven years. She brings a considerable amount of experience and a diverse range of skill sets in helping her clients overcome trauma symptoms. Ellery is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), Somatic Experiencing, Narrative Exposure Therapy, and Structural Dissociation. Structural Dissociation work is focused on helping individuals who deal with disconnection from self, dissociative tendencies, lost time, and Dissociative Identity Disorder.

Her familiarity with multiple trauma treatment approaches gives her far more options in working with treatment resistant clients, and clients who have been unsuccessful with other treatment modalities.

COUPLES COUNSELLING Ellery has completed training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) which is the gold standard for working with couples. Ellery understands how little things can build up in a couples relationship, resulting in increasing communication breakdowns, feelings of loneliness and abandonment, anger and frustration, and loss of the dream of having a loving and supportive partner. Ellery has worked with couples at various stages of their relationship. She has worked with with pre-marital couples who are seeking to start their married life off on the strongest footing. She also works with couples that are feeling early stress in communication challenges and/or behaviours that they are finding concerning in their partner. Ellery is also trained in working with couples who have longer term, more entrenched patterns of negative interactions, chronic misunderstandings and increasing levels of distress. When working with couples Ellery works hard to hear each person’s position, to help the couple identify negative interaction patterns, and then to help the couple change those patterns. Many of the couples Ellery works with find that once the negative interaction cycle shifts they start to feel better about themself, and about the relationship.

Many couples simply find that over time the deep connection they felt with their partner has faded. They are unsure if the relationship is what they want any more. At the same time the couple may feel pressure to stay together “for the children” or “because thats what you do”. Ellery is able to help each person in the relationship figure out what they looking for, what they need out of the relationship. She is then able to support the couple in figuring out if that is something that can happen, or if it something that will not work out. Whether therapy at that point moves towards rebuilding the relationship into a positive and joyful one, or to find a way to end a relationship in the most positive way possible Ellery will walk with the couple to their goals.

WORKPLACE ISSUES, BURNOUT, & STRESS High achievers frequently get stuck in unhealthy patterns, leading to burnout or other mental health issues. Yet there is an abundance of research showing prolonged or chronic stress can negatively affect the quality of our work, relationships, and lives. Ellery combines her professional background, psychological education and training, and prior experience to help individuals struggling with occupational stress (work and school), organizational difficulties, time-management challenges, emotional exhaustion, harassment, workplace/school conflict, and traumatic work exposures and experiences that overwhelm coping skills. She is well qualified to help individuals dealing with disability claims, WCB, return to work concerns and career planning.

MULTICULTURAL COUNSELLING Ellery can provide services in English, Cantonese and Mandarin

Ellery’s work at the University of Hong Kong provided her with many opportunities to work with foreign nationals from around the world. This has given her an understanding of the challenges faced by students, immigrant families, and first and second generation adults who are trying to balance out their cultural heritage and the social and cultural norms of their current home. Ellery has worked with clients from China, India, the Philippines, Japan, Korea, Russia, the United States, the UK, and Australia. Challenges faced by these groups often include self-identity, grief-loss, emotional or relational breakdown with immediate and extended family, culture shock, stress, and general confusion and self questioning. Ellery believes that everyone’s experiences are unique and are shaped by their cultural background and upbringing experience. She takes a systematic approach when working with clients dealing with these issues. Her goal is to understand where the client is “coming from” and to assist the client in figuring out where they want to be in their sense of self, relationship to family, and relationship to both their new country and heritage. As she learns more about each client she works with them to tailor her approach to what is a best fit for them.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND Ellery is Registered Psychologist with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Ellery holds a Master of Social Science in Clinical Psychology from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and a Master of Science in Public Health (Health Promotion) from the University of London, England. Ellery is a Somatic Experiencing practitioner. She has significant experience in Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR). She is also trained in Narrative Exposure Therapy, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), and Structural Dissociation. Ellery has worked as a registered psychologist in Hong Kong since 2012 and in Canada since 2023.

Ellery is fluent in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese. She is happy to provide therapy in any of these languages.

Ellery has been a Registered Psychologist since 2012. Ellery has worked in a variety of settings... Read More

Megan is a Registered Provisional Psychologist. Megan brings an open mind to her therapy practice, along with training in the most recent approaches to mental health care. While versed in how to help people resolve symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and emotional dysregulation, Megan competed additional study and training in working with LGBTQ2S+ populations, individuals struggling with body image, and people with Indigenous background.

Beyond standard coursework and training, Megan engaged in a variety of specialized training and volunteer work in supporting sexual/physical and emotional assault victims during her academic career. Megan’s has helped older teens, university aged assault victims, and established adults deal with acute distress and trauma. Her client base includes individuals who were recent or historical victims of assault, accident, or injury.

Megan is currently taking additional training and undergoing advanced supervision to further build her skills in working with children and teens. She has completed foundational work in Play Therapy on her way to full Certification as a Play therapist. Megan’s work with children focuses on providing children a space to express themselves in ways that helps to release personal distress, and to build positive communication and emotional expression skills. Megan has a particular interest in working with children who have experienced trauma, abuse or neglect.

She has provided trauma clients with crisis counselling in the field and in hospital settings. She also works with individuals longer term as they work through the experience and the aftermath. This may include helping clients deal with decisions around disclosure, changing relationships with family and/or friends, and potentially navigating police, legal and court proceedings.

Megan’s goal in working with clients struggling with trauma is to aid the client in reducing trauma symptoms such as sleep disruption, flashbacks, avoidance behaviors, irritability and anger outbursts, and negative self-thinking. Professional experience mixed with evidence-based research has provided Megan with a strong base understanding of supporting individuals who has experienced sexual violence.

Unfortunately, substance abuse is a common outcome of trauma or stress. Sometimes children and teens learn from their parents that a solution to distress is to drink, take drugs, gamble, loose oneself in the internet, or engage in some other pastime that can take over their life. For others, the addiction comes as a way of treating emotional distress. Substances, distracting oneself with video games, shopping, over-exercising or other activities, helps to “forget” for a few minutes past events, or current problems. Over time though the distraction, the means to pain relief takes over, and starts to create its own problems.

Megan knows that often the best way to treat addiction is to treat the underlying cause of the addictive behaviour. This might mean working through childhood events, recent loss, or current stressors. She finds that as people feel better about themselves and have less negative self-blame the addition often reduces. For many people, as feel they feel more and more positive about themself, the draw of substance abuse, risky behaviour, or simply trying to forget gets less and less, and they are able control or even be free of the addictive behaviour.

Long considered two sides of the same coin, depression and anxiety are the most common concerns of individuals seeking therapy. Treatment for Depression and Anxiety may include Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Mindfulness, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and various meditative techniques. Megan has helped depressed clients who have struggled with low-mood, low-energy, lack of motivation, and loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities regain their connection to life. She has helped anxious clients who are struggling to control random thinking, restless and feeling keyed up, difficulty concentrating or blanking out, and general worry that disrupts their ability to manage some or many daily living tasks. Utilizing a combination of researched based therapeutic approaches, personalized support, and recognition of each gain the client makes has been key elements of Megan’s therapeutic success. Megan’s goal is that clients leave therapy with the skills to proactively handle any future mood challenges they may have.

Megan has long had an interest in helping individuals who are struggling with various body and food issues. This may be individuals who struggle with eating too much, too little, individuals who do not like their food choices, or individuals who struggle with food due to health issues (i.e. diabetes, physiological/enzymatic conditions, food trauma/feeding tube).

While the relationship with food may play a role in body image, body image struggles may be entirely separate from eating habits. Megan can offer a variety of strategies for helping her clients overcome body image concerns. She has worked with clients who are uncomfortable with how they see themself. This can include clients who see themselves as over or under weight, lacking or having too much of certain physical attributes, and who are considering surgery or other interventions to change the way they look.

Megan has helped clients whose self-image has been affected by the words or actions of others, either historically or in current times. This could include have a parent to who was overly concerned about the client’s weight when they were a child – leaving the now adult client anxious about food or body image, or it could be a client who was bullied as a child, teen or adult about their physical appearance or weight. Megan has also helped clients who have struggled with body image due to cultural, social, or family imposed expectations.

Megan’s interest in supporting the LGBTQ2S+ community comes from her own background, and experiences in school and with friends. To better help this population she has actively perused coursework and practical training to become better versed in working with common LGBTQ@s+ issues of isolation, rejection, lateral violence (aggression/disparagement/shunning between members of the community), family of original challenges, feeling insecure/unsafe in the general community, and self-actualization.

While recognizing that individuals within the LGBTQ2S+ community struggle with all of the mental heal challenges faced by the general population, such issues may also come with particular twists that can be easily misunderstood by a non-LGBTQ2S+ trained therapist. Megan works hard to stay current with the challenges within this community, and also to focus on the particular individual needs of the client she is working with.

Canada’s First Nation populations and Metis have faced a wide range of cultural and social challenges to identity, community acceptance and community value. Stigma and stereotyping by government agencies, social planners, and everyday citizens create acute and chronic distress. The disruptive and harmful actions by other social groups both historically and on an ongoing basis towards indigenous peoples, continues to impact individuals in the First Nations/Metis community in real time. Megan has familiarized herself with many of the systemic issues faced by First Nations and Metis communities. Such systematic issues may include land/resource loss, residential/day schools, cultural/language loss, and casual stereotyping.

She has seen how such events trickle down to negatively impact individual members of Ingenious heritage in many areas. She knows that visibly Indigenous are subject to far more verbal abuse, biased judgement, and outright indifference. She also knows that major disruptive historical events such as Residential and Day Schools continue to impact Residential and Day School survivors, and their descendants in terms of parenting ability, compromised relationship skills, increased risk of addictions, and reduced sense of self-value. Megan offers a place for clients to heal who are struggling directly or indirectly with the effects of intolerance, disrupted family interactions, and negative assumptions.

Self-esteem is the value someone places on themselves. Individuals with low self-esteem tend to devalue their own abilities, nature, and hope for personal development. Having low self-esteem can show in difficulties with standing-up for oneself, suppressing one’s own interests and goals to “keep the peace”, “so people will like me”/“put up with me”/ “not abandon me”, or to avoid conflict. Fear of conflict may play a huge role in compromised boundaries and sense of personal worth. Individuals with low self-esteem may struggle to identify personal strengths, feel hopeless and helpless in the face of other’s needs and expectations, and may often feel overwhelmed.

Megan has direct experience creating counselling techniques that support individuals with self-esteem related issues. Challenging negative internalized stories can begin to shift an individual’s understanding of themselves. Megan creates an environment which explores how subjective experiences shaped clients and their relationships.

Megan has been working in the mental health field since 2014.

Megan is completing the final steps in her Master’s of Counselling Degree from Athabasca University. She expects to graduate in April of 2023. She obtained her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology from the University of Lethbridge in 2019.

Her professional background includes working as a sexual violence intervention worker at a women’s shelter. She learned direct skills in crisis counselling and supporting individuals with trauma. Megan also has experience working with at-risk youth. Megan both worked and volunteered with teenagers starting at age 13. Megan volunteered at the Counselling and Career Center at the University of Lethbridge as an undergraduate student. There she provided students and faculty with mental health support. Megan has also worked as a primary care disability aide.

Megan is a Registered Provisional Psychologist. Megan brings an open mind to her therapy practic... Read More

Gabi has worked as a Registered Psychologist since 2005. Since achieving her Psychologist licence, Gabi has continued to seek out further training and certification in order to better help her clients. As a result, she is offers a variety of current, research based, and research proven effective treatments. Gabi has particularly focused on clients struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, addictions, impulse control challenges (i.e. adult ADHD), self-worth, and relationship challenges.

Throughout her career she has worked with a broad range of clients from many backgrounds including indigenous, LGBTQ++, various faith bases, ethnic backgrounds. As an immigrant to Canada in her late twenties, she is aware of what it is like to ‘be different’ from the larger community.

Difficulty with down periods, workplace stress, anxiety around life situations, financial concerns, grief and loss, and interpersonal relationships with friends, family, and colleagues are a common challenge. Gabi understands that emotions can change depending on the situation, the levels of support, and the demands being placed on a person. She can help her clients understand what is happening within themselves, or if they are trying to help a loved one struggling with a mood challenge, to full disorders. She knows, and can help with developing, different strategies to deal with different situations and degrees of distress.

Then there are situations where transitory periods of distress start to become more the norm, leading to clinical depression, generalized anxiety, panic attacks, and general difficulty with functioning. Gabi has successfully worked with individuals who start counselling to ‘cut the problem off before it becomes a big problem’, through the spectrum of increasing mental health challenges to people who are on disability for psychological concerns. Such concerns may include Major Depressive Disorder, Bi-Polar Disorder, Explosive Anger Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Schizophrenia, Suicidal Ideation/Attempts. Gabi focuses on where the client is at in their goal of getting better, and then helps the client to achieve that goal.

TRAUMA (ACUTE STRESS, PTSD, C-PTSD) Gabi has worked extensively with clients suffering from historical and current trauma. She has helped clients to heal from single event trauma, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Complex PTSD. This may be trauma from childhood due to abuse, neglect, assault, parental domestic violence/substance abuse, and/or involvement with Children Services. It may be more recent trauma due to workplace bullying, exposure to accidents, on the job trauma exposure (i.e. First Responders), sexual or physical assault, or the cumulative trauma that occurs from repeated exposure to distress such as what occurs during lockdowns and Covid fatigue.

To help people move through their trauma Gabi has trained in several recognized and recommended trauma therapies.

Gabi is an expert in Somatic Experiencing Therapy (SET) and has a strong foundation in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR). Her extensive education and years of clinical practice in each of these modalities enables her to find the treatment approach that is the best fit for her client.

Somatic Therapy has been shown to assist in reducing trauma symptoms, particularly for clients who have either become overwhelmed by their bodies physical reactivity to stress (i.e. shaking, racing heart, blood pressure concerns, physical pain, ect…) or who have become disconnected from their physical symptoms. Sometic Therapy works by helping the client to learn to recognize when their body’s physical reactivity is affecting their ability to respond to stress in a calm and reasoned manner. Through this process the client regains control of their physical being, which makes thinking, planning, and staying calm during stressful experiences much easier.

Gabi has completed foundational and supplimental training in CBT. CBT is an effective and recommended therapeutic approach for treating depression, anxiety, negative self-worth, and the chronic worry that often comes with having PTSD.

She has completed foundational and supplemental training in EMDR. EMDR is the generally accepted gold standard in treating acute and historical trauma. When EMDR is successful, people are generally able to recall the trauma, but the recall no longer triggers the associated strong emotions or body responses. The EMDR treatment process can feel quite strange at times, but it can be a highly effective, and rapid way of resolving or reducing PTSD symptoms.

Addictive behavior can be a response to historical trauma, current stressors, interpersonal difficulties, or have arisen from a desire to “fit in” that then got out of control. Gabi’s goal is to work with the client to figure out how the addiction began, what keeps the addiction going, and then how to break the addictive behaviors. She knows that there is no “one solution fits all”. She knows that giving up an addiction can result in loosing friends (i.e. the people that you see daily at the local bar, no more hanging out with the smoking group…), changing employment, and sometimes even moving in order to get away from triggers. Halting an addiction can take many attempts. Managing addiction is not a simple process. It takes time, courage, support, and often comes with emotional distress. Gabi is prepared to help clients move through each stage of the addiction release process. She also is able to watch out for signs that a client might be switching one addiction for another, and help them recognize what is happening before things go wrong.

Relationship challenges are confusing, often complicated, and generally emotionally painful. As a trained Emotionally Focused Therapist (EFT), Gabi is skilled at helping couples learn to hear and express their emotions in a genuine manner. She can help people in relationship move from a place of confusion and hurt, to one where the feel safe to share both the negatives and positives of life. Gabi’s goals in couples therapy are to help people move out of interaction patterns that ‘go nowhere’ or ‘feel like the same argument over and over’. She works with each person to reduce anxiety that they ‘might be left’ or that they are ‘feeling suffocated’. When necessary, Gabi will also help couples clearly identify that the relationship is not recoverable, and help them to separate in a manner that minimizes risk of emotional distress for all.

Along with working with couples, Gabi has helped individuals who are trying to figure out why they are repeatedly drawn to partners who might not be a good match (i.e. abusive, neglectful, emotionally distant or emotionally overwhelming). Her ability to help the individual in the couple is an important element of self-healing for the client. Giving hope that future relationships will be healthier.

Gabi holds a Master of Arts in Psychology from the University of Comenius, Bratislava in the Slovak Republic. She has been practicing as a mental health therapist in Alberta since 2001, and as a psychologist since 2005. She has certifications in Somatic Therapy, EMDR, EFT, Motivational Interviewing, CBT, and Client-Centred Therapy. Gabi continues her ongoing learning with regular training workshops both as a learner and a leader/teacher in various therapeutic modalities. Gabi is experienced at working with AHS, WCB, disability claim providers, physicians and other aspects of the health care system that can become involved when people struggle with mental health.

Gabi is experienced at working with WCB, disability claim providers, physicians and other aspects of the health care system that can become involved when people struggle with mental health.

Gabi has worked as a Registered Psychologist since 2005. Since achieving her Psychologist licenc... Read More

Heidi has been working with distressed children, teens and adults since 2015. She has a solid background in helping people deal with grief and loss, depression, anxiety, stress, mood swings, identity challenges, trauma, impulsivity, and motivational challenges. Heidi has assisted many people who seek inner healing, in developing and strengthening their sense of personal self, and generating self-confidence. Heidi has training in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), the recommended treatment approach for depression and anxiety. Heidi utilizes the Hakomi Method to work with clients who are struggling with their inward sense of self and wellbeing. She can transition to using Dialectical Behavior Therapy for clients who are dealing with more severe psychological challenges of major depressive disorder, clinical anxiety, addiction disorders and Borderline Personality tendencies.

Children

She has an extensive background working with children and adolescents who struggle with interpersonal and behavioural challenges. She is comfortable working with children and teens in a one-to-one setting, and in therapy with their parents/caregivers. Heidi has worked with children who live with their parents, extended family, in foster care and in group home settings. Heid has excellent engagement skills. Heidi has significant experience in working with children who are shy, worried, or struggling emotionally as demonstrated by inward withdrawal, outward aggression, disobedience, or creatively getting others into trouble. Heidi provides a calming and safe space for children to explore their feelings. She helps them to connect their emotions, body, and thoughts so that they feel more in control of themselves and their surroundings.

As children settle into therapeutic work with Heidi, they become better able to explain their feelings, hopes and needs to their parents/caregivers. Heidi also works with the parents to help them to connect in different ways with their children, enabling a deepening and mutually enriching relationship. To achieve the goals Heidi relies on her advanced training in play therapy, and attachment-based treatment approaches.

Adolescents

Connecting to adolescents can be a challenge. Heidi’s calm and patient nature provides emotionally distressed teens a place to explore and express themselves. Heidi is well versed in managing the explosive outbursts that are not uncommon with distressed adolescents. Through the use of various art, clay, and journaling approaches, Heidi provides multiple means for teens to channel their emotions into constructive activities that help them to gain insight and emotional balance. Heidi has helped many teens work through depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and suicidal ideation, self-harming behaviours. She is well versed him assisting teens to deal with bullying, peer rejection, family breakdown, academic stress, and relationship difficulties.

Adults

Heidi’s work with adults includes helping individuals overcome with workplace/family/life stress, general anxiety, grief and loss, depression, planning and organizational challenges. She has a particular interest working with adults who are struggling with relationship breakdown and loss. The distress may be from family breakdown/parental loss during the adult’s childhood or teen years, or from loss of relationships in adulthood. Heidi also works extensively with adults who are victims of domestic violence, relationship trauma, and childhood distress. Through the use of Narrative Therapy, trauma and attachment informed treatment approaches Heidi helps her clients regain a sense of competence, value and purpose.

Families

Heidi brings considerable experience to working with whole family units that are struggling with parent-child relationship challenges. Depending on the age of the children, she may utilize family play therapy, family art therapy, or family group therapy to help identify, work through and heal family relationship and attachment difficulties. Heidi has worked with multiple families who are dealing with multi-generational parent-child relationship breakdown. This means that she is often helping parents learn parenting and attachment skills from the ground up. Heidi firmly believes that families are highly resilient and are able to overcome prior relationship distress if they are able to see that old patterns can be changed, that they are able to practice making those pattern changes, and are given recognition for moving from old, distressing interaction ways, into relationship approaches that are positive, mutually supportive, and healing.

Couples

Heidi has completed the foundational training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). EFT is the only research proven couples counselling approach that has been shown to be very effective in assisting 70% of all couples worked in achieving improved communication and understanding of their partner. EFT helps each person in the couple develop deep listening skills, improve their ability to say clearly what they are feeling and thinking, and to increase emotional availability and resiliency.

Professional Background

Heidi is a Registered Social Worker with the Alberta College of Social Workers. She has completed her 1600 supervised hours of therapeutic based clinical practice. She has been put forward to write her Clinical Social Work exam, the final step in achieving her Clinical Social Work Designation.

Heidi is a Registered Clinical Social Worker with the Alberta College of Social Workers. Not one to rest on her laurels, Heidi is now actively pursuing her Certification in Play Therapy. She has completed all her coursework and is now moving into her last portion of supervision hours.

Heidi has worked in various Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) as a front-line therapist, and primary resource for children and teen social skills coaches. She has considerable experience running therapeutic treatment groups for complex children and teens.

Heidi works out of our Sherwood Park Office

Heidi has been working with distressed children, teens and adults since 2015. She has a solid ba... Read More

I work with individuals, couples, and families to help people overcome a wide range of challenges. I specialize in helping clients work through anxiety, trauma, abuse, PTSD, communication issues, personal development, parent-child relational issues, infant-preschool mental health, child development, addictions and aging, I am a court recognized expert in counseling psychology, infant-preschool mental health, general assessment, and parenting/custody assessment. I have been an invited guest speaker on the radio regarding trauma and trauma therapy, early child development, and parenting-attachment.

I am a Certified EMDR Therapist. EMDR is the recommend treatment approach for trauma. I have completed advanced training in Emotionally Focused Therapy and am currently completing the supervision required for Certification in Emotionally Focused Therapy. Emotionally Focused Therapy is the gold standard for couples counselling work. I have advanced training in Modified Interactive Guidance, and Motivational Interviewing (evidence based approaches for treating trauma, non-secure attachment, and additions respectively). My foundation training is in structural-experiential approaches, which means I am comfortable working with events as they are brought into or arise in session.

I became a Registered Psychologist in 2001. I have a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy through Loma Linda University in California. I am member in good standing with the Alberta College of Psychologists, the Psychology Association of Alberta, and the Alberta Association for Infant Mental Health. I am a recognized clinical supervisor for master students, provisional psychologists, and has served as a practice mentor for adult and child psychiatrists completing their residencies.

I have provided service to community members in home and school settings, private practice, employee assistance programs, community mental health offices, hospitals, and on First Nations reserves. In the past, I have run therapeutic groups on a variety of mental health topics. I continue to provide presentations and consults to various government and not-for profit mental health agencies.

I have long worked with co-therapy dogs in clinical practice. I find that therapy dogs add a supportive element to the clinical experience, and for some clients provide a significant amount of healing. My therapy dogs typically compete in conformation and performance events when not working in the therapy office or supervising home-life activities.

My current therapy dog, Nisse, is a tricolour corgi. She looks somewhat like an 11 inch tall German Shepherd, but she is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi – the same kind of dog as the Queen of England has. Her grandmother and her mother both met Queen Elizabeth. The Queen asked to meet them because of the therapy work her family of corgis have done. Nisse is a calm corgi. She rarely barks. Sometimes she yodels. Mostly Nisse likes to curl up at people’s feet, or better yet on their laps and given them corgi hugs. Nisse is a trained therapy dog. When she is not working as a therapy dog she competes in obedience trials and keeps her owner in good order.

I work with individuals, couples, and families to help people overcome a wide range of challenges... Read More

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