Education and Experience
I have over 15 years experience working with children and their families treating a variety of mental health disorders. I worked for 10 years at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, before my husband’s work brought our family to Lethbridge. I have an undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Guelph, after which I earned my Master’s degree and PhD from the University of Windsor and completed my residency at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. My practicum, residency and research were focused on childhood trauma. My expertise in trauma were honed during my practicum experiences working with crime victims (e.g., gunshot, stabbing, and intentional burn victims) at Detroit Receiving Hospital and working with Somali, Congolese and Western Asian refugees in both individual and group settings. As well as, the years working as staff at the Child Abuse Clinic in the Calgary and Area Child Advocacy Centre where I worked with children who had experienced physical, sexual and emotional abuse and neglect as well as exposure to domestic violence. My dissertation research was on the mental health consequences of forgiving caregivers for childhood abuse, giving me a better understanding of if, when and how restoration of the relationship may be helpful.
In addition to trauma work, I have worked in various outpatient and inpatient mental health centres treating children for Depression, Anxiety Disorders, and a variety of mental health disorders. Further, I worked for many years at the Alberta Children’s Hospital in various medical clinics (i.e., Gastrointestinal clinic, Neurology Clinic, Feeding Clinic, Pain Clinic, Burn Clinic and Metabolic Clinic) increasing my expertise in functional disorders and medical psychology.
As well as my clinical work, I have many years experience as a supervisor: training practicum students, residents and provisional psychologists. I have taught undergraduate psychology courses at the University of Windsor and graduate level courses at the University of Calgary.