Education and My Professional Path

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1. Registered Psychologist with the College of Alberta Psychologists since 2001

2. Graduated from the University of Calgary with a Master of Education Degree in Counselling Psychology in 1997

3. Graduated from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1997

4. Graduated from McEwan College with a Diploma in Early Childhood Development in 1981

 

My career path has always been serving individuals in our communities who have significant challenges. In order to fulfill the requirements for becoming a registered psychologist, I worked with high risk adolescents and counselled in a walk-in clinic operated through Wood’s Homes in Calgary. Beginning in 1998, I continued as a provisional psychologist with the Calgary Catholic School District working with children with special needs and those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. I became a registered psychologist in 2001.

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In 2003, I joined the Regional Educational Assessment Consultation Services team. A department of Alberta Education under the umbrella of the Calgary Board of Education. I worked with a multidisciplinary team providing consultation, counselling, professional development and assessment services to school staff, students, and parents in school districts throughout southern Alberta. This was related to the field of children with all types of special needs including those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

 

My Practice

My career has been a process of redefining and refining.  I initially graduated with a Diploma in Early Childhood Development from Grant McEwan College in 1981.  Even back then, it was clear that my passion lay in working with children and their families. When I moved to Calgary I worked in childcare where my exposure to children with challenges kindled my desire to support families by becoming a psychologist. 

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Children With Differences first began in 2010 and has evolved into Individuals With Differences. At the beginning my focus was primarily on counselling families with children with special needs, particularly, those with an autism spectrum disorder. This was a natural extension of years of working with this population and their families in educational and therapeutic settings.  Now my practice has evolved into a multifaceted, specialized therapeutic service dedicated to providing counselling, assessments, consultation and training to a broader sector of the special needs community and the community at large.  My work with adults has extended to diagnosing of an Autism Spectrum Disorder to counselling couples where one partner presents with symptoms that fall in the Autism Spectrum.