Counselling, Assessments, & Consultations
Speak with a Registered Psychologist
Assessments
Assessments can provide a greater understanding of factors that affect how we operate at school, at work, and in our daily lives. When we gain this insight, we can focus on the tools needed to shift perspective and experience success. We provide:
Adaptive Functioning
An assessment of adaptive skills is an assessment of someone's ability to function in the world. An adaptive assessment examines:
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Conceptual behaviours associated with communicating with others, applying academic knowledge, and managing and accomplishing tasks
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Social behaviours needed to engage in interpersonal interactions, act with social responsibility, and use leisure time
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Practical behaviours needed to address personal and health needs, take care of a home, classroom, or work setting, and function in a community.
Understanding an individual's adaptive skill strengths and weaknesses can help caregivers support or target specific areas for intervention in supporting individuals who experience difficulties in these areas.
Psychoeducational Assessments
Psychoeducational Assessments range between 8 to 12 hours of work depending on the reason for referral and most frequently include an initial consultation and intake interview, testing session(s), scoring and report writing, and a debrief meeting.
Erika specializes in psychoeducational assessments (sometimes referred to as psych-ed assessments) for children to discover important clues on who they are and how they function in the world. These assessments can help parents understand how their child processes information, their strengths and weaknesses, discover learning disabilities, and more.
Part of the assessment process includes cognitive testing, or IQ testing. However, an IQ score doesn't necessarily tell us about the different aspects of a person's learning profile.
Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) Assessment
Erika provides assessments for adults who have, or may have, developmental disabilities and who require additional support in the community, working, and for independent living. Typically, assessments include both an assessment of intellectual ability and adaptive skills.
Helpful resources from the government of Alberta: What to expect: Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD), Developmental Disabilities Guidelines, PDD - Eligibility
Cognitive Assessment
Cognitive Assessment is an assessment of someone's intellectual ability and can help determine patterns of strengths and weaknesses that make up a person's cognitive profile. Understanding strengths and weaknesses as they pertain to learning, understanding, retaining, and recalling information can help individuals use strategies that work for them.
Behavioural Assessment
Behavioural assessments can help determine the presence of an underlying mental health disorder that may be affecting functioning in daily life. Assessments can include interviews, questionnaires, and other measurement tools to gain a better understanding of the significance and intensity of particular difficulties.
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Separate cognitive, behavioural, and adaptive functioning assessments typically require less time (approximately 5 to 7 hours).
Individual Counselling
Erika’s approach to counselling is collaborative, interactive, and warm. She is a trauma-informed clinician and pays attention to both mind and body behaviours for clues that can help the healing journey.
Experience Treating a Range of Difficulties
Everyone is unique and may be experiencing one or several areas of difficulty. Having said that, you can feel comforted in knowing that Erika has experience with managing many aspects of mental health.
Erika works with a diverse group of clients who are experiencing difficulties with:
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Managing anxiety, depression, or ADHD
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Managing stress, self-care, self-doubt, or low self-esteem
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Feeling a general sense of unsettlement, overwhelm, or feeling misunderstood
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Going through life transitions and adjustment issues
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Seeking life fulfillment, growth, clarity, or identity
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Experiencing loneliness, grief, or loss
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Going through divorce or relationship difficulties
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Finding a work-life balance
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Dealing with health-related problems
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Managing arousal and anxiety for sport/performance.
Whatever it is you’re going through, your thoughts, opinions, and story all have value. By sharing these experiences and building a therapeutic relationship, Erika aims to guide you and help you find a way through your struggles.
Techniques Tailored to You
Erika uses a blend of psychotherapeutic techniques. Depending on the needs of her clients, Erika uses techniques that draw from:
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Hakomi Mindfulness-Centred Somatic Psychotherapy
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Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT)
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Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT)
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
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Somatic and Attachment Focused (S.A.F.E.) EMDR
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Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
Virtual & In-Person Counselling Appointments Available
You can meet with Erika at our office in Medicine Hat, by telephone, or over a virtual, secure connection.
Consultations
Erika provides Consultations to parents, caregivers, and educators to assist with needs and challenges faced by children and learners of all ages.
She also offers free 15-minute consultations for people who want to make sure their therapist will be a good match for them. It is also an opportunity to find out if another resource or service might be more appropriate for their needs.