Meet Anne-Marie
Registered Nurse Psychotherapist
Professionally I have held a variety of roles both in hospital settings and community-based clinics. I have worked as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse with a special focus in counselling for a wide variety of concerns. Personally, I am a parent, dog lover, artist, and avid traveller who enjoys connecting with nature.
“As human beings, we are never really transformed. We are always in the process of becoming”.
Manifesto:
I have been very fortunate to be able to work in hospital settings with excellent resources and programs to treat individuals and families experiencing severe mental health concerns. Unfortunately, access to these services is often limited by the need for a physician referral, long waitlists, and complicated eligibility criteria, along with all the stigma associated with reaching out for help. For most people, private support is not financially feasible especially for an extended period of time. My goal is to be part of a transformation in healthcare that takes into account the individual needs of the person and supports them in whatever way they believe makes sense for them at this time. Our current system is fragmented- people are expected to seek out a different practitioner for each of their different needs. Often, there is no option for client choice in treatment. Barriers with the current system include appointments that are only offered during work hours and are limited by the clinician’s availability. This creates a frustrating cycle where one has to recount their story over and over to new people which can be unnecessarily retraumatizing. In the traditional medical model, goals of treatment are often set by an external “expert” and the client is expected to adhere to a defined set of criteria when once met, result in their discharge from service, whether or not the client feels ready.
My ultimate vision is to work with people to develop their own goals and collaborate together to work towards this at their own pace and comfort level. I do this by providing many options for sessions: individual or group, family, couple, virtual, or in-person. Sessions can be full-length or short, during the day, evening, or weekends, and as often as needed or desired by the client. The focus is always on working towards integrating all the unique parts of a person: physical, psychological, psychosocial, and spiritual. This is often referred to as “holistic” care. Sessions are affordable and may also be covered by employee health plans. For some clients, a sliding scale fee is an option. Cost should never be a barrier to receiving care.
Education and Certifications:
Honours Degree in Psychology from Queen’s University at Kingston
Honours Degree in Nursing from the University of Ottawa
Masters Degree in Nursing from the University of Ottawa
Certification from the Canadian Nurses Association in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
Best Practice Champion in Addictions and Mental Health from the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario
Certification in Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD
Certification in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
Certification in Cognitive Behavioural Conjoint Therapy for PTSD
TEAM-CBT Level 1 Certification
Certification in Infant Mental Health from Sick Kids: Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto