Our Therapists

Effectively works with individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, addictions, life stressors, self-esteem, trauma, PTSD, and grief and loss.

My approach to the work I do is holistic and eclectic. I believe that different approaches are effective for different people and it is important to recognize individual strengths and values which in turn can guide the therapeutic approach and process. It is important to have a flexible and non-judgmental attitude to helping people work through their presenting struggles and concerns. I appreciate the various theories of psychology and believe they all have their place, I tend to work within a cognitive behavior, mindfulness, and humanistic Rogerian framework.

I have an extensive history working in the field of addictions and mental health with related major life areas. I have also worked in the areas of Corrections and Rehabilitation and am comfortable and competent in working with diverse populations.

I am certified in EMDR therapy and trained in CBT and Mindfulness. I believe my training and experience offer me the ability to help others in need, which is congruent with the feedback I have received. I believe that each of us needs to work on our mental health, just as we work on other aspects of our overall health, and none of us are immune to struggles in life in which we need professional support. Wishing each of you wellness in your life!

navi.greatlifepsychology@gmail.com

Thank you for reading my profile and taking the time to learn about who I am. For nearly two decades, I worked as both a teacher and school counselor, and supported students, from grade kindergarten to 12, with a variety of different needs. In this line of work, I found a passion for therapy and took the next step to work in the private sector, as a mental health provider. Currently, I am a Registered Provisional Psychologist and work with children as young as five, teenagers, adults, couples, and families. 

My approach while working with clients is rooted in the value of relationships. I strive to create a safe space, in both my approach and environment, and tailor my approach to the unique needs presented during therapy. I am comfortable working with a range of presenting concerns, such as anxiety, depression, trauma, parenting, divorce, burnout, life transitions, grief, loss, PTSD, sleep disturbances, postpartum, school-related concerns, learning disorders, ADHD, over/under stimulation, relationship breakdown, family dynamics, internal expectations/demands, and many others. 

I am an open and inclusive therapist who accepts individuals for who they are regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identification, ethnicity, disability, religion, and/or political affiliation. My goal is for you to feel safe, and I will listen to your story, without judgment, and gently offer support in areas causing discomfort in your world. 

In my personal life, I am a mom to two beautiful children, and recognize the demands of daily life. The different hats we feel we have to wear, and the different expectations we feel we need to attain, can be difficult to achieve. My hope is when you come to therapy, you lean into it with the understanding that this time is exclusively for you. The time is for you to explore, learn, understand, and/or heal parts of you that need attention and care. Hope to connect soon!

julie.greatlifepsychology@gmail.com

I am a Registered Provisional Psychologist in the Province of Alberta, nearing 19+ years of clinical experience, I work with individuals, couples, and families, ranging from 5-80+ years old.  

Using a collaborative and eclectic approach with clients, I am trained in approaches, but not limited to: Gestalt Psychotherapy, Attachment Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Approaches, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and Expressive Arts Therapy, and currently undergoing training in Somatic Experiencing.  

Specialize in anxiety, depression, PTSD, abuse/trauma, adoption/foster care, grief & loss (i.e. fertility and infant loss), and life coaching/career/school and learning concerns.  

A seasoned workshop and conference speaker, these services can be provided in English and/or French. A motto that she abides by, and assists clients to do so, in achieving their goals, is to: Live, Laugh, and Love.

christine.greatlifepsychology@gmail.com 

I am a Registered Provisional Psychologist in the Province of Alberta. I have experience and interest in working with children, youth, and adults experiencing trauma, anxiety,  depression, family relationships, addictions, and immigration integration-related challenges from an eclectic approach with an emphasis on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Olamide provides Therapy from a strength-based and multicultural approach by focusing on the uniqueness of each individual to attain self-actualization. 

olamide.greatlifepsychology@gmail.com

I am deeply committed to a person-centered, authentic approach, creating a safe, caring, and non-judgmental environment where clients feel heard and valued. My ability to connect with individuals, combined with my compassion, empathy, and sense of humor, allows me to build meaningful relationships with children, adolescents, parents, and adults. I aim to empower clients to explore sensitive concerns, gain new skills, and build the confidence to move forward with greater self-awareness and resilience.

dianna.greatlifepsychology@gmail.com

My name is Sherri A. Lees. I am a Registered Psychologist working out of St. Albert. I have experience working with veterans and VAC, which I have found to be very rewarding. I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). I also work from different approaches, including person-centred, CBT-Trauma-Informed Approach, and as previously mentioned, EMDR. In addition, I am trained in Grief Recovery Methods and enjoy working from a person-centred, Adlerian, and DBT approach. 

sherri.greatlifepsychology@gmail.com

I am a Registered Provisional Psychologist working with adolescents, adults, veterans, and couples with various mental health conditions and diagnoses such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, stress, self-esteem issues, relationship conflicts, grief and loss, and more. 

I use a variety of techniques and therapeutic approaches to meet the needs of my clients as I believe therapy should be individualized to meet the unique needs of each person. I have experience and knowledge of helping adolescents and adults with anxiety, depression, self-esteem, eating disorders, relationship concerns, phobias, stress, and behavioral issues.

Some of the approaches I use include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotion Focused Therapy (EMT), and Gestalt Therapy. I am currently working on coursework to practice Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), which is a psychotherapy treatment that was originally designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories.

My goal is to help my clients better navigate the challenges, issues, problems, and concerns that continue to trip them up preventing them from truly enjoying their lives. One step at a time, one day at a time, and believing that one small adjustment can make a big difference in how your day may go.

justine.greatlifepsychology@gmail.com

I am a Registered Psychologist with 15 years of experience working with children and adolescents. I work hard to create a safe and caring environment with my warm and nurturing approach to guiding and supporting children and adolescents. I incorporate art, talk, books, and play therapy techniques to help my clients explore and express their thoughts and feelings helping them discover better ways to cope with these emotions.

As an educator and school counselor, I have a wealth of experience supporting children, adolescents and families with social and emotional development, personal issues, special needs education, behavior and learning challenges. I believe in honoring the unique individual with authenticity and positive regard. 

My warm and nurturing nature helps me develop excellent rapport with youngsters and creates a safe and caring space to help.  I have enjoyed extensive training with the Rocky Mountain Play Therapy Institute, and incorporate play therapy techniques and creative modalities such as art, play and bibliotherapy in my practice. 

patti.greatlifepsychology@gmail.com

I am a Registered Provider for Veteran Affairs Canada and the RCMP. Registered providers have met standards set by VAC and the RCMP and have registered with Medavie Blue Cross, providing approved benefits and services. 

I am a Registered Psychologist in the Province of Alberta and a Registered Clinical Counselor in the Province of British Columbia. My observations as an educator, school counselor, clinical counselor, and psychologist provide a different perspective that may help you gain a better understanding of how to cope and manage the ups and downs we experience in our lives.

Leaning on the lived experiences of my life and the lived experiences of others I have worked with provides me with more insight into the struggles we all have, and some of the solutions to the problems that we all hope to find. 

I effectively work with anxiety, depression, anger management, school and work-related stress, relationship issues (parent-teen conflicts, couples counseling), self-esteem, trauma, PTSD, and addictions.

As a therapist in private practice, my focus has been on helping clients develop coping strategies to deal with anxiety, anger, depression, relationship issues, parent/teen conflict, stress at work, struggles at school, trauma, and PTSD. I also have experience helping couples communicate more effectively and repairing damage from past issues, problems, and concerns. 

I continue to work with injured workers (WCB). Working through stress, anxiety, depression, frustration, anger, trauma, PTSD, and pain management. This work often extends to the injured worker's partner and children, who may also be impacted by the injured worker.

I continue to work with active service members (CAF) as well as veterans. Working with VAC and PCVRS. As noted above, I am a Registered Provider for Veteran Affairs Canada and the RCMP. Registered providers have met standards set by VAC and the RCMP and have registered with Medavie Blue Cross, providing approved benefits and services. 

Therapeutic Orientation:

CBT 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) strategies and techniques primarily focus on identifying and changing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors by utilizing tools like cognitive restructuring, exposure therapy, journaling, relaxation techniques (like progressive muscle relaxation), behavioral activation, problem-solving, and activity scheduling (developing a positive routine and schedule), all aimed at addressing the root causes of emotional distress and promoting positive changes in daily life. 

Working through Cognitive Distortions

Employing CBT to re-evaluate thinking patterns and assumptions in order to identify unhelpful patterns (often termed “distortions”) in thoughts, such as overgeneralizing bad outcomes, negative thinking that diminishes positive thinking, and always expecting catastrophic outcomes, to more balanced and effective thinking patterns. These are intended to help the Participant reconceptualize their understanding of traumatic experiences, as well as their understanding of themselves and their ability to cope. 

Processing Trauma/Reducing Avoidant Behaviors

Exposure to the trauma narrative, as well as reminders of the trauma or emotions associated with the trauma, are often used to help the Participant reduce avoidance and maladaptive associations with the trauma. The goal is to return a sense of control, self-confidence, and predictability to the client and reduce escape and avoidance behaviors.

DBT 

The four main components that make up DBT are distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, mindfulness, and emotional regulation.

Key DBT Strategies:

Distress Tolerance Skills
Distress tolerance helps people get through difficult times when emotions are running high. It teaches people to soothe themselves in healthy ways when they are feeling upset, rather than becoming overwhelmed by emotions or hiding from them. This allows individuals to make wise decisions about whether and how to take action, rather than falling into the intense, desperate, and often-destructive emotional reactions. Crisis survival skills are also taught so that one does not engage in problematic behaviors and ultimately make the situation worse. Reality Acceptance Skills focus on helping people fully accept reality and provide a guideline for responding to painful aspects of life. 

Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills
Interpersonal effectiveness skills involve helping people understand what their needs are in their relationships and helps develop effective ways of dealing with others in order to get one’s wants or needs met in a healthy way. This involves respecting the self and others, listening and communicating effectively, dealing with difficult people, repairing relationships, and being able to say no. 

Core Mindfulness Skills
Mindfulness skills in DBT come from the eastern spiritual traditions. These skills help members focus on the present and attend to what is happening in the here and now in a calm way. It helps people slow down and focus on doing what is needed to care for oneself in the moment. Members learn the value of wise mind instead of succumbing to intense emotions and acting in a destructive way. 

Emotion Regulation Skills
The DBT emotion regulation skills help people understand their emotions. It teaches people to decrease the intensity of their feelings and helps them ride out strong emotions without acting on them. It provides education about the function of emotions and how to not be swamped by them. 

Couples Counselling
Over the last 10 years, I have expanded my practice to include couples counseling. This expansion involved additional education, training, and supervision. Couples counseling is an area that I enjoy. There is nothing better than helping a couple reconnect and find happiness once again.

We use Psycho-educational Assessments such as the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-IV), the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V), and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-IV). The Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT-III) is also used to assist with diagnosis, eligibility, placement, and decisions regarding interventions. I now refer my assessments to Patti Fedor, Olamide Omotosho, and Dianna Graziano. 

My book, Life in the Past Lane, is a book that focuses on better days ahead. Breaking free from issues, problems, and concerns from our past that we continue to trip over in our day-to-day lives. Learning how to think about things differently, being more aware, and more willing to make adjustments to make things better for us and our loved ones. Strategies to better cope and manage the stress, anxiety, depression, and relationship dynamics in our lives. 

Life in the Past Lane - Learning How to Focus Forward (paperback, ebook, and Audio versions) are now available on Barnes and Noble, BookBaby, Amazon, and Audible.

Best Price 

Barnes and Noble
https://bit.ly/3URLTz6 

BookBaby

https://store.bookbaby.com/book/life-in-the-past-lane

Amazon

https://amzn.to/3rmxqNi

Audible

https://bit.ly/3qqOuE3

Email Rod Woitas
greatlifepsychologycentre@gmail.com

Feature videos created by Rod Woitas

To provide additional support and potentially reach more people who may require assistance, I have a series of video presentations highlighting many of the strategies I have used with my clients over the years. 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCprczvyjz7EXL3X9Nop_8xA