Meet our team.
Anita Sablone (she/her)
Founder, Principal Psychologist
M.A. (School Psychology)
M.Ed. (Counselling)
Registered Psychologist (NS)
RCT (NSCCT), CCC (CCPA)
From an early age, Anita observed how life’s challenges were navigated differently by different people. This fostered a curiosity about how one’s inner strengths could be developed into psychological resilience.
Anita has studied school psychology, neuropsychology and counselling at Saint Mary’s, Mount Saint Vincent University and Acadia University. She has worked for government agencies and other private practices, and has conducted research at Dalhousie University. Anita spent almost 25 years supporting school-aged children and teens as a Registered Psychologist with the Chignecto-Central and Halifax Regional Centres for Education, providing counselling, consultation and assessment services before resigning in 2021 to focus full-time on Spirit Psychological, which she opened in 2016.
Spirit Psychological was founded on Anita’s desire to provide client-centred, authentic and effective interventions to children, teens, young adults and families. Anita then expanded her counselling skill set by pursuing education and licensure as a Registered Counselling Therapist (RCT) and Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) to provide services to people across the lifespan, accompanying them in movement toward wellness, authenticity and a values-driven life.
Anita provides various assessment services in addition to consultation/advocacy for her clients. Her licensure as a Registered Psychologist allows her to work with school-aged children, teens and young adults up to age 25 years (inclusive) using her assessment, consultation and counselling skills. For older clients (25 years+), couples and families, Anita is pleased to provide support within a counselling-specific framework under her RCT and CCC licensure.
Counselling is Anita’s central passion. This has led her to pursue specialized training in Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR, Basic) for the treatment of trauma, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety/panic and depression. She is currently seeking advanced certification in both EMDR and EFT.
Believing in the power of animal-assisted therapy, Anita offers her Therapy Dog, Maggie, 6 year old Yellow Labrador Retriever, in any session at a client’s request.
ASSESSMENT, CONSULTATION, THERAPY
Terra Sawlor (she/her), Associate
M.A. (School Psychology)
M.Ed. (Special Education)
Registered Psychologist (NS)
Terra is a Registered Psychologist who worked for over 18 years with the Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) before joining Spirit Psychological full-time in 2020. She is the proud mother of three children.
Terra is child-focussed and utilizes her assessment, counselling and consultation skills (i.e., advocacy; behaviour, etc.) to uncover and support her clients’ needs. Her diagnostic assessment of learning disabilities, intellectual delays, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and autism pre-screening are comprehensive and detailed.
Terra is passionate about working collaboratively with children and families. She takes pride in helping clients understand their own strengths and challenges in order to develop evidence-based, practical strategies for both home and school.
Terra works alongside clients struggling with anxiety, low mood, social skills, emotional regulation and other difficulties. Her therapeutic approach is grounded in cognitive-behavioural theory and mindfulness. Terra has expanded her clinical skillset in ADHD by pursuing further studies (Red Maple Coaching & Consulting and JST Coaching & Training), enabling her to offer services as an ADHD Coach.
ASSESSMENT, CONSULTATION, COUNSELLING
Heather Boucher (she/her), Associate
M.A. (School Psychology)
Registered Psychologist (NS)
Heather is a Registered Psychologist with extensive experience supporting children, youth, young adults, families, and school personnel. Heather is a military wife, and proud mother to their “neuro-spectacular” kiddo. Heather worked in Nova Scotia schools for more than 10 years.
Through a strengths-based, neurodiversity affirming approach, Heather provides comprehensive assessments for learning disorders, intellectual disabilities, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Heather provides child and family-centered support for emotional regulation. Heather is also passionate about providing psychoeducation to children and their families around new diagnoses, like ADHD, autism, learning disorders, etc. Heather believes that we are our best selves when we understand our own neurodivergence through an authentic, affirming perspective.
Known for her exceptional warmth and humour, Heather is dedicated to working collaboratively, compassionately, and practically to support children and their families with a variety of learning, behavioural, and mental health challenges.
ASSESSMENT, CONSULTATION, COUNSELLING
Nadine has over 15 years of experience as a Registered Psychologist working with children, parents, and families in educational and clinical settings. After graduating with a Master of Arts in School Psychology from Mount Saint Vincent University, she spent 10 years working for the Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE), engaging in private practice and extensive post-graduate clinical supervision to further hone her clinical assessment and intervention skills. Nadine has recently returned to join the Spirit team after 5 years in a therapeutic school setting in the Cayman Islands.
Nadine specializes in the assessment of children, youth, and young adults experiencing a variety of mental health and neuro-developmental challenges, specifically anxiety, depression, trauma, attention issues, learning disorders, autism and intellectual disabilities. Nadine uses her experiences and training to conduct comprehensive assessments that are beneficial to clients, as well as direct, meaningful evidence-based and time-sensitive interventions.
Nadine offers both individual and group therapy, as well as parent training support. The foundation of her treatment approach is highly interpersonal and based on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), while also drawing on an acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) framework. She has specific training, experience, and a special interest in anxiety-resiliency work and social thinking training with children, youth, and young adults. Nadine prides herself on using a collaborative and team-oriented approach to promote the mental health and wellness of her clients and their families.
ASSESSMENT, CONSULTATION, COUNSELLING
Nadine Maxner (she/her), Associate
M.A.(School Psychology)
Registered Psychologist (NS)
Pamela Blotnicky (she/her), Associate
M.A. (School Psychology)
Registered Psychologist (NS)
ASSESSMENT, CONSULTATION
Pamela’s career in school psychology began in 2010 and has encompassed a variety of professional settings, including public schools, private practices, and research institutions. In addition to extensive experience in assessment, consultation, behavioural support, and counselling, Pamela has also served as a research coordinator and supervised student research at Dalhousie University in the area of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Since 2016, Pamela has worked full-time as a school psychologist for the Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) and with Spirit Psychological since its inception. At Spirit, Pamela’s role includes assessment and diagnosis of specific learning disorders, intellectual disabilities, and ADHD, as well as providing counselling to children and youth facing difficult times in their lives. She works closely with parents and guardians, guiding them on how to address their children’s challenging moods and behaviours with compassion and practical solutions that they can realistically fit into their busy lives.
Pamela’s counselling approach is warm, empathetic, and client-centred, and she is particularly interested in mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment therapy (ACT.) She strives to create an inclusive and culturally responsive environment for all of her clients and relies on evidence-based practices in all areas of her work.
Beyond her professional life, Pamela is raising a blended family which informs her counselling. This life experience leads her to be passionate about empowering children, teens and young adults, along with their parents and educators to achieve self-understanding, validation, and success in all aspects of their lives.
Maxine believes that each person’s whole story matters. Reaching out for support and saying “I need help” is not always easy. It takes courage and strength to let another person into one’s life, sharing struggles and concerns that may be getting in the way. Maxine’s commitment is to journey with each client, providing a supportive and caring listening space. Maxine provides counselling therapy services to young adults, adults, women, newcomers & refugees to Nova Scotia.
Maxine’s therapeutic approach includes sensitivity and compassion for difficult and complex life experiences. Using a strengths-based, solutions-focused approach, grounded with trauma-informed principles, Maxine considers it a privilege to get to know each client, inviting them to share their life stories, and providing an atmosphere where they are listened to, valued, and heard.
With 20+ years experience as an educator (children to adult levels), including ten years as an English Additional Language (EAL) instructor/program coordinator (newcomers and refugees), Maxine is committed to helping individuals to grow and move toward ‘better’ in their lives. Some of her areas of focus include:
Relationship support (individual/couples/families)
ADHD support
Anxiety/stress coping
Immigrant/refugee young adults, women and family support
Trauma-focused and integration work
Support for women (personal, professional, work/life balance, family, life stages)
Training and Certifications:
Trauma Integration training (through ATTCH) ~ certification nearing completion
Emotionally Focused Individual Training (EFIT) ~ Level 1, Level 2 Certificates
Immigrant and Refugee Mental Health course (CAMH)
ADHD-Certified Clinical Services Provider ~ in progress, 2023
Trauma Treatment Certification Training (J. Fisher) ~ in progress, 2023
Applying DBT Principles in Therapy workshop ~ in progress, 2023
COUNSELLING, CONSULTATION, NEWCOMERS TO CANADA, TRAUMA INTEGRATION
Maxine Roberts (she/her), Associate
7bytheOcean Counselling Services
B.Ed, M.Ed. (Counselling)
RCT (NSCCT), CCC (CCPA)
A Fine Arts Specialist with the Halifax Regional Centre for Education, Melanie has been nurturing students and helping them gain the strength to tell their own stories for over 25 years. Melanie maintains a keen interest in working innovatively with students, in particular those who have special needs. Her creative approaches to teaching have resulted in her receiving both the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and the first ever Superintendent’s Award for Excellence in Education. In addition to her two Bachelors of Arts, Melanie holds a Bachelor of Education as well as Master of Education degrees in both Special Education and Counselling.
When counselling, Melanie’s therapeutic approach is narrative within a client-centred framework for both individuals and groups. Although interested in everyone’s story, Melanie has a special interest in working with adolescents.
Along with Anita, Melanie is also active in the application of animal-assisted therapy in Nova Scotia and clients are most welcome to request Melanie’s hypoallergenic Therapy Dog, Karma, attend their counselling sessions.
Melanie was very excited to learn in recent years of her Métis heritage and feels a natural connection to many Indigenous teachings.
Melanie Kennedy (she/her), Associate
M.Ed. (Special Education)
M.Ed. (Counselling)
RCT-C (NSCCT), CCC (CCPA)
COUNSELLING, CONSULTATION
ASSESSMENT, TUTORING, INDIVIDUALIZED LITERACY PROGRAM & MATH
EXECUTIVE FUNCTION COACHING
Sherene Kirincich (she/her), Associate
M.Ed. (TESOL-Teaching English as a Second or Other Language)
M.Ed. (Literacy)
B.Ed. (Elementary), B.A. (Psychology)
Sherene is a Severe Learning Disability (SLD) Specialist with the Halifax Regional Centre for Education and has been a teacher within the board for the past 15 years. She is trained in the Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing (LIPS) Program and the Wilson Reading System and Foundations, both programs that focus on multi-sensory phonological and phonemic awareness to improve reading, spelling, and writing skills.
Sherene believes a person’s learning experience is multi-layered and when developing an intervention, she takes many factors into consideration. Learning styles, personality, cultural background, as well as academic strengths and challenges all provide valuable information aiding in the creation of a comprehensive, individualized program. Sherene teaches persons with learning disabilities in a dynamic way, allowing them to demonstrate their understanding in a personal, individual way.
Sherene has traveled and taught in Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand and Bolivia, and in northern Saskatchewan’s Indigenous communities. This, along with her experience growing up in a Croatian immigrant family, has expanded her understanding and respect as to how cultural differences are central to our life experience.
Sherene is currently working towards her Diploma in Education (Curriculum) through Cape Breton University.
Brittany Morrison (she/her), Associate
M.A. (School Psychology)
Registered Psychologist
ASSESSMENT, CONSULTATION, COUNSELLING
Brittany is a Registered Psychologist who offers psycho-educational assessments to children and adolescents experiencing learning, attention and behavioural difficulties. She provides coaching to parents of preschool-aged and young children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experiencing behavioural challenges.
Using strategies based on principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), Brittany collaborates with preschools, schools and agencies to develop effective and supportive teaching plans. Brittany's goal is to help parents understand the function of their child’s behaviour and provide new tools to foster meaningful changes.
Brittany also works at the Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention Program (EIBI) providing evidence-based intervention to young children with ASD, since 2014. Passionate about helping clients better understand their strengths and challenges, Brittany seeks to provide practical recommendations that will maximize learning potential and wellness across settings.
Amy MacGillivray(she/her), Associate
M.A. (School Psychology)
Registered Psychologist (NS)
ASSESSMENT, CONSULTATION
Amy is a Registered Psychologist with almost 20 years of experience conducting assessments and consultations within the Halifax Regional Centre for Education as well as private practice. At Spirit, Amy offers comprehensive psycho-educational assessments to children, adolescents and young adults. Amy believes that parent education is central to her clients’ wellness by enhancing understanding of how neurodevelopmental differences impact individuals and their families, as well as how to advocate to improve access to resources and interventions.
Amy’s primary areas of expertise include assessment of learning disorders, intellectual disabilities and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), in addition to consultation focused on educational planning for diverse learners. In addition, Amy offers practical behavioural strategies for managing ADHD and coexisting neurodevelopmental challenges in school and at home. Informed by a strong knowledge of evidence-based practices, Amy strives to help clients answer questions, gain skills and advocate for themselves in order to experience success within academic and personal situations.
Jennifer Martin-Wells (she/her), Associate
B.Ed., M.A. (School Psychology)
Registered Psychologist (NS)
ASSESSMENT, CONSULTATION
Jennifer has always enjoyed spending time with and helping children. Her full-time employment began as an elementary school teacher. Through this work, Jennifer was most drawn to the students who were experiencing challenges, whether these were academic, social-emotional or behavioural. This realization led to completing a Master of Arts in School Psychology at Mount Saint Vincent University. Jennifer has established a nearly 25-year career working as a Psychologist with the Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) in addition to joining the Spirit team.
Jennifer enjoys collaboratively supporting children and youth with a wide range of academic, behavioural, social, emotional, and mental health needs. Jennifer conducts assessments and communicates results in a sensitive and clear manner, helping children/teens, their parents and schools to better understand their strengths and challenges. This greater understanding, alongside the provision of a variety of practical recommendations, allows families to advocate for needed supports, enabling their child/teen to succeed to the best of their ability.
Erin MacKelvie (she/her), Associate
M.A. (Behavioural Psychology)
Behaviour Therapist (Board Certified Behaviour Analyst, BCBA)
CONSULTATION, BEHAVIOUR INTERVENTION
Erin is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst with many years of experience in both therapeutic and recreational roles. As a teenager, Erin worked with neuro-diverse individuals and saw firsthand the importance of ensuring that those persons who engage in challenging behaviours are safe and understood.
After completing a Behavioural Interventions Advanced Diploma (NSCC), Erin completed a Master’s Degree in Behavioural Psychology (University of the Pacific, California), where she gained experience working with neuro-typical and neuro-diverse children and adolescents who engaged in a wide range of challenging behaviours.
Erin believes that challenging behaviours are often used to communicate needs. Through an Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) lens, Erin teaches her clients how to communicate needs in a safe and easily understood way. She believes that working collaboratively with all relevant caregivers helps to develop effective treatment plans that provide utmost safety in her clients' everyday environments.
Shanyce is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst-Candidate with 8 years of experience working with neuro-diverse children and youth both in a residential and therapeutic setting. After completing her undergraduate degree in Psychology, Shanyce had an opportunity to work with neuro-diverse children and found her experience very rewarding. This led Shanyce to pursue a Master’s Degree in Psychology specializing in Applied Behaviour Analysis.
At Spirit, Shanyce’s area of expertise is early intervention, supporting families and children from 3 years of age. Shanyce is able to determine whether an individual has a potential diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) through her training in the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) assessment.
Shanyce supports her clients by considering physical, emotional, and social wellbeing. Believing children learn best in their natural environments, she creates unique treatment plans based on personal goals, modes of learning, and target environment. Her approach ensures that each treatment plan involves support from all individuals connected to the client in order to produce the most successful outcome.
Shanyce Jones (she/her), Associate
MSc.(Clinical Psychology)
Behaviour Therapist (Board Certified Behaviour Analyst, BCBA-C)
BEHAVIOUR INTERVENTION
COUNSELLING, COUPLES THERAPY/RELATIONSHIP COUNSELLING, CONSULTATION
TRAUMA INTEGRATION, REFUGEES & NEWCOMERS TO CANADA
Sukanya Mukherjee (she/her), Remote Associate - Virtual Sessions Only
MSc. (Clinical Psychology)
BSc. (Psychology Hons.)
RCT (NSCCT), CCC (CCPA), CCTP, CGCS
Sukanya is a Certified Canadian Counsellor (C.C.C) and a Registered professional member in good standing with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), a Registered Counselling Therapist (RCT) with the Nova Scotia College of Counselling Therapist (NSCCT). Sukanya is also a Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist (CCTP) from Arizona Trauma Institute and a Certified Grief Counsellor (US).
Sukanya’s academic background includes a Bachelor of Science with honours in Psychology, and Master of Science in Clinical Psychology and Neuroscience. She received certifications in Couples and Relationship Treatment from Harvard Medical School and attended several clinical trainings in Psychological Interventions (Johns Hopkins University), Psychiatry (University of Sydney). Sukanya attended courses and workshops in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Solution Focused Therapy (SFT), Advanced Mindfulness Interventions, Trauma informed Couples Therapy (Gottman), and Internal Family Systems (IFS).
Sukanya ‘s approach to treatment is eclectic in nature and incorporates holistic, trauma informed, client centred and humanistic framework. As a polyglot (English, Bengali, Spanish, Hindi), she strives to provide culturally sensitive and racially informed therapy to individuals, couples, and families from diverse backgrounds. She provides a safe and non-judgmental therapeutic environment, grounded in compassion and empathy, using evidence-based treatment.
Sukanya’s area of focus includes Trauma (chronic, complex, PTSD, relational, attachment, childhood trauma), anxiety disorder (GAD, OCD, Social Anxiety etc.), Mood disorders (Depression and Bipolar), Couples/ Relationship Counselling, LGBTQ+, Anger management, Grief, stress management, body image, eating disorder and self-esteem.
In addition to her clinical work, Sukanya is also a professional artist and an Ambassador with United Nations of Canada, representing the National Capital Region, working on SDG global goals, policies on mental health and community well-being.
Jennifer Mealiea, (she/her), Associate
M.Sc., (Speech-Language Pathology)
Registered, S-LP(C)
SPEECH LANGUAGE
Jen is a speech-language pathologist with over a decade of experience working with young children, and particularly, children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Jen holds Graduate degrees in both Speech-Language Pathology (Dalhousie) and Psychology (University of Waterloo), as well as undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Music (Dalhousie).
In addition to Jen’s skills in working with children with autism (ASD), she also has extensive clinical experience in a variety of areas, including language, speech, social skills development, fluency/stuttering, AAC, literacy, and resonance.
Jen is passionate about working with children and their families to help them develop strategies relevant to their unique situations, and to provide the best family-centred care. Jen engages in a collaborative approach to speech-language assessment and treatment, with the goal of empowering clients and families to carry over strategies into their everyday lives.
ASSESSMENT, TUTORING, INDIVIDUALIZED LITERACY & MATH PROGRAMS
Camilla Doyle (she/her), Associate
M.Ed. (TESOL - Teaching English as a Second or Other Language)
M.Ed. (Leadership & Administration)
M.Ed. (Diverse Learners)
Camilla has an established 34 year career as an educator with the Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) and has a sincere and genuine love of children. Throughout her career, she has supported children and teens - in the classroom, coaching various sports, running social groups for students with intellectual challenges - encouraging the acquisition of new attitudes, skills, and concepts. The most rewarding part of Camilla’s day is always the twinkle in her student’s eyes upon the realization that they “can”!
At Spirit, Camilla utlizes techniques of the Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing (LIPS) Program and the Wilson Reading System and Foundations, both programs that focus on multi-sensory phonological and phonemic awareness to improve reading, spelling, and writing skills. Camilla designs and implements individualized learning support programs for children and teens struggling with literacy and math.
Nicole Robichaud (she/her), Associate
M.A. (Counselling Psychology)
Psychologist (Candidate Register)
Nicole completed her Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology at McGill University. She works with adults of various ages, backgrounds, genders, and sexualities, cherishing the opportunity to bear witness to the diversity of life experiences. She believes that a felt sense of safety and warmth promotes a meaningful and effective therapeutic relationship and she aims to empower her clients through empathy and care.
Grounded in trauma and attachment-informed principles, Nicole’s approach to therapy is compassionate and goal-oriented, emphasizing clients' strengths, generating reflection, and catalyzing change. Nicole works from an Internal Family Systems (IFS)-informed approach, focusing on healing through self-compassion and an understanding of your internal world. She also integrates elements of talk therapy, mindfulness, and cognitive strategies and skills.
Nicole offers support for individuals with various concerns, such as depression, anxiety, trauma, anger, stress, low self-esteem, perfectionism, ADHD, emotional dysregulation, overwhelm, life transitions, and interpersonal concerns. Additionally, Nicole promotes a sex-positive environment and works with individual clients in relationship constellations of all types including consensual non-monogamy.
Under a Psychologist Candidate Licence, Nicole works with adult individuals providing support within a counselling-specific framework.
COUNSELLING
ASSESSMENT, COUNSELLING, BEHAVIOUR INTERVENTION
Becky Carter(she/her), MA (School Psychology)
Behaviour Analyst (Board Certified Behaviour Analyst, BCBA)
Becky Carter is a registered psychologist with the Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology (NSBEP) and a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) registered with the Behaviour Analyst Certification Board (BACB) with over 17 years of experience working with children and youth.
Becky has worked in both the public education system and in private practice in Nova Scotia and Ontario. Her areas of specialty include working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Intellectual Disability (ID), Learning Disability(ies), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and in the field of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). Becky is credentialed (Level 5) in Practical Functional Assessment (PFA) and Skill-Based Treatment (SBT) of severe problem behaviour with FTF Behavioural Consulting. Her professional goal is to help produce meaningful changes in the lives of children and their families using positive, compassionate, and evidence-based interventions.
Becky conducts comprehensive psycho-educational assessments in English for school-aged children and youth to understand the cognitive, adaptive, attention, academic, social, and emotional functioning of children and youth. She specializes in the assessment of learning disabilities and ADHD. Once the assessment is complete, Becky will write a report and is available to meet with your child’s school team to review the results.
Becky offers consultation and coaching to parents/guardians of children experiencing mild to severe externalized behaviour challenges, such as self-injurious behaviour, aggression, property destruction, etc. Becky conducts Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA) of your child’s behaviour. An FBA helps to determine the target behaviour(s) of concern and why those behaviours might be occurring. Once this information is obtained, Becky will work with the child and family to identify their goals and build a Behaviour Support Plan (BSP) that is meaningful and socially significant for the child and their family. Suggestions can also be made to your child’s school team.
Becky also offers coaching to children and parents/guardians on building functional skills, including life skills, social skills, daily living skills, self-regulation, communication, and leisure skills.
Donna Benigno (she/her), Associate
M.A. (School Psychology)
Registered Psychologist (NS)
Donna approaches all clients through a trauma-informed, culturally sensitive and client-centered lens. A proud mother of three, Donna’s experienced, empathetic and non-judgemental approach helps clients feel valued, heard and understood.
Donna specializes in assessment services for individuals aged five through twenty-five years of age. Donna prides herself on completing comprehensive assessments for learning disabilities/disorders, ADHD and Intellectual Developmental Disorder (Intellectual Disability). Donna also screens for comorbid disorders requiring additional support (i.e., anxiety and mood challenges, Autism Spectrum Disorder) and enjoys helping individuals and families navigate avenues for further assessment and/or support.
Through consultation and counselling, Donna assists individuals and families to better understand strengths and challenges in the situations they are facing in areas like learning, parenting, social-emotional skills and challenging behaviour. She accompanies them in developing a personalized, evidence-based action plan that points them toward reaching their full potential. Donna’s warm and collaborative approach makes her clients feel ‘wrapped around’, a quality central to Spirit Psychological’s philosophy of care.
ASSESSMENT, CONSULTATION, COUNSELLING
Francesca Chan (she/her), Associate
M.Sc., (Speech-Language Pathology)
Registered, S-LP(C)
Francesca is a speech-language pathologist from Manitoba. She has worked with young children for three years in areas including speech, language, fluency, AAC, and social skills. She also has experience working with adults specifically with swallowing disorders (i.e., dysphagia).
Francesca holds a Masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology (University of British Columbia) and an undergraduate degree in Linguistics and Psychology. She is also currently pursing another Graduate degree in Audiology (Dalhousie). Francesca hopes to utilize her background in speech-language and audiology disciplines to support individual’s ability to interact and communicate.
Francesca supports her clients to achieve their goals by providing family-centred care. She guides families through therapy to work towards goals that are relevant and important to the client. Francesca welcomes collaboration with other professionals as well as the family to produce the most rewarding outcome.
SPEECH LANGUAGE
ASSESSMENT, TUTORING, INDIVIDUALIZED LITERACY PROGRAMMING
CERTIFIED ORTON GILLINGHAM TUTOR (SCOTTISH RITE)
MULTI-SENSORY MATH TUTOR (PRIMARY - GRADE 7)
Judy Cornelius (she/her), Associate
M.Ed. (Educational Psychology)
M.Ed. (Curriculum)
Coming from an impressive background and training in education, Judy has extensive experience working with school-aged children and teens in the classroom, resource and as both a Principal and Vice-Principal. Additionally, Judy completed training in Orton-Gillingham from the Scottish Rite Learning Centre, eventually retiring from education in schools. Before joining Spirit, Judy owned and operated a busy private practice out of her home for ten years focusing on Orton-Gillingham and math supports.
Judy offers a strengths-based approach focused on identifying a person’s abilities, strengthening their specific challenges - all to guide a client to their greatest potential. She has experience using both informal and formal assessments alongside parental input to develop and implement fully individualized programs for her clients. Believing deeply in active, open collaboration between home and school, Judy works closely with others to ensure intervention dovetails into recommendations from other professionals such as speech-language pathologists, psychologists, teachers and counsellors.
Encouraging clients to self-advocate is an integral part of Judy’s approach. She has helped many children and teens diagnosed with ADHD, behavioural challenges and learning disabilities (including dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia) understand their challenges and be a strong voice for their own needs.
Judy especially enjoys helping parents better understand their child’s educational strengths and challenges, while optimizing each client’s abilities in a fun-filled and stimulating environment. She is excited to work with clients, their support persons and the multidisciplinary team at Spirit.
Laura Misztela, (she/her), Clinic Manager
A.D. (Music Performance)
Laura Misztela has led a varied and eclectic working life that has focused on creativity, problem solving and helping. She has substantial experience in administrative work, art and design, customer service, and working with children.
As a mother of three (two with Autism Spectrum Disorder), Laura also brings a wealth of life experience in caring for and learning to understand others - big and small. Laura meets those around her with caring, compassion and humour as Spirit's Clinic Manager.
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
Therapy Dogs Maggie & Karma
CUDDLING & SNUGGLING
Maggie, Therapy Dog
CUDDLING & SNUGGLING
Karma, Therapy Dog
Spirit is pleased to offer Animal-Assisted Therapy at client request.
Psychologists Anita Sablone and Counsellor Melanie Kennedy are active members of the Animal-Assisted Therapy Chapter of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. They believe animals can bring therapeutic value to clients who are willing to experience it.
Maggie is Anita’s 6 year old yellow Labrador Retriever (not hypo-allergenic) who loves to cuddle and has an intuitive emotional sense for her human companions.
Maggie can be available for any sessions with Anita to provide additional support and comfort to clients.
Melanie Kennedy (RCT-C, CCC) is also active in the animal-assisted therapy in Nova Scotia. Clients are most welcome to request Melanie’s hypoallergenic and spirited Therapy Dog, Karma, to attend their counselling sessions.
Karma is a loveable, intuitive Bichon Frisé who despite her dainty size, provides larger than life comfort and unconditional love.
