Individual assessment and therapy/counselling can help children, teens, and their families identify and effectively deal with issues such as anxiety, depression, stress, attention deficits, autistic spectrum, developmental difficulties, trauma, achievement and aptitude, grief, parent-child conflict, attachment issues, and separation/divorce. We believe that psychology's helpful effects depend on the warmth of an authentic relationship between the person and the psychologist.
First, it was the nexus of ideas.
Second, it was the nexus of professionals.
Third, it was the nexus of children and adult services.
We have specifically designed the rooms to meet the needs of individuals, families and groups. We avoid living and working in isolation and instead aim to learn and grow together.
Over a decade ago, Leanne and MaryLou started running together in the very early morning. With their defenses weakened by exhaustion, the conversation would float from one deep (or ridiculous) topic to another. One of their favorite conversations was starting a private practice together. At the time, it was a dream, but, for a variety of reasons, seemed unlikely to happen. They shared a passion for families, for their roles as mothers, for psychology, and healing. They shared a deep conviction that no one can live the lives they were meant to live without the love, support, and safety provided by key people in life.
They believe people are hard-wired for relationship. Hard-wired to be connected, seen, and intimately known. But, when trauma or life stress happens, or when our closest relationships feel insecure, we experience emotional distress. Sometimes our distress leads to coping strategies that actually further undermine our deepest needs. So then what?
Go back to this basic: We need each other. Leanne and MaryLou took their years of studying and practicing psychological strategies to join forces, in order to assist families in their healing, growing, and thriving process. This journey led to the creation of Nexus Family Psychology, which later became The Next Us Psychology, and finally, The Medicine Hat Psycholgists (with Greg Godard). While working independently, the three Psychologists work together to support and care for the psychological needs of families.
