My name is Stephanie Laborge, and I am a Registered Psychologist working with youth and their families in the Calgary area. I love working with children, and am honoured when asked to partner with families to uncover solutions and answer questions about mental health, learning and development.
I have experience in private settings, as well as working directly within the school system, providing counselling and conducting psycho-educational assessments with children and adolescents, along with their families. Some of the areas that have I helped families with include:
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
Anxiety
Depression
School refusal
Stress
Social skills
Anger management
Learning disabilities (reading, writing, math)
Intellectual disabilities
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Giftedness
And so on…
I received my Master of Education in School and Applied Child Psychology from the University of Calgary, and am registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists, as well as a member of the Canadian Psychological Association. I have received a certificate in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) from Wilfrid Laurier University, and have additional training in OCD, anxiety, trauma, non-violent crisis intervention, risk assessment and suicide intervention.
The methodology that I primarily draw from is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) which has a strong evidence base for children and adults alike. This is a structured and goal oriented type of therapy, which is based on the belief that our thoughts, feelings and behaviours interact, and that by making small changes in any one of these areas, we are able to influence the entire system. Through the counselling process, the aim is to teach clients to eventually be their own therapist, including how to identify and respond to dysfunctional thoughts and beliefs, how to manage emotions in positive and healthy ways, and how to overcome anxious, worried, or low thoughts. I also utilize exposure and response prevention (ERP), which includes identifying and helping clients to face their triggers while encouraging them to not engage in maladaptive responses. This is especially helpful for clients with anxiety or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
I believe that play is incredibly important in the therapeutic process, and aids in learning, engagement and retention. ‘Play’ can take many forms, and can look different at every age - from playing with figurines and puppets, to drawing and modelling with clay, and role playing various scenarios.
In addition to being a registered child psychologist, I am also a mother of three beautiful children who constantly keep me on my toes, and often serve as my motivation to continue to learn and grow, and better myself as a person and as a professional.
I am passionate about working with individuals and families to better understand their cognitive and learning profiles through the assessment process, and look forward to helping your child launch to their full potential.