The Affinity Specialized Developmental Group Inc. (aka Affinity Group or ASD Group) is a newly created multidisciplinary private practice in Halifax where families can access a range of assessment and intervention services in the context of a single office. Current ASD Group team members include highly skilled and passionate professionals – including psychology, behaviour therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and learning coaching.
Our goal is to provide an evidence-based, continuum of care to our clients – supporting the development of the cognitive, behavioural, physical, emotional, and social selves.
Available Friday to Monday and Thursday morning. Flexible short and long-term options for this furnished office space share for an individual professional practitioner. Central Bedford location near Sunnyside Mall. The office is accessible, with internet, kitchenette, plus a private waiting room area.
Please email contact@tracyiveson.com if you have any inquiries or if you would like to check the space out in person.
Forensic psychology plays a crucial role in the legal system, providing evidence based psychological evaluations that help inform decisions in criminal, civil, and administrative matters. These assessment services are used by legal professionals, social service agencies, and regulatory boards.
Forensic psychologists apply clinical psychology in legal settings, conduct assessments, and serve as expert witnesses.
Comprehensive Forensic Assessments
Forensic assessment services cover a wide range of areas, including:
Violence risk evaluations – Assessing the likelihood of future violent behavior.
Dangerous offender assessments – Evaluating whether an individual meets the criteria for a dangerous offender designation.
Pre-trial and pre-sentence assessments – Providing courts with psychological insights into an individual’s mental state and risk factors.
These assessments are used by both defense and prosecution services to support legal proceedings and ensure informed decision-making.
Beyond the Criminal Justice System
While forensic psychology is often associated with criminal cases, its expertise extends beyond the courtroom. Services are also sought after in contexts such as:
Social service and child welfare agencies – Assessing parental capacity and child protection concerns.
Insurance and disability claims – Evaluating psychological factors related to disability determinations.
Citizenship applications – Assessing psychological aspects relevant to immigration and naturalization cases.
Professional fitness-to-practice evaluations – Providing assessments for various licensing boards to determine an individual’s ability to perform their professional duties safely and competently.
Collaborating with Mental Health Professionals
Forensic psychologists frequently collaborate with other mental health clinicians, offering specialized psychological testing to aid in complex diagnostic considerations. Their expertise in psychological assessments enhances the depth and accuracy of evaluations, ensuring that professionals in legal, healthcare, and regulatory settings have reliable data to inform their decisions.
Through extensive experience, forensic psychologists provide critical insights that help legal professionals, social service agencies, and regulatory bodies make well-informed decisions that impact individuals and communities.
For those in need of forensic assessment services, this expertise offers a comprehensive and objective approach to psychological evaluations. Whether in a legal, social, or professional context, forensic assessments play a vital role in upholding justice and evidence-based decision-making.
Health psychologists play a crucial role in understanding how psychological, behavioral, and social factors influence physical health and illness. Health psychologists are often employed in healthcare settings such as hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and healthcare clinics. They leverage a variety of psychological frameworks and expertise to promote wellness in their patients.
Outside of a clinical or healthcare setting, health psychologists who work in research-focused roles can significantly impact healthcare policy, public health, and health education issues.
What Do Health Psychologists Do?
At Nova Scotia Health, Health Psychology offers psychological interventions for those with chronic and acute health conditions. The focus is on the patient’s mental and emotional reaction to an illness or their recovery from an illness.
Health psychologists work in a variety of settings and their work can be divided into several key areas:
1. Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
One of the primary roles of health psychologists is to help individuals adopt healthier lifestyles. They design and implement interventions to encourage behaviors such as regular exercise, balanced nutrition, smoking cessation, and stress management. These interventions aim to reduce the risk of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
2. Psychological Factors in Physical Health
Health psychologists explore how emotions, attitudes, and behaviors impact physical health. For example, they may study the effects of stress on the immune system or how depression influences recovery from surgery. By identifying psychological risk factors, they develop strategies to improve patient outcomes.
3. Chronic Illness Management
For individuals diagnosed with chronic illnesses, health psychologists provide support to help them cope with their conditions. This includes pain management techniques, adherence to treatment plans, and counseling to address emotional distress associated with illnesses like cancer, diabetes, or autoimmune disorders.
4. Healthcare System Improvement
Health psychologists collaborate with medical professionals to enhance healthcare delivery. They may work on designing patient-friendly medical procedures, improving doctor-patient communication, or developing policies that promote better healthcare access and outcomes.
Why Are Health Psychologists Important?
With the increasing prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases, the role of health psychologists has never been more critical. They help bridge the gap between physical health and mental well-being, ensuring that individuals receive holistic care that addresses both their psychological and physiological needs.
By integrating psychological principles into healthcare, health psychologists contribute to a more comprehensive approach to medicine—one that not only treats illness but also prevents it and enhances overall quality of life.
The Vital Role of School Psychologists: Supporting Students and Schools
School psychologists play an essential role in fostering student success and well-being. By combining expertise in psychology and education, they help children and youth navigate academic, social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. But what exactly do school psychologists do, and how do they contribute to a healthy school environment? Here’s what you need to know about their vital role.
What Do School Psychologists Do?
School psychologists work with students, educators, and families to create supportive learning environments. Their key responsibilities include:
Assessment and Evaluation: They assess students’ cognitive, academic, and emotional functioning to identify strengths and challenges, ensuring appropriate interventions are in place.
Consultation and Collaboration: They work closely with teachers, parents, and other professionals to develop strategies that support student learning and well-being.
Intervention and Prevention: They design and implement programs that promote positive behavior, social skills, and emotional resilience.
Mental Health Support: Help students, families and school staff deal with crisis situations.
Advocacy and Policy Development: They contribute to policies that enhance student support services and advocate for inclusive educational practices.
Why Are School Psychologists Important?
School psychologists are critical to addressing the diverse needs of students. Their work leads to:
Improved Academic Performance: By identifying learning barriers and providing strategies, they help students achieve their full potential.
Better Mental Health and Behavior: Their interventions support students in managing stress, emotions, and relationships, leading to a healthier school climate.
Stronger School-Home Partnerships: By working with families, they ensure that students receive consistent support both at home and in school.
How Can School Psychologists Help Your Child?
If you notice that your child is struggling with learning, social interactions, or emotional well-being, a school psychologist can provide valuable support. Parents can reach out to their child’s school to connect with these professionals, discuss concerns, and explore available resources.
The Need for More School Psychologists
Despite their importance, there is a growing demand for school psychologists. Schools benefit greatly from having these professionals on staff, yet shortages often lead to limited access to their services. Advocacy for increased funding and awareness of the role of school psychologists can help ensure that every student receives the support they need.
Final Thoughts
School psychologists are key to fostering safe, inclusive, and supportive school environments. Their work enhances students’ educational experiences, mental health, and overall well-being. By recognizing their contributions and advocating for their presence in schools, we can ensure that all children have the opportunity to thrive.
Following consultations with our members, APNS has identified the following priorities for the 2024 NS General Election.
Improving public access to mental health services through timely access to services, high quality of care, innovative implementation, collaborative care teams, educating the public on mental health and addictions care services and supporting organizations that provide mental health care.
Public System Recruitment and Retention. Public health system and school psychologists are leaving public institutions to work in the private sector. This is mostly due to workplace culture, shortage of resources that affect the standard of care, lack of professional autonomy and wages.
Increased Education and Training. There is a shortage of psychologists across Nova Scotia. Students who leave the province for training often do not return, whereas students who train here often stay. Additionally, the mental health needs of Nova Scotians are increasingly complex, requiring newly trained psychologists to possess very specialized skills. To meet the complex health needs of Nova Scotians, university graduate programs and residency training sites across the province need to be expanded. Funding is necessary to support increased opportunities for high quality, graduate-level training in psychology within Nova Scotia, which will enable graduates to better support diverse and underserved clients in high needs regions.
Please note that the Association of Psychologists of Nova Scotia (APNS) is a non-partisan organization and does not endorse specific candidates or political parties. We work with all levels of government to advocate on behalf of our members to support policies that advance mental health care in Nova Scotia.
POSITION: Psychologist or Psychologist (Candidate Register) ORGANIZATION: Marsh-Knickle and Associates LOCATION: Bedford, Nova Scotia
Marsh-Knickle and Associates is a well established practice serving the Halifax Regional Municipality and beyond. We have multiple opportunities for Registered and Candidate Register Psychologists who work with various populations.
POSITION: Registered or Candidate Registered Psychologist ORGANIZATION: Sunnyside Psychological Services LOCATION: Bedford, Nova Scotia
We are seeking a Psychologist to join our growing practice. Over the past 5 years we have strived to create a professional, relaxed, welcoming atmosphere for our clients and clinicians, alike. At Sunnyside Psychological Services clinicians have the autonomy to set their schedule to suit the needs of themselves and their clients. As a clinician in our practice you may provide individualized services to clients, but have the added benefit of being part of a collaborative team of experienced clinicians. We offer a comfortable and inviting workspace with a reception area, fully furnished offices, and a separate exit for a private client departure. Virtual treatment is also optional.
POSITION: Psychologist Positions and office space ORGANIZATION: Dr. C.K. Perrier & Associates LOCATION: Bedford, Nova Scotia
We are currently recruiting psychologists to join our team as part-time or full-time associates, working out of offices in Bedford. We offer comfortable, accessible, and welcoming office space with free parking. We offer complete administrative support and use encrypted and secure web-based practice management software for managing client scheduling and clinical records. As an associate with our team, you will be compensated at a rate well above industry standards. Work-life balance is prioritized and associates have flexibility in creating their own schedule and limiting or expanding therapy hours, as well as choosing to provide treatment in-person or via telehealth.
If you are interested in joining our team as an associate, please submit a cover letter with CV to info@PerrierWellness.ca
Alternatively, if you are interested in renting office space rather than joining a practice, we have a welcoming environment with multiple rooms available to rent on an hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly basis, including a large group room. Rates are very reasonable and negotiable.
POSITION: 2 Psychologists – Part-time and Full-time ORGANIZATION: Dr. Daniel Chorney & Associates Psychological Services LOCATION: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Our practice is committed to providing the highest quality, evidence-based psychological services to children and adults in Halifax. We provide a collaborative and supportive work environment for psychologists so that they can focus on providing effective care to clients.
