About Patricia

I invite you to learn more about me, and see if I am a good fit for you. My areas of particular expertise are mood, emotion, depression, anxiety and anger management, stress and pain self-management, hypnotic relaxation therapy for hot flashes, sleep hygiene and coping skills development. I have 32 years of experience in both the public and private sectors of counselling children, adolescents and adults.

For you to be assured that you are receiving the current counseling strategies, I maintain up to date workshop attendance and training in such techniques as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), hypnotic relaxation therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

Further, I endeavour to practice what I preach so to speak. I believe in balancing myself in the four areas I promote to you. I am an outdoor enthusiast, enjoying downhill and cross country skiing, working out, walking, hiking and backpacking. I am also an indoor enthusiast and partake of the quieter activities of reading novels, knitting, watching a few favourite television programs, meditation, crafts and naps.

I keep up with reading in my field and enjoy novels, stories about adventures and learning to have more positive thought processes. My spiritual practice revolves around meditation and cultivating kinder, gentler living and relationships. You might find it helpful to know that as a psychologist, I do not live in a bubble free of problems. My life has had its share of difficulties which I have been able to overcome and from which I have been able to move forward. I have also had rewarding and fun experiences over many years.

I am enthusiastic about and committed to collaborating with you in the counselling context to assist you in removing barriers to a more fulfilled life. I welcome new clients at my Calgary & Canmore offices.

My approach.

In my life I strive to take a balanced and overall lifestyle approach to living. This extends into  how I view and approach counselling. Based upon well documented research I take the view that “everything is connected”. By this I mean that you are impacted by how you are physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Problems in one of these areas have a negative impact on all the other areas. I use a model that includes you at the centre, surrounded by the four areas of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects.

In the counselling sessions I will encourage you to look at both the problem areas you have identified, and your overall balance in the four areas. We can discuss easy ways to implement emotional, mental, physical and spiritual practices in each area. First, I will encourage you to identify what you are already doing to attain balance in these areas. Then, if you wish to try something new, I will give you some ideas to try, and encourage you to build an overall  program of beneficial self- wellness in your life.

The physical practices could range from formal to informal. To begin, we can discuss if you need to have a physical examination by your family doctor to ensure readiness for activity. You could participate in group or individual fitness groups at your gym or go outside. The point is to find something you enjoy that you will do consistently.

The mental, emotional and spiritual practices will be what you identify as relevant. These could include everything from identifying your beliefs and how they are aid your overall coping and living, to daily self - relaxation, mindfulness or meditation practices.

For further information, please check out "Is counselling for me?" "What should I know before counselling?"

I am open and available to answer any questions you may have about myself or about how counselling works. Please feel free to email me at patricialavelle.psychologist@gmail.com and I will answer your questions free of charge. Or you can call me at 403.675.5379 for a no charge initial consultation. Alternatively the twenty minutes of no charge consultation can be part of your first session.