Preventive Mental Health
You may recognise the first signs that life is becoming harder to manage: you have trouble winding down, stop making plans with friends or notice that the same arguments start up when demands increase. Preventive mental health gives you time to notice those patterns and decide how to respond earlier. You can use the sessions to prepare for a demanding period, make changes while you have room to do so, or think through how to maintain progress you have already made.
Book an appointment or call 403-801-4839 for help choosing a counsellor.
When preventive counselling may help
You may want to get ahead of a change such as becoming a parent, moving, starting a new role, or taking on more responsibility for a family member. The transition may be something you are looking forward to and still bring uncertainty, less time for yourself or changes to the people you depend on. An early conversation can help you identify where the strain is likely to come from and which support you want to arrange in advance.
It may also be useful if you recognise a pattern from a previous period of anxiety, low mood or difficult stress. You might notice that the things that usually help you, such as connecting with people or taking breaks, are the first things you give up when you are under pressure. Counselling can help you decide how you will respond when you notice that shift again.
How we help you plan for early support
We start with what tends to put you under strain, what has helped before and what is realistic in your circumstances now. Together, you can identify a few changes you would like to notice sooner, such as pulling back from activities, growing tension at home or finding it harder to concentrate. Then you can decide what you will do if they appear, including who you can talk to and what support you can realistically access.
The plan might include a conversation about sharing caregiving, time each week for something that helps you recover, or a check-in when you know a particularly demanding period is approaching. You and your counsellor can revisit what is useful as your circumstances change. If your concerns are already affecting daily life, the conversation can help clarify whether more focused counselling or other support would be appropriate.
What to expect at your first appointment
Your counsellor will ask what prompted you to reach out now and what you would like to be better prepared for. You can talk about what you notice when things start to feel harder, what makes it easier to ask for support and which parts of your routine or environment are within your control.
You can start with one situation rather than trying to address everything at once. By the end of the conversation, you and your counsellor can agree on a practical next step and discuss whether a follow-up would be useful.
Meet the counsellors who specialize in Preventive Mental Health
Maria Schmid
Registered Psychologist
Maria is a registered psychologist who offers preventive counselling and works with people adjusting to changes in their lives and relationships. She helps clients recognise early signs of strain and consider which supports they can put in place before demands increase.
Danielle Smith
Registered Psychologist
Dr. Smith is a registered psychologist who supports children, teens and families experiencing stress or conflict. Her family systems approach can help caregivers notice recurring difficulties sooner and decide what changes or support would be useful at home.
Tricia Thomas
Registered Psychologist
Tricia is a registered psychologist who uses solution-focused counselling and has training in mindfulness-based stress reduction. She works with clients to notice when stress starts affecting their routines and identify small changes they can try before everyday demands pile up.
Nicole Berggren
Registered Psychologist
Nicole is a registered psychologist with training in infant and parent mental health and a focus on early support. She works with caregivers preparing for or adjusting to parenthood, with attention to how they can look after their own well-being and their relationship with their child.
Renata Logan
Registered Psychologist
Renata is a registered psychologist who provides preventive counselling and works with adults experiencing stress, changes in relationships or competing demands at work and home. She helps clients notice where pressure builds and reflect on which relationships, routines and sources of support help them stay well.
Jason Stein
Registered Social Worker
Jason is a registered social worker who works with clients on strong emotional reactions, family conflict and other difficult circumstances. His collaborative approach can help people identify situations they would like to handle differently and practise responses they can use before those situations escalate.
Sheri Sadowick
Counseling Therapist (AB), Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (BC)
Sheri is a counselling therapist who supports caregivers and families managing demanding work rotations and parenting responsibilities. She helps clients think through where strain tends to build during time apart or when a partner returns and what support they can arrange ahead of those transitions.