Psychology Services

Individual Therapy

Couples Therapy

Perinatal Therapy

Virtual Therapy

Psychological Assessment

Child Therapy

Teen and Adolescent Therapy

Free Consultation

Individual Therapy Couples Therapy Perinatal Therapy Virtual Therapy Psychological Assessment Child Therapy Teen and Adolescent Therapy Free Consultation

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WHAT WE OFFER

At Schaffer Psychology, we provide a diverse range of assessment and treatment services for clients from all backgrounds. We are equipped to address various challenges and difficulties that individuals may face. Our team of psychologists has specialized expertise, allowing us to create fully personalized assessment and treatment plans for each client.

Your journey to mental wellness starts here.

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We offer personalized therapy services tailored to meet the needs of individuals, children and families experiencing anxiety, trauma, burnout, major life transitions, and more. Sessions are available in-person in Stony Plain or online for your convenience.

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Addiction

Anxiety

ADHD

Bipolar disorder

Borderline personality (BPD)

Child/teen therapy

Complex trauma and PTSD

Dissociative disorders (DID)

Domestic abuse

Dual diagnosis

Eating disorders

Grief

Mood disorders

Parenting

Personality disorders

Psychosis

Relationships

Self-esteem

Self-harm

Sexual abuse

Stress

Suicidal ideation

Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Women’s issues

You’re not one-size-fits-all
(and your therapy shouldn’t be either).

This is why we provide a range of therapy treatment options.

  • Acceptance and ommitment therapy (ACT) is an action-oriented approach that stems from traditional behavioural therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy. Clients learn to stop avoiding, denying, and struggling with their inner emotions and, instead, accept that these deeper feelings are appropriate responses to certain situations that should not prevent them from moving forward in their lives. With this understanding, clients begin to accept their hardships and commit to making necessary changes in their behaviour, regardless of what is going on in their lives and how they feel about it.

  • Cognitive-behavioural therapy stresses the role of thinking in how we feel and what we do. It is based on the belief that thoughts, rather than people or events, cause our negative feelings. The therapist assists the client in identifying, testing the reality of, and correcting dysfunctional beliefs underlying his or her thinking. The therapist then helps the client modify those thoughts and the behaviours that flow from them. CBT is a structured collaboration between therapist and client and often calls for homework assignments. CBT has been clinically proven to help clients in a relatively short amount of time with a wide range of disorders, including depression and anxiety.

  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is an evidence-based therapy for PTSD. It targets maladaptive thoughts linked to trauma. It usually involves around 12 sessions and will include at-home work, like writing about the traumatic event. CPT aims to change thoughts around safety, trust, control, esteem, and intimacy. It helps develop skills to challenge and restructure thoughts, leading to a healthier perspective, coping, and recovery from PTSD.

  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is the treatment most closely associated with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Therapists practice DBT in both individual and group sessions. The therapy combines elements of CBT to help with regulating emotion through distress tolerance and mindfulness. The goal of Dialectical Behavior Therapy is to alleviate the intense emotional pain associated with BPD.

  • Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFCT) is an evidence-based form of couples therapy that focuses on the emotional bond between partners.

    EFCT is grounded in attachment theory, which emphasizes the importance of secure emotional connections in human relationships. EFCT helps couples identify and change negative patterns of interaction that create distance or conflict, such as the common pursue-withdraw cycle.

    Rather than focusing solely on communication skills or behavior change, EFCT goes deeper, helping partners understand the underlying emotions and attachment needs that drive their reactions and struggles

    EFCT has been extensively researched and is considered one of the most effective approaches to couples therapy. It is particularly useful for couples experiencing emotional disconnection, recurring conflict, or the aftermath of betrayal or trauma. With a focus on creating secure attachment and fostering emotional intimacy, EFCT offers a powerful and compassionate path toward healing and reconnection in relationships.

  • Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is an evidence-based form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that offers effective treatment for various conditions including anxiety, phobias, and eating disorders. It is considered a particularly effective treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). ERP usually includes a dozen or more sessions and starts with assessment and education. ERP then follows two essential steps, firstly, individuals are directly exposed to stimuli that typically evoke fear, distress, obsessive thoughts, or compulsive behaviors. Secondly, they learn therapeutic techniques to prevent their usual maladaptive responses.

  • EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an information-processing therapy that helps clients cope with trauma, addictions, and phobias. During this treatment, the patient focuses on a specific thought, image, emotion, or sensation while simultaneously watching the therapist's finger or baton move in front of his or her eyes. The client is told to recognize what comes up for him/her when thinking of an image; then the client is told to let it go while doing bilateral stimulation. It's like being on a train; an emotion or a thought may come up and the client lets it pass as though they were looking out the window of the moving train.

  • The Gottman Theory For Making Relationships Work shows that to make a relationship last, couples must become better friends, learn to manage conflict, and create ways to support each other's hopes for the future. Drs. John and Julie Gottman have shown how couples can accomplish this by paying attention to what they call the Sound Relationship House, or the seven components of healthy relationships.

  • Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a method of therapy that works to engage the motivation of clients to change their behaviour. Clients are encouraged to explore and confront their ambivalence. Therapists attempt to influence their clients to consider making changes, rather than non-directively explore themselves. Motivational Interviewing is frequently used in cases of problem drinking or mild addictions.

  • Psychodynamic therapy, also known as insight-oriented therapy, evolved from Freudian psychoanalysis. Like supporters of psychoanalysis, psychodynamic therapists believe that bringing the unconscious into conscious awareness promotes insight and resolves conflict. But psychodynamic therapy is briefer and less intensive than psychoanalysis and also focuses on the relationship between the therapist and the client, as a way to learn about how the client relates to everyone in their life.

  • Solution-focused therapy, sometimes called "brief therapy," focuses on what clients would like to achieve through therapy rather than on their troubles or mental health issues. The therapist will help the client envision a desirable future, and then map out the small and large changes necessary for the client to undergo to realize their vision. The therapist will seize on any successes the client experiences, to encourage them to build on their strengths rather than dwell on their problems or limitations.

  • Strength-based therapy is a type of positive psychotherapy and counselling that focuses more on your internal strengths and resourcefulness, and less on weaknesses, failures, and shortcomings. This focus sets up a positive mindset that helps you build on your best qualities, find your strengths, improve resilience and change worldview to one that is more positive. A positive attitude, in turn, can help your expectations of yourself and others become more reasonable.

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FAQ
  • By appointment only 

    Monday: 10:00am-8:00pm

    Tuesday: 3:00pm-9:00pm

    Wednesday 10:00am-9:00pm

    Thursday 9:00am-9:00pm

    Friday 12:00pm-8:00pm

    Saturday 10:00am-3:00pm

    Sunday 10:00am-3:00pm

  • For first time bookings, or if you require assistance, please call us at 780-910-3420 to allow our Intake member to ensure the best fit for your needs.

    Online booking is not available for special appointments which include Assessments, EAPs or for Motor Vehicle Accident claims. Please call us.

  • Therapy sessions start at $235 per 50-minute session for Registered Provisional Psychologists and Registered Psychologists. For Certified Canadian Counsellors, therapy sessions start at $180 per 50- minute session. Service fees are based on the recommended fee schedule endorsed by the Psychologists’ Association of Alberta and Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association.

    Sliding scale fees are available on a case-by-case basis. Please inquire by phone if you require this option.

  • We offer direct billing services for most insurance providers. We accept a wide range of insurance plans, including extended health benefits and employee assistance programs. Contact us to inquire about insurance coverage and reimbursement options as they can differ from provider to provider.

  • If you need to cancel or change the appointment time, we request that you give at least 24 hours’ notice. No-shows and cancellations within 24 hours of your appointment will be charged the total cost of the session fee.

    If payment fails, you will be informed and asked to make a successful payment. If you are unable to make payment arrangements, your session will be canceled and rescheduled later.

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Psychoeducational Assessment

Psycho-educational assessments are now available at our practice by Dr. Cybil Schaffer as she is newly competent to the area. Dr. Schaffer is currently being supervised by Terilyn Pettefer and will offer low-cost assessments for the time-being.

These assessments are designed to help identify cognitive, emotional, and behavioral patterns that may be affecting learning, development, or overall well-being. They are particularly helpful for individuals experiencing academic challenges, attention difficulties, or emotional concerns and can provide valuable insights into learning disabilities, ADHD, and other conditions.

Our assessments aim to give a clearer understanding of strengths and areas for growth, guiding personalized strategies for success.

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Questions before getting started? Get in touch.