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Dr. Emma Murray, C.Psych.

Dr. Murray provides assessment and treatment to adults and seniors. She uses a number of evidence-based treatments to address client’s needs and the challenges that they are facing. Dr. Murray works collaboratively with clients to identify their goals and guide them towards making positive and lasting changes in their life. Her main goal is to help clients identify their individual strengths and overcome barriers that may be preventing them from feeling content and fulfilled. In both assessment and treatment, her goal is to offer recommendations and strategies for coping based on what is meaningful to the client. Dr. Murray integrates cognitive-behavioural, schema-focused, interpersonal and mindfulness approaches and tailors her treatment approach to each client based on their difficulties and goals.


Dr. Murray completed her Ph.D. at the University of Ottawa in Clinical Psychology. Her clinical training included psychological services to children, adolescents, adults and seniors in clinical psychology and clinical neuropsychology. Dr. Murray has worked in variety of settings including the Ottawa Hospital, CHEO, Elisabeth Bruyère Hospital, the Centre for Psychological Services and Research, Robin Easey Centre and private practice settings. Dr. Murray completed her predoctoral residency at the London Clinical Psychology Residency Consortium in two major hospitals: the London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care London. She was awarded several scholarships and awards during her graduate studies including the NSERC graduate scholarship and the University of Ottawa’s Dean’s scholarships.


Dr. Murray is a registered member of the College of Psychologists of Ontario (CPO). She maintains memberships with the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA), the Ottawa Academy of Psychology (OAP) and the National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN). These associations promote and encourage scientific pursuit in the area of psychology and neuropsychology and advocate for better quality of mental health services for the public. Dr. Murray regularly attends conferences and workshops and keep up with evidence-based best practices for treatment.

Psychologist Expertise

Areas of specific interest to Dr. Murray include:

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Anxiety

29 Jul, 2022
Anxiety has been frequently described as feelings of fright, flight or freeze. This means that people experiencing anxiety have both the mental and the physical, visceral feelings of wanting to escape the situation, fight what is challenging or simply cannot move in any direction to deal with what is troubling them.

Assessments

27 Jul, 2022
Psychological Assessments are used by psychologists to help determine a diagnosis and inform the course of treatment. There are many different components to these assessments such as different tests, interviews, school and medical records, medical information, and observation.
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

13 Jul, 2022
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a form of talk therapy that focuses on reframing harmful or painful thoughts and behaviours. This form of therapy is often used to treat anxiety and depression but can be helpful with many different mental and physical challenges.
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Depression

03 Jul, 2022
Depression is a state of low mood in which people feel helpless, hopeless, worthless, lethargic and unable to enjoy the things that used to give them pleasure. People who are depressed are often irritable or pessimistic. Their low mood goes beyond having “the blues” or being sad. Even people who are grieving usually do not sink into depression. People diagnosed with a Major Depressive Disorder cannot just “pull up their socks” to get better. They require professional help. Psychologists use a variety of scientifically based psychotherapeutic approaches to help people recover from depression.

Geriatric Issues

19 Jun, 2022
As individuals age, their physical and mental capacity gradually decrease and the risk of disease and death increases. Aging individuals often face significant physical changes such as reduction in vision and hearing, chronic pain, and other illnesses. As well, aging also brings other significant transitions in life such as retirement, moving into housing with more assistance, and the death of peers.
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Health, Migraines & Chronic Illness

15 Jun, 2022
Chronic pain and mental health disorders often occur together. In fact, research suggests that chronic pain and mental health problems can contribute to and exacerbate each other.
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Identity Issues

11 Jun, 2022
Identity relates to an individual’s sense of self that is built through experiences, relationships, beliefs, values, and memories. This sense of self stays mostly consistent regardless of any aspects of the self that develop or strengthen as time progresses. Certain factors or events might contribute to an overall sense of uncertainty regarding one or more areas of an individual’s identity, including career aspirations, sexual and gender orientation, social circles, values, and behaviour.

Learning Disabilities

05 Jun, 2022
Learning disabilities cause a child to experience difficulty achieving academically to the level that would be expected given the child’s general intellectual ability. There are different types of learning disabilities which affect achievement in different ways and which require different forms of intervention.Psychologists can assist parents in planning for their child’s education by providing a psychoeducational assessment. These assessments provide clarification as to the nature of the child’s disability and provide recommendations for interventions which can help the child to achieve their academic potential. Such assessments also help parents to be aware of the type of post-secondary educational programs in which their child is likely to achieve success in future.

Life Transitions

03 Jun, 2022
A life transition can be any change or adjustment that impacts your life in a significant way. We all experience transitions throughout our lives — big and small, planned and unplanned, easy and difficult.

Mindfulness

28 May, 2022
Mindfulness is the ability to be aware of present thoughts, emotions, physical sensations and the surrounding environment and label them from an objective viewpoint, without judgment.

Neuropsychology

24 May, 2022
Neuropsychology is the study of the relationship between the brain and behaviour. The evaluations are comprehensive and address both cognitive and character-related aspects of an individual. Assessments provide a diagnosis regarding the individual’s level of cognitive and emotional function and a medical-legal opinion regarding SABS (Statutory Accident Benefits), long-term disability and specific legal questions.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

16 May, 2022
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can follow the experiencing or witnessing of a severe trauma involving the actual or threat of death or serious injury to the self or others. The traumatized person has typically reacted to the trauma with intense fear, helplessness or horror. Alternatively, an accumulation of less intensely damaging situations (‘small ‘t’ traumas’) can over time also lead to PTSD.
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Self-Esteem Issues

06 May, 2022
Self-esteem refers to the perception of oneself (values, abilities, self-worth, etc.). It impacts one’s relationships, mental health, and achievement. For instance, negative self-regard can lead to mood disturbances, anxiety, and loneliness; It can increase the likelihood of conflict in relationships and increase vulnerability to substance abuse. On the other hand, individuals with positive self-views are generally more likely to maintain positive relationships, maintain a positive outlook on life, and achieve success.

Sleep Disorders

30 Apr, 2022
Sleep disorders are common conditions that negatively affect the quality and/or amount of sleep. Sleep disorders can result in individuals receiving too much or too little sleep, poor quality of sleep, and sometimes strange or dangerous behaviours while sleeping.
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Stress Management

24 Apr, 2022
It is important to look at the effect or impact that stress and anxiety has on your work and home life. A professional therapist – psychologist, psychiatrist, social worker or counsellor can assist in the stress management process.

Contact

To reach Dr. Emma Murray directly, please phone 613-230-4709, ext. 144.

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