Learning Disabilities
Psychoeducational Assessments Ottawa
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.
Gilmour Psychologists with Expertise in Learning disabilities
Contact Gilmour Psychological Services® in Ottawa to schedule a consultation with a psychologist who has an expertise in psychoeducational assessments.
Your relationship’s health influences your personal health and the quality of your life. That is why Dr. Lucas Walters focuses on couples therapy here at GPS. Dr. Walters completed his undergraduate studies at Memorial University of Newfoundland. He then moved to Ottawa to complete his Ph.D. and a residency in Kingston, Ontario. These programs are both accredited by the Canadian Psychological Association. Dr. Walters has trained across large mental health hospitals (i.e., The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, Providence Care Hospital, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), community centres, and private practices. He is now completing supervised practice here at GPS with Dr. Deanna Drahovzal . Dr. Walters focuses on two areas in his clinical work: couples therapy and neurodevelopmental differences. These skillsets help him work with a wide range of couples and tailor services to match how each member of the partnership learns or processes information What defines Dr. Walters’s clinical work? Well, he describes himself as a curious, open, and active clinician. His clinical approach often draws from Emotion Focused Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. He uses evidence-based approaches with a sex-positive lens to make couples therapy less intimidating and more impactful for his clients. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Walters is a published academic author and has received support for his work through academic awards, including the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. His research covers topics such as sexual function, sexual health education, and theories around sexual attraction. Going forward, he is excited to be publishing more of his work with adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Ask him more about how his research informs his clinical practice!
Dr. Weinberger provides therapy and consultation services to adults. He also conducts assessments of adults (intellectual, memory, learning, behaviour, personality, mental health, vocational, disability, and career).
Dr. Drahovzal provides psychotherapy and assessment services to children, adults, couples, and families at Gilmour Psychological Services® in Ottawa.
Dr. Angelina Chupetlovska provides treatment to children, adolescents, adults and families. She also conducts child custody and access assessments. In her psychotherapy orientation Dr. Chupetlovska brings together aspects from the psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioural, rational-emotive, and humanistic approaches.
Dr. Elisabeth Melsom provides psychological assessment services to children (age 6+ years), adolescents, and adults, including military and veterans, at Gilmour Psychological Services® in Ottawa
Dr. Karima Lacène provides psychological services, including assessment and individual therapy, to children, adolescents and adults. She works with clients experiencing a wide range of challenges including anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship issues, grief, adjustment to life stressors, self esteem and stress management. She also provides psycho-educational assessments for children, adolescents and adults, including testing for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Learning Disabilities.
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.
Dr. Scarapicchia provides assessment and treatment services to adolescents, adults, and seniors, including psychotherapy, neuropsychological assessments, and psychodiagnostic assessments.
Brandin is in Supervised Practice working under the primary supervision of Dr. Deanna Drahovzal along with his secondary supervisor, Dr. Emma Dargie . He completed his clinical internship at the University of Ottawa’s Centre for Psychological Services and Research (CPSR) . He has obtained a Master of Arts degree in clinical psychology and has completed his PhD through the University of Windsor . His research focuses on sexual violence prevention. Brandin’s clinical experience includes working in private practice and university clinic settings where he provided individual therapy as well as psychodiagnostic and psychoeducational assessments for adults. He has experience working with mood and anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and trauma-related disorders. Brandin’s approach to therapy is integrative, drawing from evidence-based approaches including Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) , brief psychodynamic psychotherapy, and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) . Brandin prioritizes building a warm and trusting therapeutic relationship through which clients can begin to work toward their goals. We are very excited to have Brandin on our team here at GPS!
Kaitlyn is an APPIC pre-doctoral intern working under the primary supervision of Dr. Deanna Drahovzal and Dr. Emma Murray, along with her secondary supervisors, Dr. Emma Dargie and Dr. Victoria Edwards. She is completing her PhD in clinical developmental neuropsychology at York University, where her research focuses on understanding how family and environmental factors relate to cognitive outcomes in children following pediatric stroke. Kaitlyn also holds master’s degrees in clinical developmental neuropsychology and in developmental psychology. Kaitlyn has primarily worked with children, adolescents, young adults, and families across private practice, university, and hospital settings. Her clinical experience includes individual, family, and group therapy as well as neuropsychological, psychoeducational, and psychological assessment. She completed specialized training at the Hospital for Sick Children , where she worked with children and families navigating neurological and complex medical conditions in the Stroke, Transplant and Regenerative Medicine, and Neurosurgery programs. Throughout these experiences, she has worked with individuals presenting with a range of developmental, neurological, learning, attentional, emotional, and behavioural concerns. Kaitlyn views therapy as a collaborative process. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, she works with her clients to understand what brought them to therapy, identify what matters most to them, and build upon the strengths and resources they already possess. Her approach is integrative, trauma-informed, and evidence-based, drawing primarily from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. At Gilmour Psychological Services®, Kaitlyn provides assessment ( neuropsychological, psychodiagnostic, and psychoeducational ), short- and long-term therapy, crisis management, and consultation to children, youth, adults, and families. Above all, Kaitlyn strives to develop a genuine, trusting therapeutic relationship where clients and families feel heard, respected, and actively involved in their care.
