Dr. Christopher Armstrong
M. Ed. , Ph. D. , Registered Psychologist
The best advice that I ever got was from my Grandmother. She said, "Be nice to everyone ...because EVERYONE is struggling with something."
~ Bob Dylan
About Me:
Before I get into my qualifications (below), I'd like to just say one thing: If I've had a lucky break in life, it's that my love for conversation has merged with an ongoing interest about why people are the way that they are...under this profession. This combination has led to many wonderful moments in my private practice, such as:
(a) seeing a lightbulb turn on above people's heads;
(b) hearing people say, "I can't remember at time when I've felt better;"
(c) hearing people say, "For the first time in my life...I like myself;"
(d) hearing people say, "I'm not stuck in the past anymore;"
(e) seeing people heal or unwind from what they've been through;
(f) seeing people realize that intergenerational trauma may be ending with them;
(g) and last but not least, seeing people getting excited about change ...
... especially when change wasn't imaginable just a short time ago.
For these reasons, I still love making sense of the issues that people are dealing with ... as well as thinking about the steps can be taken towards beginning a new chapter.
About My Qualifications:
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I'm a Ph.D.-Level Registered Psychologist - which involved roughly 12 years of university, over 2000 hours of supervised counselling experience with senior psychologists, and passing the dreaded EPPP exam. I had a full head of hair at the beginning of the journey ... and at no point did I forget the irony of my having never liked school (I started watchin' the clock in Grade 5)!
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I have 3 university degrees in psychology: a B.A. (With Distinction), an M.Ed. in Counselling Psychology, and a Ph.D. in Counselling Psychology. The latter two degrees are via the University of Alberta Counselling Psychology Program...which, I'm proud to say, provides one of the best educational sites for counselling in North America. This program is one of only 4 such programs within Canada that are accredited by the Canadian Psychological Association.
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I provide individual counselling for adults. Please Note: I do not see teenagers.
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I have 20+ years of counselling experience that traverses the Cross Cancer Institute, the University of Alberta's Student Counselling Services, the Family Centre, Native Counselling Services of Alberta, and the Edmonton Public School District. I was recently honored by being chosen as one of a handful of support psychologists for the National Truth & Reconcilliation.
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I'm registered via the College Of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) and am a member in good standing with the Psychologists Association of Alberta (PAA). Both institutions adhere to the highest standards of ethical and professional practice, as well as the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists by the Canadian Psychological Association.
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I provide trauma-informed therapy. In particular, I am specialized in the therapy developed by Dr. Gabor Mate. I have had the privilege of deeply experiencing his training and have been calling him "The Bob Dylan of Psychiatry" for well over a year.
About Putting Another Set Of Eyes On The Situation:
If you're reading all of this because you're feeling stuck, hurting, worried, overwhelmed, stressed, confused, lifeless, beside-yourself, spun-out, losing-your-grip ... AND/OR tired of the same-old patterns ... please feel free to call.
Putting a psychologist's eyes on the situation can be a BIG STEP towards FEELING BETTER.