by Ashley Janes
Morinville — Beginning on Nov. 11, registered psychologist Thomas Holmes will open the doors to Psychsupport Services, the first psychology practice in Morinville. Having worked as a teacher, school counsellor, inclusive education coordinator, and system psychologist for a local school board, he is now looking forward to this new chapter in his career.
“Morinville is on the edge of great things because of recent growth and I believe more retail and service oriented businesses will invest in our community in the near future. I had office space options in St. Albert which obviously has a larger population base to work with, but Morinville is our home and we believe the investment in this community will pay dividends far beyond financial. If I can play a small role in helping support healthier individuals, families, and relationships in the local area then the investment in Morinville is more than worth the effort.”
Holmes will offer services by appointment in the evenings, on weekends, and holidays. Consultations or appointments can be made by phone call, contact form through the website, or by private messaging Psychsupport Services through Facebook. “Any residents are welcome to call the office to discuss what services are available and how I might help. If I am personally not able to support them according to my area of practice, it is my responsibility and desire to help them find the appropriate professional that can support their needs.”
Holmes’ areas of practice includes a particular interest in child and young adult psychology. “My area of competency focuses on three main services: counselling, assessment, and consultation. Counselling support includes an age range of clients from young children to young adults, supporting a variety of mental health issues from depression to anxiety to anger management.”
Above and beyond providing assistance to children and youth, Holmes is eager to help their parents too. “My specialty is also helping parents support children with behavioural concerns. Assessment is an area of practice which includes psycho-educational testing for young children and young adults experiencing educational and/or behavioural challenges. Lastly, consultation includes support to organizations in the area of health and wellness, mental health promotion, and inclusive education to name a few.”
Holmes is eager for the opportunity to help people in the community and grateful for all the assistance he received in launching his practice. “I would like to give a shout-out to Stephen Dafoe for helping with office space, Jaye Parrent Arcand from the Morinville Chamber of Commerce, and Danielle Craib and Greg Hofmann from the Town of Morinville for helping with business licensing and development permits. Finally, I would like to thank the community of Morinville and surrounding areas for the positive welcome so far and I look forward to many years of living and working in Morinville.”
The office of Psychsupport Services is located at 10021 100 Avenue and more information regarding the services available there can be found on the website at www.psychsupport.ca.
