About Aspire
Aspire Psychology is a collective of Registered Psychologists and wellness practitioners who, due to Covid19 are currently providing services via telepsychology(phone or video care). Each practitioner maintains their own private practice in their areas of specialty. The collective atmosphere allows us to offer a broad range services in a one-stop shop. With a breadth of experience and individual specialities, we are confident you can find a practitioner that will be a good fit for you and your family.
Please note, we have given up our Varsity office space due to the uncertainties about when we can safely resume face-to-face care. We are pleased to report that our experience over these past months is consistent with the research that finds that telepsychology is as effective a medium as face-to-face care. We have had feedback from clients of all ages who have used telepsychology with us and who indicate a preference for telepsychology for its convenience and also for its comfort over the required use of masks during sessions. This method also provides the added security of knowing that as clients and therapists, we are all doing our part to mitigate risk for each other, vulnerable families and individuals, and our community. We look forward to see both existing and new clients via telepsychology services.
About the Psychologists of Aspire:
Dr. Raksha Dave-Gates, Ph.D. (Fam.Soc.Sci.), R.Psych.
Dr. Raksha Dave-Gates is a Registered Psychologist in independent private practice counselling adult individuals, couples and families. She completed her B.Sc. in Psychology (with Distinction) and M.Sc. in Clinical (Community) Psychology at the University of Calgary with her Ph.D. in Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota. During her Ph.D., she focused on counselling families, cultural diversity and gerontology.
She has over 15 years of counselling experience giving respect to relationship, family and cultural contexts. Dr. Dave-Gates is particularly experienced in working with families as a group whether with parents regarding or with their older children and teens or as adult family members wanting to work together to improve their communication and relationships. She also works collaboratively with child and pediatric psychologists to support families with young children when needed.
She has a published chapter in the Handbook of Family Development and Intervention (2000) providing guidelines for therapists working with diverse New American families and has numerous community presentations regarding counselling culturally diverse populations. Due to her commitment to community education about emotional health issues, she has written articles related to individuals, couples and families in NW community newsletters in Calgary for over 10 years. She has also been an invited speaker on the radio show “Your Family Matters” hosted by Family Law lawyer, Cyndy Morin, regarding boundaries and on a call-in radio show on RED FM discussing depression and South Asian teenagers.
Dr. Raksha Dave-Gates specializes in the treatment of: depression, anxiety, relationship issues such as communication strengthening, parenting support and managing couple conflict, grief and loss, life stage transitions (including job and career transition, separation and divorce and aging), stress management, assertiveness, boundary awareness, and self-esteem enhancement. She offers counselling services in English, Hindi and Gujarati. She is an active member of The College of Alberta Psychologists and Psychologists’ Association of Alberta.
Dr. Jennifer Crawford, Registered Psychologist, specializing in Pediatric Psychology
Dr. Crawford has been a practicing Psychologist for over 20 years. She has always specialized in the pediatric population and brings a wealth of Psychology experience from a small health district in Saskatchewan, to more than 12 years at Alberta Children’s Hospital here in Calgary. She has extensive experience in psychoeducational assessment. Areas of assessment include giftedness, cognitive differences, learning disabilities and ADHD.
Dr. Crawford has worked with children that have complex health needs. During her time at Alberta Children’s Hospital she worked specifically with children with Neurological differences, as well as provided medical psychology coverage to the inpatient population and many other outpatient groups.
Dr. Crawford’s education began at the University of Regina where she completed a Bachelors of Education, becoming a Certified Teacher. She then moved on to her undergraduate Psychology degree, and headed West, completing a Masters Degree at the University of Victoria and finally a Phd at the University of Alberta.
Dr. Crawford is a Registered Psychologist and a member of the Canadian Psychological Association.
Dr. Crawford’s Website: http://crawfordpsychological.com
Dr. Torie Carlson, Ph.D., R.Psych. – New Leaf Psychological Services
Dr. Torie Carlson is a Registered Psychologist with expertise working with children and adults. He received his Ph.D. in Counselling Psychology from Ball State University in Indiana in 2002. He is also a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Anaesthesia, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary.
Dr. Carlson specializes in providing treatment for the following:
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in adults
- Chronic Pain in adults
- Addiction
- Relationship issues (utilizing Emotion Focused Therapy)
- Phobias and other specific fears including fears of needles, blood, insects etc.
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Grief and loss
- Life stage transitions
- Stress management
Dr. Carlson primarily utilizes Evidence Based interventions including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Hypnotherapy, and Emotion Focussed Therapy in his treatment.
For more information on Dr. Carlson’s practice, please visit http://www.newleafps.com/