Meet Dr. Collins

Education, Training, and Work Experience

I trained in the U.S., where I had access to world-class programs and mentors. I bring that deep experience into every session, along with a down-to-earth philosophy that I credit to growing up in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I believe in therapy that’s non-judgmental, practical, and rooted in relationship.

If you are confused about the different credentials and types of professionals offering mental health services out there, you are not alone. It can be useful to learn about the training backgrounds and practical differences between Psychologists, Psychotherapists, and Psychiatrists, so that you can access the type of provider that might be best for your needs. Each has their own strengths and limitations in what they are able to do. Learn more here.

As a Psychologist registered in Ontario, I completed a 4-year Undergraduate degree (University of Manitoba), followed by a Master’s degree and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (University of North Texas). Doctoral programming entails years of coursework, training in interpreting and conducting research, completion of a thesis and dissertation, as well as years of training in psychological assessment, diagnosis, and psychological treatment. 

After doctoral work, I completed a year-long Residency at IUPUI School of Medicine, where the training experiences were quite diverse, included work across multiple hospital, correctional/forensic, and private clinic settings. Some of these rotations included work within an Anxiety Disorder’s Clinic (e.g., Social Anxiety groups, OCD, Panic Disorder treatment), Assessment clinics, Inpatient Psychiatric facilities, and a Psychodynamically oriented private practice therapy clinic with adults.

A Post-Doctoral Fellowship was next at UT Southwestern Medical Centre (Dallas, Texas), with a specialty in Consult-Liaison Psychology and Behavioral Medicine (i.e., Health Psychology). In this role, I learned to efficiently assess and treat psychological problems of medical patients during their hospital stays (e.g., needle phobias, help with traumatic injuries and depression, evaluation of organ transplant candidacy, and help with pain management, etc.). I also frequently consulted with patients’ Physicians to enhance their care, and I learned to appreciate the fragility of being human and the importance of kindness and connection.

Following completion of training at UT Southwestern, I was invited to stay on as Faculty as an Assistant Professor of Psychology. In this role, I worked with a diverse group of medical patients, developed programs, as well as conducted research and provided Clinical Supervision to graduate students in training. This work was challenging and really enjoyable. I ultimately decided to enter private practice, so that I could have more long-term connections with my clients and more creative freedom in my work. Over the past 20 years, I have worked in private practice for myself, as well as in a group practice here in Ottawa (Ottawa Centre for Cognitive Therapy).