| Accepting New Clients? | Yes |
| Regular Hours: | Tuesdays, 9am to 7pm |
| Modalities of Care: | OnlineIn-Person |
Hello, my name is Donna Poirier. I am both a registered psychologist and certified teacher and have greatly enjoyed my 30+ years of experience working with and supporting individuals of all ages and abilities in my roles as psychologist, education and behaviour consultant, and teacher.
Education and Credentials:
- Registered Psychologist (#3084) with the College of Alberta Psychologists
- Certified Teacher with the Alberta Teacher’s Association
- Bachelor of Education, Department of Elementary Education (Area of Specialization: Special Education), University of Alberta
- Master of Education, Department of Educational Psychology, University of Alberta
- ADOS-2 and ADI-R trained
- Specialized training in Autism assessment and diagnosis of young children
Background / Experience:
I have a wide range of experience working with individuals in home, school, and community settings, including completing a variety of complex psychoeducational and diagnostic assessments. I have additionally completed specialized AAPLES training in Autism assessment and diagnosis of young children with the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital in Edmonton, which are considered by both the Glenrose & FSCD (Family Supports for Childrenn with Disabilities) as clinically equivalent to the diagnostic assessments completed by the Glenrose IPAS and SNAC clinics, immediately qualifying children for specialized individual and family supports such as those provided by the Glenrose and FSCD, without the need to wait 18 -24 months for Glenrose assessments. Early diagnosis permits earlier access to supports and therapies that can improve a child's communication and social skills. Early intervention can have positive prognostic implications for a child which may, in turn, improve the child's quality of life.
I believe that information gleaned from assessment can be the springboard to better understanding each person as a whole; to help elevate the individual through the development of personalized goals and strategies, which utilize and builds upon the person’s strengths in order to support and enhance their areas of identified need.
My decades of practical experience have afforded me the ability to translate individual and family priorities and diagnostic information into pragmatic and functional individual social, educational/academic, emotional, behavioural, and adaptive life skills goals and interventions to effectively support children, adolescents, and their families, and maximize the individual’s potential.
Through ongoing consultation, I have enjoyed helping children of all ages and ability levels to resolve difficulties in these areas by providing parents and families with the knowledge and strategies they need to support their children in achieving their personal goals and family outcomes. Children and adolescents with an identified diagnosis, including those identified below, often present with unique challenges at home, school, and/or within the community, and thus may particularly benefit from specialized supports and consultation.
Services Offered:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessments (ages 2.5 yrs. and up)
- Psychoeducational Assessments (Children and Adolescents)
- Diagnostic Assessments (Children and Adolescents)
- Assessments for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) Program Funding (Transition to Adulthood, ages 17 to 19 yrs.)
- Consultation for Parents/Families whose Children are Experiencing Emotional/Behavioural, Social, Academic, and Other Areas of Difficulty
Who I Work With:
I currently work with children and adolescents, as well as their families.
I am comfortable providing both individual assessment and ongoing consultation to parents/families for a variety of learning, social/emotional, and behavioural issues, including those with complex needs. This includes the following presenting concerns:
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders (i.e. Autism Spectrum Disorders, Developmental Delays, Learning Disorders, Tic Disorders, ADHD)
- Emotional/Behavioural Dysregulation
- Anxiety Disorders (i.e. Selective Mutism, Phobias)
- Genetic Disorders (i.e. Down Syndrome, Fragile X)
- Complex Needs / Multiple Disabilities
In most cases, I would refer to other professionals for the following issues:
- Diagnosing Personality Disorders
- Diagnosing Psychosis
- Child Custody Evaluations
- Somatic Symptoms and Related Disorders
- Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders
About Me:
I am very fortunate to have found my calling early in life. From the time I was 10 years old, when I first volunteered to be a “peer buddy” with children with developmental disabilities in my elementary school, and in the decades that have since passed, I have been privileged to work with and support children and adolescents with diverse needs, and their families. Outside of work I have enjoyed travelling to places such as Tanzania, Kenya, Haiti, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, and a number of countries in Europe, and lived and worked in the Arctic Circle for a time. I also enjoy camping and spending time in the mountains whenever I can.
Professional Memberships:
- Psychologists’ Association of Alberta
Languages Spoken:
- English
