Pembroke Psychological Services

Dr. Elna roberts, psy. D., Post Doc Intern

APPROACH

My approach to life is about mindfulness and being grounded. I believe that we can all find a little peace in the most challenging moments of our lives. I focus on moment-by-moment awareness and paying attention to our breath.

My focus has always been on finding ways to ease the pain and suffering of those who struggle and providing them with the skills to help them with challenges, reduce stress, and increase a sense of well-being in their lives. A very special thanks to doctors Alisha Henson and Len Gignac, who graciously agreed to supervise me and help me as I approach the final journey to become licensed.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

I have been working in mental health for the past 20 years. In 1998, I joined the Canadian Armed Forces, where I worked as a mental health social worker. Being a part of this unique environment and team has taught me a lot. In my career as a military member and spouse of a military member, I was fortunate to receive various training opportunities. I was also exposed to different cultures and environments, allowing me to become a well-rounded therapist. I completed my Bachelor of Arts in 2002 at the University of Manitoba, then my Bachelor of Social Work. I also completed a degree in addiction counseling at the University of Manitoba during this time. I hold my certificate in addiction counseling with families from St Laurence College in Kingston. I then completed my Master of Social Work from the University of Manitoba. I was released from the Canadian military in 2017, decided to proceed with my doctoral degree, and completed my PsyD in Clinical Psychology in 2023.

I have been working with military and veterans for many years and found that this work has grounded me professionally. I have also completed several mindfulness courses with John Kabat-Zinn and Dr. Dan Siegal. My approach to treating trauma is using either EMDR, TIR, ART, or PE, as these are areas in which I have specialization. I am also trained in several clinical modalities (e.g., ACT, DBT, DBT, SFT, MBSR, Brian spotting) focusing on how to help in symptom reduction and encouraging setting boundaries to improve a better, more empowering life.