amy-mackenzie
Amy Mackenzie
Registered Counselling Therapist
Sliding Scale
$80-$120
Standard Rate
$120
Couples/Partners
$80-$120
Location
Halifax, NS
Currently Practicing
Online
Amy Mackenzie
Registered Counselling Therapist

About…

Amy Mackenzie is a Registered Counselling Therapist (RCT) and Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC). She has provided counselling services to individuals, couples and families for 9 years and also has significant experience working with children and adolescents. She has worked extensively with issues such as anxiety, depression, trauma and PTSD, eating disorders, self- harm, borderline personality disorder, grief and loss, issues with self-esteem and identity, work stress, transition issues and relationship conflict and communication. She also has experience with and is interested to work with people in ethically non-monogamous relationships (polyamory) and the LGBTQ community.

She works primarily from an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) approach where people can learn new ways to reduce the impact of unhelpful thoughts and difficult emotions on values-driven behavior. Clarifying one’s values and finding ways to allow them to be a guide or compass for behaviour, while accepting the difficult feelings and mindfully noticing and diffusing from the unhelpful thoughts that can come along with this process can be helpful. Learning ways to build and cultivate self-compassion is also essential.

Amy is also a Master’s level art therapist and can integrate art therapy and expressive arts elements, exercises and tools during the sessions as well as suggestions to try at home if there is interest. Art therapy or expressive art making can be very beneficial for healing from trauma, self-discovery, building one’s self-relationship, managing difficult emotions and finding a new visual language to express oneself when words are not always enough. Amy is also very interested in the brain (having completed studies and worked in the field of neuroscience and research) and integrates practical applications of knowledge of the brain into discussions on thoughts, emotions, behavior, trauma, healing, motivation, relationships, mental illness and recovery.

Amy worked for five years at a busy community counselling agency as a clinical therapist, offering support and services for complex issues often involving multiple community agencies as well as services for several EAP programs. Prior to this she worked in private practice as a clinical counsellor and art therapist. She has provided art therapy services to inmates at a federal female correctional institution, has developed and facilitated Claymation art therapy programs with the NS Early Psychosis Program, which lead to a published research paper in a Psychiatry journal and developed and taught art therapy workshops at NSCAD University, in the department of Extended Studies.

Amy is offering a sliding scale model ($60-$120) based on gross family income and is currently offering online video call and phone-based counselling sessions for individuals, couples and families. She is also offering online expressive arts groups, please contact for more information.

Community Focus:
Women, Children, Couples/Partners, Families, LGBTQ+, Men, Neurodivergent, New To Canada, Non-Binary, Parents, Polyamorous, Teens, Trans-Specific
Issues:
Anxiety, ADD/ADHD, Addiction, Anger, Bipolar, Body Image, Borderline, Burnout/Stress, Childhood Abuse, Chronic Illness, Codependence, Depression, Domestic Violence, Eating Issues, Family of Origin, Grief/Loss, Intimacy/Sex, PTSD, Relationships, Self Harm, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault, Trauma
Modalities:
Trauma Informed, Anti-Oppressive, Art Therapy, Relational, Solution Focused, Strengths Based
Languages Spoken:
English
* Available In-Person in Nova Scotia
* Available Virtually (Online) in Nova Scotia
Location:
Halifax, NS

* Talk to your therapist about their approach, training, credentials, and experience to ensure the best fit for your needs.

* Inquire about Online Availability in your Province