Danelle Spence R. Psych.

Danelle Spence, Registered Psychologist
It was an old friend that reminded me recently of a conversation we had in 10th grade. We were vocally daydreaming about the future and what it may look like. Psychology has always been at the forefront of my mind as a career possibility, as was teaching, and of course, becoming an astronaut. I think this daydream must have been punctuated with an episode of Growing Pains, because seeing Allan Thicke’s private psychological practice in his own home nudged me off the fence and off I went to make my daydream a reality.

Extensive volunteering pursued, a short 7-year pit stop in the teaching profession then psychological internships and residencies followed. Lo and behold, my Registered Psychologist status. I had achieved my Allan Thicke dream. I hope my passion for psychology rooted in 24 years of daydreaming, dedication, and hard-work can benefit those I will work with.

Biography

  • I hold a B.Sc, B.Ed, and an MA in Counselling Psychology
  • I’ve been a Registered Psychologist for 18 years
  • Before this work, I spent 7 years as a teacher – an experience that still shapes how I connect with families today
  • I’m deeply curious about the brain, the nervous system, and how we make sense of what we’ve been through
  • My work is rooted in understanding how you learned to navigate emotions and conflict – and how those early experiences can still shape where you feel stuck today
  • I show up as an active, real person in the room – I’ll be honest, engaged, and alongside you in the process

    A new passion for me is:

  • Supporting people as they move through grief, loss, and life after things have changed – work that is deeply shaped by my own lived experience
  • Making space for the complexity of trauma, including experiences within medical systems
  • Supporting caregivers navigating burnout, overwhelm, and the quiet weight of responsibility

Other Credentials & Qualifications

  • Registered Psychologist (2008)
  • Clinical Supervision – Level 1, 2023
  • Foundations of Attachment-Focused EMDR: Modified EMDR protocol and resource installation, Oct, 2023
  • Adult ADHD – The Nature, Diagnosis and Treatment, Feb 2023
  • Level 1 Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Jan 2022
  • Brain Story Certification – 30 hrs, 2021
  • EMDR Level 1 Basic Training
  • EMDR Advanced Training: Strategic Developmental Model
  • Emotion-Focused Therapy Level 1
  • Treatment of Adolescent Eating Disorders Integrating Emotion-Focused Therapy and Family Based Therapy
  • Healing the Caregiver System: Using EMDR therapy
  • “Going Back to Get on Track”: Healing Powers of Carers, Emotion-Focused Family Therapy for Eating Disorders Across the Life Span
  • A Day of Learning with Bruce Perry
  • Youth Addiction and Mental Health Lecture – Dr. Alfgeir Kristjansson
  • A Knowledge Exchange Forum on Brain and Mental Health in Children
  • Concussion: prevention, detection and management – A 6-week online course
  • 2-Day Positive Psychology Conference, June 2019

Practical Brain Science Webinar Series:

  • “The Brain In Two Places: Inside Your Head, Embedded in the World” – Daniel Siegel
  • “Unlocking the Enormous Potential of Neuroplasticity” – Norman Doidge
  • “How Good Experiences Can Transform the Brain” – Rick Hanson

The Long-Winded Version

I am a Registered Psychologist in the province of Alberta and a member of the College of Alberta Psychologists. As a Registered Psychologist, I am committed and dedicated to providing confidential, professional psychological services to my clients, according to the highest ethical standards of my profession.

I have had a passion for psychology and the developing brain. I have worked in schools, hospitals, correctional facilities, eating disorder centers, a specialist center for adolescent girls, walk-­in clinics and crisis centers.

My university experience consists of both an Education degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, from the University of Calgary. I then completed a Master of Arts degree in Counselling Psychology from Gonzaga University.

After many years within the education system working as a teacher and guidance counsellor, I then pursued my dream of becoming a Registered Psychologist. Once this was accomplished, I spent 5 years as part of a private practice team at a specialist center for teenage girls and their families. I then decided to combine my passions for psychology and education and joined an amazing team of professionals working as a school counsellor at Rundle College in Calgary Alberta. Soon enough, however, I decided it was time for me to go back into private practice – and here I am!