Nicole Karg

What do you do at Shift?

I am a Registered Psychologist and I offer counselling services at ShiftGrit. I have been practicing for over 7 years. I have experience supporting young adults, adults, and seniors with various abilities.

What are your academic credentials?

I received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree from the University of Calgary and then completed a Masters of Counselling degree from Athabasca University.

Why did you decide to become a therapist?

I have always been passionate about helping people in addition to being interested in the field of psychology. As I pursued my academic career, I decided to shift my focus toward supporting individuals in a therapeutic environment with an interest in individuals with differing abilities. I have always had an innate drive to help those who have been challenged or were in need of support. I wanted to be able to walk alongside individuals who were experiencing stressors that were negatively affecting their well-being to assist them in improving their mental health and overall quality of life.

What do you bring to your therapy sessions, and what are some goals?

I bring warmth, patience, and gratitude into the therapy room and I aim to foster an environment of trust and safety. I have been trained in a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy approach. As a result of these approaches, I bring attention and focus toward how past experiences shape the way we view ourselves and the world. Through this focus, we can begin to address and challenge our perceived limitations but also harness our strengths and abilities to achieve our goals.

Who do you work with?

I have experience counselling young adults, adults, and seniors with differing abilities.

Why are you passionate about what you do?

I am passionate about supporting individuals of various abilities who are experiencing adversities with their mental health and assisting them in discovering their potential to address, manage and sustain their overall mental health well-being. In the time I have spent learning, studying and practicing psychology, I have become increasingly more passionate to share these experiences with the individuals I work with. My passion for psychology is also a source of inspiration for me to continue learning new therapeutic approaches to advance my counselling skills and provide effective treatment to the individuals I support.

What do you do in your spare time?

I enjoy spending time with my friends and family. I also enjoy doing leisure activities outdoors such as walking and bird watching. Music has always been a major part of my life as I enjoy making and teaching it. In addition to this, I enjoy attending live music, art and theatre events around the city. I can also be found reading and listening to fiction and non-fiction books. I believe it is extremely important to incorporate balance into my life as practicing self-care through my interests promotes mental health well-being.

What is a skill that you are currently working on?

I have a wide ride of experience supporting individuals with varied abilities. These individuals have taught me the importance of flexibility, compassion and resilience. Therefore, I am currently working on diversifying my approach by seeking out training opportunities within the profession of psychology to meet the unique needs of the individuals I am supporting in counselling.

What motivates or inspires you?

I am fascinated by the field and practice of counselling psychology. This fascination motivates me to learn more about various therapeutic approaches so I can share this knowledge to support individuals in therapy. Since I believe we all have the inner strength and knowledge to cope with life's challenges, I am inspired by the resilience, determination, and growth in the individuals I have supported in my practice. I have witnessed individuals change by addressing, overcoming and managing their life challenges through developing skills and tools in therapy to manage life stressors.

Available for:

Anxiety-related symptoms (GAD, Phobia, Panic, Social, etc.) | Trauma and PTSD | Depression | Exposure Therapy | Attachment Issues | Self-Esteem | Self-Confidence | Supporting Individuals with a Diagnosis of Intellectual Disability and/or Differing Abilities | Coping Skills | Stress and Burnout | Boundary Adherence | Life Changes | Grief | and much more...