Dr. Margaret Penfold, C. Psych.

“Hello there! I am so happy to be serving my community as part of this multi-disciplinary clinic. It is my honour and pleasure to be able to offer you time and hold space with you for this part of your journey.

My Therapeutic Stance:

I believe that setting the stage for a collaborative therapeutic relationship and honouring the client as the expert about their life and challenges are core pieces of working effectively in psychotherapy. I blend this client centered approach with various empirically supported therapies, such as: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Exposure and Response Prevention, and Written Exposure Therapy.

The types of therapies we may find ourselves working with depends on what your main concerns are and your willingness to try new, and potentially challenging, things. When it seems appropriate and helpful, I assign homework between sessions to build on what we have covered in our session. Common types of homework I assign include: behavioural experiments, listening to educational podcasts, mindfulness practices, skills practice, watching educational YouTube videos, worksheets, and writing exercises.

My Training and Work Experiences:

I have over 15 years of experience working with clients across the adult lifespan with a range of mental health, physical health, and adjustment difficulties in the public health system and private practice settings. My specific areas of experience and expertise include adjustment concerns (e.g., career and life changes, chronic illness, etc.), anxiety (generalized anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, social anxiety), depression, emotional dysregulation, grief, insomnia, nightmares, obsessive compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and substance use problems.

I completed my master’s and doctoral studies in Clinical Psychology at the University of Manitoba. My final year of studies included a year-long residency with the Edmonton Clinical Psychology Residency Consortium in Alberta. Following my residency year, I worked with Alberta Health Services before eventually returning to Manitoba to work with Shared Health in 2016. I started dabbling in private practice work in 2017, and in late 2021 I started my full-time private practice journey with Wolseley Wellness on Corydon, and I’m still so glad I took the leap!

As part of the requirements for registration as a psychologist, each year I continue my education through approved conferences, workshops, and seminars. I really enjoy these opportunities to expand on my skills and learn how to use them in new ways.

Registration and Professional Affiliations:

I am currently registered as a psychologist with the Psychological Association of Manitoba. I am also a member of the following professional associations: Association for Contextual Behavioral Science, Canadian Psychological Association, and Manitoba Psychological Society.”

Dr. Penfold has appointments available for individuals aged 18 to 65 at our Corydon Avenue location.

Dr. Heather Simister, C. Psych.

“Hello! I am happy to be joining the supportive multi-disciplinary practice at Wolseley Wellness.

I am a Psychologist with over 10 years of experience. During that time, it has been my privilege to join people on their individual journeys. I see therapy as a collaborative opportunity to dedicate time together to helping you achieve a life that is consistent with your values. Using a client-centered approach where each person is seen as the expert in themselves, I will work with you to help develop a collection of coping strategies to deal more effectively with difficult thoughts and feelings, and to look at ways you can address barriers to your valued life.

I primarily use an approach called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT is a type of behaviourally and mindfulness-based psychotherapy that looks at ways to reduce suffering and to empower each person to connect to a life they value. When indicated, I also include other common therapy approaches such as behavioural strategies, effective goal-setting, and Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy (CBT).

At Wolseley Wellness, I currently work with people aged 18-65 who are looking for individual therapy. While ACT can be used across a wide range of concerns, I have specific expertise in working with anxiety (including social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, general anxiety disorder, or panic); depression; grief; life changes and stressors; or work stress. I also have specific training and experience working with individuals who have chronic pain or chronic health conditions, and people who identify as being on the Autism Spectrum. Please note that I only offer individual therapy; I do not provide formal assessment for diagnostic or other purposes.

I am registered as a Psychologist with the Psychological Association of Manitoba, and a member of the Manitoba Psychological Society and the Association of Contextual Behaviour Science.

I am pleased to offer a free 15- minute phone consultation to new clients. This is an opportunity for you to learn a bit more about me, ask any questions you may have, and helps us identify together if I might be a good fit for your therapeutic goals.” 

Dr. Simister has appointments available for individuals aged 18 to 65 at our Corydon Avenue location.