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Dr. Kelly Ann Cartwright, PsyD
Psychologist
Certified CBIT Therapist
Clinic Director
(she/her/elle)
IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL SERVICES
Dr. Cartwright is currently accepting new referrals
Dr. Cartwright strives to create a warm and welcoming ambiance that fosters self-acceptance and authentic connection, prioritizing your sense of safety so that you feel comfortable exploring your challenges and discovering new possibilities.
Dr. Cartwright specializes in the psychological evaluation and treatment of tics and tic disorders, and can help you better understand, accept and manage your own tics, or those of someone you love.
In addition to tics, whether you are struggling with anxiety, relationship concerns, coping challenges, obsessive-compulsive symptoms or OCD, or emotional anguish, Dr. Cartwright will work with you to learn new skills and overcome your difficulties. And when life becomes complicated, as it sometimes does, she will offer you a listening ear, a caring heart and active support, helping you to find balance in the midst of change.
Dr. Cartwright’s practice is grounded in the beliefs that everyone sometimes experiences difficulties as a normal part of the human condition, and that every person regardless of their strengths and difficulties is of equal value. She will affirm your lived experience and work with you to reduce any self-judgment or stigma you may feel. She is LGBT-positive, neurodiversity-affirming, and will celebrate the unique aspects of identity that make you You.
Dr. Cartwright’s approach draws mainly from client-centered (humanistic) and cognitive behavioral (CBT) therapies. Your therapy will be personalized to who you are as a person and to the areas that you would like to improve. With this approach, therapy can help you restore your sense of calm and experience a greater feeling of well-being in your daily life.
Qualifications
& Current Activities
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Clinic Director, Lakeshore Psychology and Wellness Centre
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Licensed Psychologist with the Order of Psychologists of Québec
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Certified CBIT therapist (Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics) with Tourette Syndrome Behavioral Therapy Institute (TS-BTI) of the Tourette Association of America (TAA)
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Doctor in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) from Université de Montréal
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Member of Canadian Professional Association for Transgender Health (CPATH)
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Services offered in English or French
Client Focus
Children
Teens
Adults
Families
Groups
Clinicians
Schools
Organizations
Concerns
Anxiety Disorders
Tics and Tourette Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Adjustment Difficulties
Relationship Difficulties
Skin Picking & Hair Pulling
Supportive Therapy
Approaches
Client-Centered
Humanistic
Cognitive-Behavioral (CBT)
CBIT for tics
CoPs for tics
Narrative Therapy
Integration of other therapeutic approaches as helpful
Services Offered
Individual Psychotherapy
Group Psychotherapy
Psychological Assessment of Tics (children, teens, adults)
Psychological Evaluation of Adults
Parent/Family Member Consultation & Guidance
Professional Development & Training
Clinical Consultation and Supervision
Values
Non-judgmental
Authenticity
Collaboration
Neurodiversity-affirming
LGBTQ-affirming
Destigmatization
Client-Centered
More than just my work
As a mom of two boys, I know how important it is to create balance in our lives! In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, teaching my old dog new tricks, messing around on my ukulele, making soap and bath bombs, going to concerts, reading fantasy & watching detective shows.
My guilty pleasure is Got Talent Videos - I'm a sucker for those Golden Buzzer moments!
My Journey as a Therapist
I received my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) from the University of Montreal. My doctoral residency/ internship and early career took place in a hospital setting, where I worked with persons from ages 14 through 64 at all stages of severe mental illness, helping them to manage symptoms while moving toward life goals and an improved quality of life.
I decided to specialize in tics and Tourette disorder a few years later, when a friend was unable to find services locally for her child. I have completed advanced training and certification in specialized therapies for tics, including the CBIT approach under international expert Douglas Woods, and the CoPs approach with Drs. Keiron O'Connor and Julie Leclerc. As an adult who grew up with tics myself, my ability to provide services for people with tic disorders is both professionally satisfying and personally meaningful.
Prior to this, I had a first career helping youths and adults in the related fields of career counseling and work rehabilitation. I worked closely with young entrepreneurs during the start‐up phases of their businesses, with adults rehabilitating from a workplace injury, and with women looking to go back to work or or reorient their careers after starting a family.