HILARY STEPHENSON
Hilary Stephenson (MPsych) completed her graduate training in clinical psychology at Bond University in Queensland, Australia. Hilary is a Psychologist (Cand.Reg) with clinical interests and experience in the assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders (adult, adolescents), depression, addiction, chronic pain management, posttraumatic stress disorder, and psychosis. Hilary is proficient in various cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, narrative therapy, and motivational-interviewing techniques.
During her time in Australia, Hilary worked at Mirikai, an in-patient drug rehabilitation centre where she provided psychological services including assessment, formulation, treatment to individuals with both addiction and mental illness. She worked with the Early Psychosis Team (Queensland Health, Australia) where she provided psychological services to clients, between the ages of 15 and 25, experiencing their first episode of psychosis; including substance-induced, bipolar, schizophrenia, schizoaffective, and depression with psychotic features.
Hilary is a flexible and open-minded practitioner who respects the uniqueness of every individual.
HILARY'S SUGGESTED READING LIST
Traumatic Stress: The Effects of Overwhelming Experience on Mind, Body, and Society
(by Bessel A. van der Kolk, Alexander C. McFarlane, & Lars Weisaeth)
This is a helpful text on trauma and its clinical treatments. The book explores the individual and societal responses to trauma, acute traumatic reactions to trauma, and adaptations to trauma (i.e., course of posttraumatic reactions). It discusses early prevention and intervention strategies, as well as covers issues related to the therapeutic relationship.
The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook
(by Edmund Bourne)
This is an excellent tool for the daily management of anxiety disorders and related problems. This workbook helps the reading to better understand the etiology of their anxiety disorder, and provides comprehensive strategies for the management of phobias, panic attacks, and physiological arousal due to anxiety. It also assists the reader to gain a better understanding of how maladaptive belief systems and personality styles can perpetuate their anxiety symptomatology.
The PTSD workbook: Simple, Effective Techniques for Overcoming Traumatic Stress Symptoms
(by Mary Beth Williams & Soili Poijula)
This workbook assists individuals to better understand their diagnosis of PTSD by first determining the type of trauma their endured, and then through the identification of their current symptoms. The workbook covers effective exercises that assist in the management of PTSD/complex PTSD symptomatology such as helping the individual to feel safe in their environment, helping with the regulation emotions, dealing with survivor guilt, and dealing with perpetrators.
A Soldier First
(by General Rick Hillier)
A great read for anyone who has had any involvement with the Canadian military forces (past and present). General Rick Hillier gives an honest account of his experiences as Canada’s Chief of the Defence staff.
Trauma and Addiction:Ending the Cycle of Pain Through Emotional Literacy
(by Tian Dayton, Ph.D)
This book should read by any individual who is suffering from trauma (past and present) and who is coping with an ongoing addiction.
“Talking about trauma allows us to name the related feelings, which has the affect of lifting the memories out of the shadowy, semiconscious state into light and air (Dayton, 2000,p.40).”