Tara Forgeron Psychology & Associates Inc.

11/11/2025

Thinking of our veterans and their families today, along with those currently serving. We are so very grateful for your service and sacrifices over the years. We hope you take time today to honour yourselves, as well, in the way that you most need it.

11/06/2025

The newest member of the TFP crew, 10-month-old Waffles, made an appearance at the office today. 🐾 His enthusiasm might need a little more training before he’s ready for clients, but we suspect ‘TFP Therapy Dog’ could be in his future.
😉 🥰 🐶

11/04/2025

If anyone would like to have a phone or video session in lieu of coming into the office in today's rainstorm, please send us an email or leave a message. Amanda and Joanna will get to them when they're in. :)
tara@taraforgeron.com
(902) 567-3756

10/19/2025

It was a full circle moment at the today. 🏃‍♀️ Seven years ago, I ran my first 10K (pictured is our little guy with me when he was just 2)- and today, Ben ran his first 10K! 🥹💕 TFP was excited to be a small part of this event, and sponsored the Mind over Miles chocolate milk station in the recovery area 🥰🥛. Special thanks to all of the runners and volunteers cheering this little guy along. So grateful for this community!

10/07/2025

Volunteering is a proven way to boost your mental health. 😉 (That's actually true!). As someone who runs, I can say that it truly means the world to have amazing volunteers present on race day- from passing out water to cheering runners on when that extra push is needed. 😀 Complete the form here to help out!

Event registration: Fiddler’s Race Day Volunteers @ Sydney, NS, Canada. Sunday, October 19, 2025 8:00 AM (GMT-3) - Sunday, October 19, 2025 3:00 PM (GMT-3)

10/06/2025

I speak with a lot of clients who will say that they know they're spending too much time on their phones. They're seeing it impact their focus, mood, irritability, presence with their family, and more. Typically, they'll then state that they'd like to reduce their time on their phones. I love the awareness and how they shift it into wanting to take action. However, in my experience, (professionally, and through personal trial and error), I don't find people to be overly successful when they say they want to 'reduce' their screen time, without having a clear goal as to how they'll make that happen.

So, what do I recommend? Clear blocks of phone-free (or social media-free) time, no exceptions. For instance, from 4-8pm M-Th, no social media, or, take a break on weekends. Find something that will suit your lifestyle and reason why you're wanting to do this. It will be challenging- it's quite an addiction, after all- but your mind, relationships, and well-being will be better for it. 🙏

10/02/2025

Our wonderful child psychologist currently has some availability to see children, adolescents, and parents. She provides evidence-based support for challenges including anxiety, behavioural concerns, depression, school-related difficulties, and more. Please note that this availability is for counselling only, and does not include ASD assessments. 👨‍👨‍👧‍👦

To book an appointment, please call (902) 567-3756 or email tara@taraforgeron.com

09/22/2025

09/08/2025

Great question. Sometimes, when we share that we’re accepting new clients for psychoeducational assessments, we receive some messages of confusion on what that really means. So, I thought I’d provide some more information here to hopefully bring clarity on the differences.

A psychological or diagnostic evaluation typically aims to understand an individual’s overall mental health, personality, behavioural, and social functioning. In short, it can help diagnose mood disorders, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, etc. It does not involve academic/cognitive testing.

A psychoeducational assessment is an in-depth assessment that explores one’s cognitive and academic functioning. Typically, if an individual is having challenges with learning, memory, attention, processing, etc., this would be a more appropriate avenue for them. It can help to identify learning disorders, intellectual disorders, as well as areas of strength and weakness. We then look to make appropriate recommendations or accommodations for schooling and work that can help the individual to function better in this environment.

Hope this helps! :)

08/13/2025

Just a reminder that it's quite warm in the office given we're awaiting our AC replacement. ❄️ If you mind the heat, have any medical issues that are exacerbated by the heat/humidity and have an appointment, we're more than happy to do a virtual appointment. If you can bear through it, we've got lots of cold water, popsicles, and freezies. Just say the word and we'll grab you some. 🍦🍧

07/24/2025

It’s no wonder people are confused—there are so many mental health designations out there: psychologist, therapist, psychiatrist, counsellor, social worker, coach… it’s a lot to sort through.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing a series of posts to help clarify who does what in the world of mental health—starting here:

👉 Myth: If someone has a Master’s Degree in Psychology, that makes them a psychologist.
🚫 Not quite.

💡 Some graduate programs offer degrees in counselling psychology or psychology that don’t meet these regulatory standards—so while the word “psychology” may appear in the degree title, they do not lead to becoming a psychologist.

And that’s ok! There are many wonderful programs, but the purpose of this post is to bring more education and awareness to the many questions we receive. 🤓

To become a Registered Psychologist, you must:

🔹 Be accepted into a competitive graduate program (requiring a strong academic background and an Honours degree with a thesis).

🔹 Complete a graduate program (between 2-6 years) that meets CPA accreditation standards
(Canadian Psychological Association-accredited programs are held to rigorous national criteria for research, ethics, and clinical training).

🔹 Pass the EPPP – a standardized, North American licensing exam that evaluates clinical and ethical knowledge.

🔹 Complete multiple years of supervised clinical experience (often 1600+ hours)

🔹 Pass oral exams with the provincial board (NSBEP, for us in Nova Scotia).

🔹 Maintain ongoing licensure, regulation, and ethical accountability under the governing body.

🙋🏼‍♀️ When in doubt and you’re particularly looking to work with a Psychologist? Look for:

✅ Registered Psychologist
✅ Psychologist (Candidate Register)

Or—just ask! A regulated provider will always be transparent about their credentials.

More posts coming soon to help you navigate mental health designations with clarity and confidence.
💬💛