New Clinical Psychology Residency Program; Update on Centre for Psychological Health

The Province is adding more training for mental health and addictions professionals at Dalhousie University in Halifax.

A new clinical psychology residency program – a first for the university – is set to begin in the fall of 2025, funded by the Office of Addictions and Mental Health.

“There is an ongoing need for more clinical psychologists across the province, and one of the best ways we can address this, while getting immediate results, is by training more people right here in our province,” said Brian Comer, Minister of Addictions and Mental Health. “Residency seats are not easy to create, and I’m pleased to support this program that increases our efforts to train, recruit and retain more healthcare professionals so Nova Scotians can continue to receive timely access to important mental health and addiction services.”

The new 12-month program offers a total of four new residency seats that will be split between the Dalhousie Centre for Psychological Health and the university’s Student Health and Wellness Centre.

Last September, the Province celebrated the opening of the Centre for Psychological Health, which serves Nova Scotians who face barriers to accessing mental health services. In addition to the residency spots, the Province’s commitment to student training and recruitment includes providing $350,000 in bursaries to about 35 students completing practicums at the clinic over three years. The investment is part of the government’s commitment to universal mental health and addictions care for Nova Scotians.

Increasing the healthcare workforce and reducing gaps in access to care with investments in addictions and mental health services are solutions in Action for Health, the government’s plan to improve healthcare for Nova Scotians.

Quotes:

“Having this residency program at Dalhousie increases a greatly needed opportunity for our students in the PhD clinical psychology program to remain in Halifax for their required residency year versus needing to go out of province. This residency program increases our ability to see more diverse and underserved populations as well as provide unique training opportunities that are not often available in residency programs such as couples therapy, adult neurodevelopmental services and training from a lifespan approach.”
— Dr. Alissa Pencer, Co-Director, Dalhousie Centre for Psychological Health

“I feel exceptionally well-prepared for residency, thanks to my outstanding experience at the Centre for Psychological Health! The clinic has provided tailored learning opportunities that align with my development and career goals, along with invaluable exposure to diverse populations and presenting problems. With the launch of the new clinical psychology residency program, I’m thrilled that students now have the chance to continue their training in this remarkable setting.”
— Mariam Elgendi, fifth-year Dalhousie clinical psychology PhD student, who will be applying for a residency seat

“The opportunity to attract doctoral residents to Nova Scotia allows us to more likely retain additional psychologists in the province. Dalhousie Student Health and Wellness is delighted to expand our training mandate to partner with the Dalhousie Centre for Psychological Health to provide this residency training opportunity. Residents will have access to a tremendous breadth of exposure of clients served by both centres preparing residents well as they launch their careers.”
— Dr. David Pilon, Director, Counselling and Psychological Services, Dalhousie Student Health and Wellness

Quick Facts:

• the government is investing $311,025 beginning in the 2025-26 academic year to support the residency program
• the Province is investing $4.5 million over three years to fund the Dalhousie Centre for Psychological Health; people are referred to the centre by community organizations and local health clinics
• there are currently 14 clinical psychology residency seats in Nova Scotia – six at Nova Scotia Health, six at IWK Health and two with the Canadian Forces Health Services Centre Atlantic

Additional Resources:

More information on the new residency program and the application process is available at: https://cdn.dal.ca/content/dam/jwp/health-and-wellness/Dalhousie%20Residency%20Brochure%202025-26.pdf

News release – New Mental Health Centre Opens in Halifax: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2023/09/12/new-mental-health-centre-opens-halifax

Information on Dalhousie University’s PhD clinical psychology program: https://www.dal.ca/academics/programs/graduate/psychology-and-neuroscience/program-details/phd-clinical-psychology.html

Dalhousie Student Health and Wellness: https://www.dal.ca/campus_life/health-and-wellness.html

Other than cropping, CNS photos are not to be altered in any way