About Us

Early in my psychiatry training, it became obvious that while medications can be helpful in mental health, they rarely if ever “fix” problems.   

 I started calling antidepressants “Tylenol for the Soul.”   Medication can help lessen the pain, but it doesn’t cure the underlying issues.

Because of what I had noticed, during my training I sought out and worked with leaders in psychotherapy.  I was fortunate to have several mentors who had a deep understanding of psychological interventions, and I treated many patients with psychotherapy.

Unfortunately, once I started my practice, I realized it would be very difficult for me to continue to offer psychotherapy to my patients. I was often the only person on the team who was able to prescribe medications, while there were numerous local options for therapists.  So my practice changed to one with a focus on medications; the same thing happens to many psychiatrists.

Despite this, I continued to have a deep appreciation for psychotherapy, and I would consistently recommend therapy to my patients. But once they left my office it was entirely up to them to find someone to talk to, and finding someone was always challenging.

 Eventually I realized I needed to have more to offer my patients before they left my office.  I joined forces with a psychologist with the intention of creating a more holistic approach to mental health.  By recommending therapy and having the option of scheduling a session before they left the office I was able to help ensure more ready, reliable access to therapy.  The difference in patient outcomes was dramatic.

 At the time I was also the base psychiatrist at 14 Wing Greenwood. I knew that once Canadian Forces members retired they too struggled to find support for both medication management and treatment for mental health.  There was a clear need to create a network of clinics that clients could know and trust to ask for help with all their mental health concerns.

 Over time I found other like-minded clinicians and we created teams in Kingston, New Minas and Halifax, NS, and most recently in Dartmouth, NS and Trenton, ON. Through networking and peer connections we also found other clinics to partner with and our number of clinics has grown to include locations in Bridgewater NS, Fredericton and Lincoln NB, and Ottawa, Kanata and Toronto, ON.

 Our vision for NuVista is to create a coast to coast network of mental health clinics that clients can know and trust for any of their mental health needs.  We will always seek to pursue the best interests of our clients, and our services are aimed at connecting with and supporting all clients by offering services for individuals, families, couples, children, and specialty programs like neurofeedback. 

Though our goals are lofty, we can only achieve this vision one clinician and one client at a time.  We can’t cross the finish line without putting in the work, and we owe our achievements to the clinicians and clients who have put their faith in us.

 At Nuvista, your new outlook starts here.