Tara Forgeron Psychology & Associates Inc.

Tara Forgeron Psychology & Associates Inc. We provide psychological services to children, adolescents, and adults in Sydney, NS.

It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to say this… but we’re officially accepting new adult clients again! ✨ Even ...
08/22/2025

It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to say this… but we’re officially accepting new adult clients again! ✨ Even better, we’re celebrating by welcoming a new full-time psychologist (candidate register) to our team!

Before I introduce her, a quick note: our admin team has already contacted everyone on our waitlist. If you believe you were on the list and didn’t hear from us, please reach out by phone or email as soon as possible. ✉️ We are currently booking new clients for early October.

Now for the fun part — meet Alicia Berze-Butts, who is joining us in Cape Breton after several years of private practice in Halifax.

Alicia holds her M.A. in Clinical Psychology and brings strong experience supporting adults (17+) with concerns such as anxiety, depression, self-esteem, ptsd, grief, body image, work/school stress, and relationship challenges.

Alicia utilizes evidence-based treatment methods to facilitate the well-being of clients, namely Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), which she tailors to the individual’s personal therapy needs, concerns, and goals. She highly values taking a collaborative, client-centred approach to therapy and maintains a warm and empathetic interpersonal style in order to provide a comfortable environment where clients can feel safe, supported, and understood.

We’re so excited to have her on our team, and just as excited to be able to open our doors to new clients again! 🤩

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. 🍦🍧

Post # 2 in our attempt to clarify some confusion on professionals in the mental health world.We often get asked:“Shoul...
07/31/2025

Post # 2 in our attempt to clarify some confusion on professionals in the mental health world.

We often get asked:
“Should I see a psychologist or a social worker?”

The truth? Both are highly trained, regulated professionals who provide therapy. But there are some differences.👇

🔹 Psychologist
🧠 Master’s or PhD in Psychology
📝 Can conduct assessments and provide formal diagnoses
💬Trained in therapy using evidence-based approaches
✅ Regulated by the Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology (NSBEP)

🔹 Registered Social Worker (RSW / MSW)
🌱 Master’s degree in Social Work
💬 Also trained in therapy using evidence-based approaches (sometimes from a different perspective)
✅ Regulated by the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers (NSCSW)

💡 So—how do you choose?
✔️ Need an assessment or formal diagnosis?
→ You’ll need to work with a psychologist.

Beyond that, we recommend looking at the individual:

→ What’s their area of expertise? (You'll want to ensure they work in the area that you're trying to work through!)
→ What approach do they use?
→ Do you feel safe and understood working with them?

Most insurance plans cover both professionals, but there are some exceptions, so you'll want to check your plan. ✅

At our practice, we’re proud to have both psychologists and social workers on our team—and we’re always happy to help you find the right fit for your needs. 💛

It’s no wonder people are confused—there are so many mental health designations out there: psychologist, therapist, psyc...
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.
💬💛

✨ Now Accepting New Clients ✨We’re currently welcoming new clients — from young children through to age 25. Our team sup...
07/16/2025

✨ Now Accepting New Clients ✨
We’re currently welcoming new clients — from young children through to age 25.

Our team supports kids, teens, and young adults with evidence-based therapy tailored to their unique stage of life.

📍 In-person & virtual options available
📆 Visit our website or call to book an appointment
📧 tara@taraforgeron.com
📱 (902-567-3756)

👉 If you were previously on our waitlist and haven’t received a call, we may not have your exact age on file. Please reach out so we can update your info and offer you a spot.

07/16/2025

Please note that our AC has been out of commission (we're currently waiting on parts to be delivered for replacement), making it pretty toasty in here today. If you have an afternoon appointment in particular and would prefer a phone or video session, please give us a call and let us know! For those coming in, we have lots of cold bottled water and even popsicles and freezies for our kiddos (or the kiddo in you- just say the word! 😅🍦) Thank you for your patience! 🙏

We know waiting to access therapy can be frustrating—and we truly wish we could offer an exact timeline. But here’s why ...
07/04/2025

We know waiting to access therapy can be frustrating—and we truly wish we could offer an exact timeline. But here’s why we can’t:

⏳ We can’t predict when current clients will finish therapy.
Some people come for short-term support. Others continue for long-term growth or maintenance, which we actively encourage.

🔄 Therapy isn’t one-size-fits-all.
We’re not a 6-session model. We tailor our work to each person, which means caseload openings don’t follow a fixed timeline.

🧠 Not every clinician is the right fit for every client.
You might be next on the list, but your presenting concerns may not align with the expertise of the clinician who has an opening. We prioritize making the right clinical match—so that when you do get in, it’s a good fit.

💬 Our admin team would love to give you a date—but the truth is, it depends on the flow of current caseloads, the nature of each referral, and finding the best care for your needs.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. We promise—we don’t take your interest in working with us lightly. 💛

07/03/2025

A friendly reminder during the busy summer months to please provide us with notice, when you can, if you need to cancel an appointment. By doing so, we can get someone in that opening who has been waiting to be seen. Thank you, and stay cool! 🍦😀

06/04/2025

👩‍👩‍👧‍👦A few announcements for parents seeking services for their children:

🫶 We have some openings available for children and adolescents (ages 18 and under) with both our Child & Adolescent Registered Psychologist and Registered Social Worker. We typically have more openings during the Summer months, and very limited during the school year, and so this is typically the quickest time to get in the door, so to speak. :) As per usual, if they become filled quickly, your child's name will be added to our waitlist. Please note that this is for counselling only, and we are unable to take any more names for our assessment waitlist at this time.

🫶 We have quite a list of names for the next Connect Parent Group which will likely be running sometime this Fall. If you'd like to get your name added to this list, please contact us asap to do so (✉️ tara@taraforgeron.com; 📞902-567-3756).You will be contacted in the Fall for a pre-inclusion interview to discuss the group's suitability for your needs. More information on this group can be found on our website. (www.taraforgeron.com).

04/09/2025

📣 Our Child Psychologist and Clinical Therapist currently have some availability to see children and adolescents (ages 18 and under) at our practice!

Please note: This is for 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 and 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. We will only be able to accommodate a certain number of new clients. Others will be placed on the waitlist.

To book an appointment, please call our office at 902-567-5448 or email us at tara@taraforgeron.com.

We’re happy to answer any questions! 🙂

03/26/2025

We are excited to share that Tara will again be offering Psychoeducational and ADHD assessments for individuals ages 18 and up. She has limited availability for these assessments, and once initial spaces are filled, we will take names for a waiting list. Please contact our office for more information on scheduling, fees, and any other questions you may have (tara@taraforgeron.com; 902-567-3756). Thank you! 📚✏️

It's time to highlight another wonderful member of our team--🌟 Meet Office Manager, Amanda Farrow! 🌟 I've been so lucky ...
01/27/2025

It's time to highlight another wonderful member of our team--

🌟 Meet Office Manager, Amanda Farrow! 🌟

I've been so lucky to have Amanda with me since the early days of the practice. Amanda joined me just a few months after I moved back to Cape Breton and realized that I couldn't quite keep up with the clinical + business/administrative side of things. 😉 She's been with us as the practice grew and evolved over the years, undergoing many tweaks, moves, hires, and changes.

In addition to managing the front end (i.e., determining an appropriate practitioner-client relationship, facilitating referrals, scheduling, billing, etc.), there is so much that Amanda takes care of behind the scenes. She is kind, passionate, a true problem-solver, and I feel so confident leaving matters in her hands. An added bonus is that she puts furniture together like no other! 😉

Amanda, we're so grateful for you and truly don't know where we'd be without you. 🙏

Address

275 Charlotte St, Suite 207
Sydney, NS

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 7:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 8pm
Wednesday 8am - 8pm
Thursday 8am - 7:30pm
Friday 8am - 3pm

Website

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