Jennifer MacPhee | Registered Psychologist in Edmonton

Jennifer MacPhee, M.C., B.Com.

Registered Psychologist | She/Her

Hi, I’m Jennifer.

Finding the right psychologist is personal. My hope is that this page gives you a sense of who I am, how I work, and whether we might be a good fit.

I work with adults experiencing trauma and PTSD, anxiety, depression, anger, self-criticism, relationship difficulties, and concerns related to confidence or self-worth. I am particularly passionate about supporting veterans, first responders, public-service personnel, healthcare workers, and professionals whose work may involve trauma, cumulative stress, or significant responsibility for others.

You may appear capable and composed while privately feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, disconnected, or unsure how much longer you can keep carrying everything on your own.

My Connection to Military and Public-Service Communities

My commitment to trauma and PTSD recovery is both professional and personal.

I am the wife of a veteran who experienced a career-ending event and was medically released from the Canadian Armed Forces. I also come from a family with strong ties to firefighting, healthcare, policing, and emergency response.

These experiences have given me a genuine appreciation for the culture of service, the pressures carried by people in these roles, and the ways trauma can affect identity, purpose, relationships, and family life.

Every person’s experience is different, and I will never assume that I understand your story simply because parts of it may feel familiar. But you will not need to explain why leaving a career can feel like losing part of your identity, or why the effects of trauma often extend far beyond the individual.

When Trauma and Work Intersect

Before becoming a psychologist, I spent more than 20 years working in human resources, including senior leadership roles. That experience gave me a strong understanding of the workplace systems and pressures that can become part of trauma and recovery.

Recovery does not always happen separately from work. You may also be navigating medical leave, disability processes, workplace conflict, accommodations, a return to work, or the difficult realization that you may not be able—or want—to return to a role that once formed an important part of your identity.

I understand leadership pressures, burnout, career transitions, and the complicated relationship many people have with their work. Work can provide identity, purpose, connection, and belonging, while also becoming a significant source of exhaustion, self-doubt, stress, or loss.

This background helps me look beyond symptoms alone and consider how trauma may be affecting your confidence, professional identity, relationships, and sense of safety at work. I support clients dealing with single-incident trauma, cumulative exposure, chronic occupational stress, burnout, emotional fatigue, perfectionism, and difficulty switching off when the workday ends.

How I Approach Therapy

I draw from Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion-Focused Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

Together, we may process experiences that continue to affect you, understand recurring emotional or relationship patterns, and work toward greater flexibility, self-compassion, confidence, and choice.

I believe trauma recovery involves more than reducing symptoms. It can also mean rebuilding a sense of safety, connection, agency, and direction in the parts of life that trauma has disrupted.

What Therapy With Me Is Like

I am warm, open, and genuinely interested in the people I work with. I listen carefully—not only to what you are saying, but also to what may be difficult to put into words.

I am compassionate and non-judgmental, but I am also honest and direct. I will offer observations, ask thoughtful questions, and gently say the thing that may need to be said. You will not be left wondering what I am thinking or expected to figure everything out on your own.

Therapy with me is not overly formal or pretentious. I value being genuine, and I believe humour can give us a little room to breathe when the work feels particularly heavy.

You do not need to perform, have the right words, or arrive with everything neatly organized.

We can start wherever you are.

A Little More About Me

Outside the therapy room, I am a wife, mom, daughter, sister, coffee enthusiast, lifelong learner, and occasional organizer of life’s beautiful messes.

I also made a significant career change in midlife, so I understand something about starting again, questioning what comes next, and choosing work that feels more closely aligned with who you have become.

Education and Professional Training

I am a Registered Psychologist with the College of Alberta Psychologists. I hold a Master of Counselling from City University of Seattle and a Bachelor of Commerce with a specialization in Human Resources from the University of Alberta.

My professional development has included specialized training in trauma and PTSD, EMDR, Emotion-Focused Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Compassion-Focused Therapy, suicide intervention, first-responder mental health, and workplace mental health.

A Note from Maddi

"When I began looking for an associate, I was not interested in simply adding another psychologist to the clinic. I wanted someone who genuinely fit the kind of practice we are building—someone highly capable, deeply caring, grounded, honest, and committed to doing excellent trauma work.

Jennifer is one of the kindest and most conscientious people I have met. She is an exceptional listener, but she also has the confidence to be direct and say something important when it needs to be said. There is an openness about her that makes people feel comfortable remarkably quickly.

She is intelligent and thoughtful without needing to prove it, humble without underestimating herself, and has a wonderful sense of humour. More than anything, she brings heart, integrity, and tremendous care to what she does.

Jennifer was not chosen simply to fill a position. I invited her to join the clinic because I trust who she is, how she thinks, and the care she will bring to the people we serve."

— Maddalena Genovese, Registered Psychologist, Founder and Clinic Director

Making Sure We’re the Right Fit

Part of providing good care is also recognizing when someone may need a different type or level of support.

I may not be the appropriate primary provider when someone is experiencing an active substance-use disorder requiring specialized addiction or concurrent-disorders treatment, or when more intensive mental-health support is needed.

Genovese Trauma & PTSD Recovery is a private outpatient clinic and does not provide emergency assessment, crisis intervention, after-hours support, or intensive case management. People experiencing persistent or escalating suicidality, recent suicide attempts, recurrent self-harm, active intent or planning, or frequent psychiatric crises may require a higher level of care.

Having occasional or passive suicidal thoughts does not automatically mean that we cannot work together. Suitability depends on what you are experiencing, the supports available to you, and whether outpatient therapy can be provided safely and effectively.

If your needs fall outside my areas of competence or require more support than our clinic can safely provide, I will be honest with you and, whenever possible, help point you toward a provider or service that is better equipped to help.

Hours and Availability

Jen currently offers appointments:

Mondays: 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Saturdays: 9:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Availability may vary slightly. Please check the online booking calendar for current appointment times.

Fees, Insurance and Payment

The fee for a standard 50-minute psychotherapy session with Jennifer is $240. Extended sessions are billed proportionately based on length.

Jennifer does not currently offer direct billing to insurance providers; however, this is temporary while we complete the setup process. In the meantime, payment is due at the time of the appointment and can be made by e-transfer or credit card.

A receipt will be provided for submission to your insurance provider for possible reimbursement. Coverage, referral requirements, and annual limits vary between plans, so please confirm that your plan covers services provided by a Registered Psychologist.

Book an Appointment With Jennifer

Book an Appointment

Sign up for our newsletter

If you're looking for practical tools to cope, a new perspective, or a reminder that others have been through the same, our newsletter can offer valuable support. Receive expert strategies, actionable insights, and guidance to help you manage stress, build resilience, and reclaim your well-being.