edmonton counselling & Psychological Assessments

Committed to Collaborative Exploration

 
 
 

About

Thoughtfully Psychology is a new mental health counselling clinic in Edmonton, Alberta that offers individual and family psychotherapy for children, adults and family units from all backgrounds and walks of life. 

Counselling can help us understand why we think, feel, and behave as we do. Our experiences are often abstract, complex, and unconscious, making this understanding difficult. There is a proverb from Eastern philosophy, that fish are the last to discover water. We are naturally immersed in our experiences, trying to get through each day as best we can, which can make it even more difficult to pause and see the full picture.

Talk therapy, counselling, carves out a space and time for us to:

  • reflect on our lives and not be alone in our experiences

  • obtain an objective point of view

  • learn about our mental experiences

  • develop personalised actions plans and coping skills

  • experience empathetic accountability towards authentic growth.

We emphasize that counselling should be a friendly, supportive, non-judgmental space that allows us to be more aware and accepting of our experiences so that we can work towards thoughtful living.

This leads us to how we came up with our name!

  • We want clients to think fully, or “Thought-Fully” (a pun to show our good humour)

  • We value providing a thoughtfully personalized counselling experience.

  • Our main goal is to empower our clients to live thoughtfully

 
 

 

 

Shalini Dhunnoo, R. Psych.

Shalini is a Registered Psychologist, licensed through the College of Alberta Psychologists. She has been championing mental health awareness since her own struggles with trauma, mental health and hesitancy with counselling as a teenager. Through her journey to understand herself and human nature, she found her passion in supporting others with their mental health. For the past 9 years, Shalini has had the opportunity to volunteer and work in various areas, including in a hospice, youth centre, and correctional institution. She have worked in private practice for the past five years.

Shalini prioritizes working with clients in a way that is real, good-humored, and goal-focused. She views counselling as a collaborative conversation. The client is the expert of their experiences and she brings forth clinical knowledge and experience, with empathy. Shalini strive to help clients understand their needs and strengths to personalise treatment and support healthy, authentic, value-focused living.

    • Children (ages 8+)

    • Teens

    • Adults

    • Seniors

    • Couples

    • Families

    Individuals and families of all backgrounds are welcome!

    (Multicultural and 2SLGBTQ+ friendly)

    • Stress/burnout (work, caregiving, etc.)

    • Depression

    • Anxiety

    • Traumatic experiences

    • Grief (death, illness, and other non-health related loss)

    • Family/relationship concerns

    • Cultural dynamics (with a decolonizing lens)

    • Chronic pain

    • Self-esteem, self-understanding and enhancing authentic, valued living

    • Processing day-to-day concerns (counselling is often a place for regular reflection and accountability)

    • Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) to help one understand the link between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours

    • Narrative therapy to help clients understand life stories, reframe experiences and perspectives towards personal growth, and emphasize personal strengths

    • Solution-focused therapy to emphasize client goals and problem solving

    • Existential therapy to define values and find meaning in life experiences

    • Trauma therapies: Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Written Exposure Therapy, Brainspotting

    • Children’s Therapies: Sandtray therapy, Expressive Arts

Shalini earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alberta, majoring with honors in psychology and sociology, followed by her Master of Counselling from City University of Seattle. She believes that it is important to stay current with societal mental health experiences and engage in ongoing education to ensure evidence-based techniques.

Please feel free to reach out to Shalini if you have any questions about counselling, at shalini@thoughtfullypsych.ca.

Priyanka Chahal, Provisional R. Psych.

Priyanka is a Provisional Psychologist, registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists. She brings an evidence-informed approach to counselling and prides herself on staying on top of the latest research in the counselling field. She strives to create a safe and comfortable environment to open up about life challenges and explore feelings. She works from a person-centred approach and believes that meaningful therapeutic work happens when clients feel genuinely heard, respected, and comfortable being themselves. Priyanka believes therapy should be a space where clients can show up as they are, without judgement, and feel comfortable being genuine and open. She understands that taking the first step toward therapy can feel vulnerable and strives to make the process feel comfortable, approachable and collaborative. 

    • Children (ages 10+)

    • Teens

    • Adults

    • Seniors

    • Couples

    • Families

    Individuals and families of all backgrounds are welcome!

    (Multicultural and 2SLGBTQ+ friendly)

    • Depression

    • Anxiety

    • Stress

    • Relationship concerns

    • Grief

    • Self-Esteem concerns

    • Addictions (substance use, video games, eating habits)

    • Life changes

    • Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) to help one understand the link between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours

    • Solution-focused therapy to emphasize client goals and problem solving

    • Attachment-focused therapy to help clients understand relationship needs and patterns

    • Emotion-focused therapy to understand and cope with emotional needs

 

As a lifelong Edmontonian, Priyanka enjoys spending time in the river valley, connecting with her family and friends, and travelling. She looks forward to meeting you.

Priyanka earned a Bachelor of Sciences, followed by her Master of Counselling from City University of Seattle.

Please feel free to reach out to Priyanka if you have any questions about counselling, at priyanka@thoughtfullypsych.ca.

 

Dr. Cedric Benning, R. Psych.

Dr. Cedric Benning is a Registered Psychologist dedicated to helping individuals navigate life’s challenges through compassionate, evidence-based care. He works with adolescents and adults experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, stress, relationship concerns, chronic pain, and adjustment difficulties, creating individualized treatment plans that reflect each client’s unique goals and strengths.

In addition to psychotherapy, Dr. Benning has extensive experience conducting comprehensive psychological assessments (see below). He works collaboratively with physicians, rehabilitation teams, insurers, and other healthcare professionals to support clients in achieving meaningful recovery and improved quality of life.

Dr. Benning’s therapeutic approach is warm, collaborative, and grounded in evidence-based practice. He prioritizes empirically supported interventions to help clients build resilience, develop practical coping strategies, and create lasting change.

    • Children (ages 8+)

    • Teens

    • Adults

    • Seniors

    • Couples

    • Families

    Individuals and families of all backgrounds are welcome!

    (Multicultural and 2SLGBTQ+ friendly)

    • Assessments:

      • Diagnostic evaluations

      • Rehabilitation and disability assessments,

      • Return-to-work planning

      • Motor vehicle accident (MVA) psychological assessments

    • Counselling:

      • Anxiety

      • Depression

      • Trauma

      • Stress

      • Relationship concerns

      • Chronic pain

      • Adjustment difficulties

    • Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) to help one understand the link between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours

    • Solution-focused therapy to emphasize client goals and problem solving

    • Trauma therapies

      • Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)

      • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Dr. Benning earned his Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology, and continues to pursue advanced professional training to ensure his clients receive the highest standard of care.

Please feel free to reach out to Dr. Benning if you have any questions about counselling, at cedric@thoughtfullypsych.ca.

Our Values

  • Integrity

    At Thoughtfully Psychology, we always conduct business with integrity. Acting with integrity means operating in an honest, reliable and authentic way. Authenticity requires vulnerability, personal expression and open communication. Authenticity and integrity are always encouraged here.

  • Empathy

    We value every individual’s unique story, experience and perspective. We care about our clients, the pain they endure and their mental health needs. We value individualized support to help all people gain the wisdom and tools they need to experience more joy in their life. We do not see our clients as problems to solve, rather people living out dynamic and important stories. We see beyond diagnoses and symptom management and are empathetic in getting to know our clients and their perspectives.

  • Positivity

    We strive to empower clients by encouraging them to see their strengths and to take steps towards a life of gratitude, fulfillment and joy. We practice with a lightness that includes genuine friendliness, hope and humour to help clients emphasize and elevate the positive aspects in life.

Thoughtfully Psychology proudly supports