VAC Psychological Assessments

At Shift, we provide psychological assessments for veterans with a referral from Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC). At this time, we are not able to offer psychological assessment services to those from the general public.

These assessments are helpful in understanding the difficulties you may be experiencing with your thoughts, behaviours, and emotions. Part of this process includes identifying the presence and/or absence of psychological conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mood disorders (e.g., depression), anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, and personality disorders, among other conditions.

Based on the results of the assessment, specific treatment recommendations are made so that you have a path forward in cultivating meaningful change in your life. These recommendations may include different forms of psychotherapy and areas to target, books, resources, and other health professional referrals, among others.

What to expect

Psychological assessments involve an in-depth exploration of your psychological symptoms, functional and relational impairment, personal history, family background, medical/psychiatric history, other life problems, and military/occupational history. This information is collected through clinical interviews, structured interviews, psychometric tests, and questionnaires.

During your first session, your psychologist will start exploring some of your concerns, outline the assessment process, and discuss what that looks like for you individually. At the end of the assessment, you will meet with your psychologist for a feedback session, where you will learn about the results of the assessment, as well as receive a lengthy report detailing the findings and the appropriate treatment recommendations.

Curious to learn more?

If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call or contact our practice manager, Jessica Martell (admin@shifttherapy.ca), or assessment provider, Leah Stall (leah@shifttherapy.ca). In your email, please include any VAC referral information you may have.