Meet Heidi
OFFERING COUNSELLING & PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT SERVICES
Heidi Erisman
Registered Psychologist R. Psych. (she/her)
Heidi Erisman is a Registered Psychologist who works with teens, adults, older adults, couples, and families navigating anxiety, trauma, relationship challenges, life transitions, and emotional difficulties. She also provides comprehensive psychological assessments for individuals seeking greater clarity, understanding, and insight into themselves and their experiences.
At the heart of Heidi's work is a simple belief: when we understand the story behind our struggles, we are better equipped to move forward with intention and purpose. Many people come to counselling feeling stuck. They may find themselves repeating the same relationship patterns, struggling with anxiety that seems difficult to explain, carrying the impact of painful experiences, or questioning why certain challenges continue to surface despite their best efforts. Together, therapy becomes an opportunity to better understand these patterns, explore the experiences that have shaped them, and create meaningful and lasting change.
Heidi has a particular passion for relationship and couples work. She helps partners navigate communication difficulties, emotional disconnection, conflict, trust concerns, intimacy challenges, and the impact of trauma, ADHD, and life's many stressors on relationships. Her goal is to help clients better understand themselves and one another while building stronger foundations for connection, growth, and healing.
Her approach is relational, attachment-focused, trauma-informed, and grounded in evidence-based practice. Drawing from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), attachment-based therapies, Gottman Method principles, and evidence-based trauma treatments, Heidi balances meaningful insight with practical strategies that help clients create lasting change in their everyday lives.
In addition to counselling, Heidi conducts comprehensive psychological assessments for teens and adults. These assessments provide clarity regarding ADHD, trauma-related concerns, personality functioning, emotional well-being, diagnostic questions, and treatment recommendations, helping clients gain a deeper understanding of both their strengths and challenges.
Heidi completed her Master of Counselling Psychology through the Centre for Applied Psychology at Athabasca University. Prior to this, she earned a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Her professional experience, combined with her passion for understanding human behaviour, relationships, and personal growth, allows her to bring both depth and perspective to her work with clients. Clients often describe Heidi as thoughtful, compassionate, and insightful, appreciating her ability to make complex emotional and relational experiences easier to understand.
Heidi works with teens, adults, older adults, couples, and families. She offers counselling and psychological assessment services in person at Authentic You: Counselling, Assessment & Addictions Services Inc. in south Edmonton and virtually throughout Alberta. Heidi is currently accepting new clients and has availability on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m starting July 14th, 2026!
Accepting NEW Clients for Teens, Adults, Couples & Families for Counselling and Psychological Assessment Services!
Clinical Areas of Focus:
Addictions & Compulsive Behaviours
• Alcohol Use Disorder
• Substance Use & Drug Use Concerns
• Gambling Addiction & Compulsive Gambling
• Internet & Video Game Addiction
• Pornography Use Concerns
• Sexual Compulsivity & Out-of-Control Sexual Behaviours
• Smoking Cessation
• Dual Diagnosis
Neurodiversity & Developmental Concerns
• ADHD
• Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD)
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Asperger's Syndrome
• Tourette Syndrome & Tic Disorders
• Neurodivergent Experiences
• Behavioural & Executive Functioning Concerns
Relationships, Couples & Family
• Couples Counselling & Couples Therapy
• Communication & Conflict Resolution
• Premarital Counselling
• Infidelity & Betrayal Recovery
• Intimacy & Sexuality Concerns
• Marriage & Relationship Challenges
• Divorce & Separation
• Family Conflict
• Parenting Concerns
• Cross-Cultural, Intercultural & Interracial Relationships
• Gottman Connect Couples Assessments
Trauma, Abuse & Recovery
• Trauma & Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Emotional Abuse
• Sexual Abuse
• Domestic Abuse & Violence
• Self-Harm
• Suicidal Thoughts
• Suicide Prevention & Intervention
• Dissociative Concerns
Anxiety, Mood & Emotional Well-Being
• Anxiety Disorders
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
• Social Anxiety Disorder
• Panic Disorder
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Depression
• Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
• Bipolar & Mood Disorders
• Stress & Workplace Stress
• Burnout
• Self-Esteem
• Emotion Regulation
• Anger Management
• Fears & Phobias
Personality, Identity & Complex Presentations
• Personality Disorders
• Cluster A, B & C Personality Disorders
• Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
• Emotional Regulation Difficulties
• Interpersonal & Relationship Challenges
• Identity & Sense of Self Concerns
• Complex Presentations
• Diagnostic Clarification
Life Transitions, Grief & Personal Growth
• Grief & Bereavement
• Life Transitions
• Adjustment Difficulties
• Loneliness & Social Isolation
• Spirituality
• Personal Growth & Self-Discovery
Women's, Men's & Reproductive Mental Health
• Women's Issues
• Men's Issues
• Pregnancy, Prenatal & Postpartum Concerns
• Postpartum Depression
• Infertility & Adoption
Career, Occupational & Workplace Concerns
• Career Counselling
• Career Transitions
• Workplace Stress & Burnout
• Occupational Concerns
• Work-Life Balance
• Leadership & Professional Development
• Return-to-Work Planning
• Workplace Relationships & Conflict
Health, Wellness & Behavioural Concerns
• Eating Disorders
• Binge Eating Disorder
• Body Image Concerns
• Weight, Health & Lifestyle Concerns
• Chronic Pain & Chronic Illness
• Sleep Difficulties & Insomnia
• Impulse Control Concerns
Older Adult Concerns
• Aging & Older Adult Mental Health
• Geriatric Counselling
Therapeutic Modalities/ Counselling Interventions:
Heidi takes an integrative and individualized approach to therapy, recognizing that no single therapeutic model is the right fit for every person or situation.
Drawing from a variety of evidence-based approaches, Heidi tailors treatment to the specific needs and goals of each client. Her work is informed by Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Gottman Method Couples Therapy, psychodynamic principles, family systems approaches, and trauma-informed care.
A key feature of Heidi's work is her emphasis on assessment, case formulation, and understanding the factors that contribute to and maintain psychological distress. By combining clinical expertise with thoughtful collaboration, she helps clients gain greater insight into their patterns, develop practical skills, strengthen relationships, and create meaningful, lasting change.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Attachment-Based Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT)
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
• Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
• Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
• Compassion-Focused Therapy
• Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
• Gottman Method Couples Therapy
• Psychodynamic Therapy
• Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT)
• Relational Therapy
• Relationship Counselling
• Marital Counselling
• Marriage & Family Therapy
• Family Systems Therapy
• Structural Family Therapy
• Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
• Person-Centred Therapy
• Humanistic Therapy
• Existential Therapy
• Feminist Therapy
• Multicultural Therapy
• Culturally Sensitive Therapy
• Integrative Therapy
• Strengths-Based Therapy
• Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
• Motivational Interviewing
• Mentalization-Based Therapy
• Narrative Therapy
• Positive Psychology
• Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT)
• Reality Therapy
• Exposure Therapy
• Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP)
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Trauma-Informed Care
• Transpersonal Therapy
• Social Recovery Therapy
• Forgiveness Therapy
• Coaching
• Life Coaching
• Career Counselling
• Art Therapy
• Expressive Arts Therapy
• Bibliotherapy
• Play Therapy
Formal Assessments:
Heidi provides comprehensive psychological assessments that support diagnostic clarity, treatment planning, and a deeper understanding of an individual's strengths, challenges, and patterns of functioning. Assessments are tailored to the referral question and conducted through a thoughtful and collaborative process. Services include:
★ ADHD Assessments
Comprehensive evaluations to assess attention, executive functioning, and ADHD-related concerns, providing diagnostic clarification and individualized recommendations.
★ Psychological Assessments
Comprehensive evaluations for the purpose of diagnosis, clinical formulation, personality functioning, emotional well-being, trauma-related concerns, and treatment recommendations.
★ Personality Assessments
Comprehensive evaluations designed to better understand personality functioning, emotional patterns, coping styles, interpersonal relationships, and longstanding concerns that may be impacting daily life.
★ Addictions Assessments
Comprehensive evaluations assessing substance use, behavioural addictions, risk factors, treatment needs, and recommendations for recovery and ongoing support.
★ Parenting Assessments
Structured assessments designed to provide information regarding parenting strengths, challenges, and family functioning.
★ Vocational Assessments
Assessments that help clarify occupational functioning, workplace-related concerns, strengths, limitations, and recommendations for future planning.
★ Diagnostic Clarity & Complex Presentations
Heidi specializes in working with individuals whose concerns may involve multiple diagnoses, overlapping symptoms, longstanding difficulties, or presentations that do not fit neatly into a single category. Through comprehensive assessment, diagnostic formulation, and collaborative treatment planning, she helps clients gain a clearer understanding of their strengths, vulnerabilities, and next steps.
Continuing Education:
SPECIALIZED TRAINING & CERTIFICATIONS
• Treating Trauma, Oxford Conference, Oxford, UK (2025)
• EMDR: Treatment for Trauma
• Gottman Relationship Therapy, Level 1
• Gottman Relationship Therapy, Level 2
• Treating Trauma Series (5 Modules), NICABM
• Hendricks Institute of Colorado, Couples Therapy
• Indigenous Awareness Certification
CONTINUING EDUCATION
2025
• Treating Low Desire in Men and Women
• PLISSIT-R Model
• Transitioning: Facing the Fear and Regret of De-Transitioning
• Sexual Attitude Reassessment (SARS)
• Navigating the Evolution of Sexual Desire
2024
• Mindful Sex: Engaging Body & Mind to Help Your Clients
• Ethics: The Interface of Ethics and Technology
• Ethics: Child Touch in Psychotherapy
• Ethics: Current Issues and Practical Responses
• Oppositional, Defiant, and Disruptive Children and Adolescents: Non-Medication Approaches
• Integrating Motivational Interviewing with CBT and DBT
2023
• Healing From Affairs: Moving Past the Trauma
• Deliberate Practice for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
2022
• Autism Screening, Insight Psychological
2021
• Nature and Animal-Assisted Therapy, EPIC Training Network
• Sexuality and Intimacy, EPIC Training Network
• Facilitating Healthy Family Therapy, EPIC Training Network
• Parenting and Blending Families, EPIC Training Network
• Sexual Abuse and Misconduct Education for Healthcare Professionals
• Suicide Prevention Summit (2020)
• Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) Conference (2019)
• Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) Conference (2018)
Personal Insights:
What inspired you to become a psychologist?
I've always been curious about why people can experience similar circumstances yet come away with very different stories about themselves, their relationships, and their lives. Over time, that curiosity grew into a deeper interest in understanding how people make sense of their experiences and move toward meaningful change. My own personal experiences and therapeutic work have shaped a deep respect for both human suffering and resilience, and I feel privileged to help clients develop greater insight, emotional stability, and self-understanding.
What is your therapy superpower?
Helping clients make sense of experiences that may feel confusing or disconnected, and bringing those pieces together in a way that creates clarity, understanding, and direction.
What values guide your clinical work?
Curiosity, compassion, authenticity, and respect. I believe people make sense within the context of their experiences, and meaningful change begins with understanding rather than judgment. My goal is to create a space where clients feel both supported and challenged as they work toward the life they want to build.
How do you define authenticity?
Authenticity means understanding who you are, what matters to you, and living in a way that reflects your values rather than the expectations of others. It involves honesty, self-awareness, and embracing both strengths and vulnerabilities with self-compassion.
Favorite quote, metaphor, or philosophy you bring into sessions:
"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." – Viktor Frankl
This perspective reflects my approach to therapy: helping clients understand what can and cannot be changed, while developing the insight, skills, and flexibility needed to navigate life's challenges in a meaningful way.
Interests or hobbies outside of work:
Outside of work, I enjoy portrait painting, studying Renaissance and Flemish painting techniques, and travelling to explore fine art. I am fascinated by the patience required to build an image layer by layer and the process of looking beneath the surface to understand the whole picture. In many ways, it reminds me of therapy, where growth and understanding often develop over time.
Heidi’s Clinical Areas of Specialization
Addictions, Compulsive Behaviours & Recovery
Heidi works with individuals experiencing substance use concerns, behavioural addictions, and patterns of compulsive or out-of-control behaviour, including alcohol use, drug use, gambling, pornography use, gaming, and sexual compulsivity. Rather than viewing addiction as simply a matter of willpower, she helps clients understand the emotional, relational, and situational factors that contribute to addictive cycles. Treatment focuses on increasing insight, strengthening coping strategies, addressing underlying concerns, and supporting meaningful, sustainable recovery.
Couples, Connection & Relationship Growth
Relationships can be a source of both deep fulfillment and significant distress. Heidi works with couples experiencing communication difficulties, recurring conflict, emotional disconnection, trust concerns, infidelity, intimacy challenges, and the impact of stress, trauma, ADHD, or life transitions on their relationship. Drawing from attachment-based approaches, Gottman Method principles, and couples-focused interventions, she helps partners understand the patterns that keep them stuck while building stronger foundations for communication, connection, and mutual understanding.
Trauma, Attachment Injuries & Life-Altering Experiences
Many psychological difficulties can be traced to experiences that overwhelm a person's ability to cope, whether through trauma, chronic stress, emotional neglect, loss, or significant relational injuries. Heidi helps clients understand how these experiences influence emotional regulation, beliefs about self and others, relationships, and daily functioning. Her approach combines practical stabilization strategies with deeper exploration of the patterns that developed in response to adversity, helping clients move toward greater resilience, safety, and self-understanding.
Intimacy, Sexual Health & Sexual Well-Being
Sexual concerns often involve far more than physical functioning alone. Heidi works with individuals and couples experiencing challenges related to desire, intimacy, sexual functioning, pornography use, sexual compulsivity, communication about sexuality, and the impact of emotional or relational difficulties on sexual well-being. Therapy provides a respectful, non-judgmental space to explore concerns, strengthen communication, and develop healthier and more satisfying intimate relationships.
Stress, Burnout & the Weight of Responsibility
Heidi frequently works with professionals, caregivers, helping professionals, and high-achieving individuals who appear capable on the outside while feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or disconnected internally. Many have spent years prioritizing responsibilities, meeting expectations, or caring for others while neglecting their own needs. Therapy focuses on restoring balance, clarifying values, developing healthy boundaries, and creating more sustainable ways of living and relating.
Men's Mental Health & Life Challenges
Many men have learned to manage stress, emotions, and personal struggles through independence, problem-solving, or perseverance, often without opportunities to openly discuss their experiences. Heidi works with men facing concerns related to relationships, identity, fatherhood, career pressures, emotional regulation, trauma, addiction, and life transitions. Therapy provides a practical and supportive environment where challenges can be explored without judgment, helping men develop greater self-awareness, resilience, and confidence in navigating life's demands.
The Authentic Heidi:
Lifelong Student of Human Behaviour, Relationships, and Personal Growth🌿
I have always been fascinated by people and their stories. How can two people experience similar circumstances yet develop very different memories, beliefs, and ways of understanding themselves, their relationships, and the world around them? That question has followed me throughout my life and ultimately led me to a career in psychology.
Over the course of my career, my curiosity about the "how" has deepened. Through the practice of psychology, I have come to understand how our beliefs are shaped and how they influence the choices we make. During difficult seasons of life, long-standing beliefs and coping strategies may no longer serve us well. We can find ourselves feeling stuck, uncertain of how to move forward, emotionally distressed, or disconnected from ourselves and others. Through greater self-understanding and by drawing upon strengths we may not yet recognize, it becomes possible to navigate life's challenges with greater clarity, authenticity, and intention.
I enjoy helping people make sense of experiences that feel confusing, overwhelming, or disconnected from the life they want to live. Together, we identify patterns, connect important pieces of their story, and explore how past experiences may continue to influence the present. When we understand the origins of our struggles, we are often better equipped to move forward with self-compassion, purpose, and renewed direction.
Outside of the office, my greatest joy is spending time with my family and being a proud grandparent to my energetic grandsons. They keep me laughing, learning, and appreciating life's simple moments—whether that involves bedtime stories, building Lego creations, or making ridiculous sounds that leave us all in fits of laughter. I also share my home with Elsa, my beloved Miniature Dachshund, whose larger-than-life personality provides daily entertainment and a gentle reminder that neither people nor animals experience the world in exactly the same way.
I also enjoy portrait painting, travelling to explore fine art, and continuing to learn about psychology. For many years, I have studied Renaissance and Flemish painting techniques and remain fascinated by the patience required to build an image layer by layer while never losing sight of the whole composition. In many ways, I see a similar process unfold in therapy. Understanding, healing, and personal growth rarely happen all at once. They develop gradually through curiosity, reflection, and meaningful connection.