What We Treat
We provide best practice psychological therapies, counselling and assessments for children, youth, adults, families, couples, individual and couple sexual concerns, and trans people looking for assistance with transitioning in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We strive to be an inclusive practice that provides culturally safe services.
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It is important to note that because our clinicians accommodate highly specialized client needs, their wait lists may be more full, and result in longer wait times, as compared to other practices. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Anxiety Therapy
Persistent worry, racing thoughts, emotional overwhelm, panic, or avoidance that disrupts your daily life, relationships, and sense of well-being. We offer individualized, evidence-informed care tailored to your experiences, using a blend of effective therapeutic approaches:
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) - Helps you recognize and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviours contributing to anxiety.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) - Cultivates psychological flexibility, helping you lean into what matters most, even amid anxious thoughts.
Exposure-Based Strategies - Create confidence to live a more full life.
Trauma Processing Strategies (e.g., EMDR and IFS) - Gently support processing trauma, learned responses or fear that may underlie anxiety.
Somatic & Mindfulness-Based Approaches - Ground the body and mind to ease physical tension and foster calm presence.
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Anxiety affects both mind and body-- impacting sleep, focus, relationships, and your overall sense of peace. Through collaborative, compassionate therapy, you'll build resilience, recover your balance, and move toward a more fulfilling life.
Trauma & PTSD Therapy
Trauma can result from a single event, a series of events, or prolonged stress--leaving lasting effects on your emotional, physical, and psychological well-being. It can manifest as intrusive memories, avoidance, heightened alertness, emotional numbing, or difficulty feeling safe. We use trauma-informed, evidence-based therapies tailored to your needs, including:
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EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) - A highly effective approach for processing and integrating traumatic memories, often preferred for its efficiency and gentleness.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) - Helps reframe unhelpful beliefs and develop coping skills to reduce trauma's impact.
Somatic Psychotherapy - Supports reconnection with the body to release stored tension and restore a sense of safety.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) - Helps heal wounded parts of the self and restore inner balance.
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Trauma is not just an event from the past--it can continue to shape how you think, feel, and respond today. Through a compassionate, collaborative process, we help you move from survival toward healing, resilience, and renewed self-trust.
Depression & Mood Concerns
Depression can show up as persistent sadness, irritability, or emotional numbness. It may sap your motivation, drain your energy, and make even small tasks feel overwhelming. You might lose interest in activities you once enjoyed or struggle to connect with the people around you. Without support, depression can impact every part of life--from relationships to physical health. With the right tools, you can lift the fog and begin to reconnect with what matters most. To do this, we draw on:
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) - To identify and change negative thought patterns.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) - To reconnect with values and meaningful action.
Mindfulness-Based Therapies - To build present-moment awareness and emotional balance.
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Depression can make life feel small and overwhelming. Therapy can help you find relief, restore energy, and rediscover what gives your life meaning.
Grief & Loss
Loss--whether of a loved one, relationship, role, or identify--can bring waves of sadness, anger, guilt, or disbelief. It can disrupt routines, strain relationships, and leave you feeling unmoored in your life. We provide compassionate care through:
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Mindfulness and Acceptance Practices - To process emotions without judgement.
Supportive Counselling - To help you move forward at your own pace.
Narrative Therapy - To make sense of your loss.
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Grief is a natural response to loss, but without support, it can become overwhelming or prolonged, making it harder to adjust and heal.
Acquired Brain Injury
An acquired brain injury--such as from a concussion, stroke, or accident--can change the way you think, feel, and interact with the world. You may experience memory issues, difficulty concentrating, mood changes, or challenges in relationships and work. To support you we can use:
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) - To develop coping strategies and manage emotional changes.
Mindfulness-Based Approaches - To improve focus and reduce stress.
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Depression can make life feel small and overwhelming. Therapy can help you find relief, restore energy, and rediscover what gives your life meaning.
Neurodivergence & Autism
Living with ADHD, learning differences or other neurodivergences can affect focus, organization, emotional regulation, and relationships. These differences often require unique approaches to work, learning, and social life. To support you we can provide:
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) - Adapted for attention and executive functioning challenges.
Skills Training - For organization, time management, and emotional regulation.
Strength-Based Approaches - To embrace and leverage unique abilities.
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Understanding and supporting neurodiverse strengths can improve self-esteem, reduce frustration, and help individuals thrive in their daily environments.
Autism affects how a person experiences the world, communicates, and connects with others. Every autistic person's needs and strengths are unique, and support should be tailored to the individual. To provide support we use:
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Person-Centered, Strength and Interest-based Approaches - Tailored to individual communication styles and needs.
Support for Families and Caregivers - To foster understanding and connection.
Neurodiversity Affirming Care
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A supportive, understanding environment can help autistic individuals navigate challenges while celebrating and building on their strengths.
Insomnia
Struggling with insomnia can leave you feeling exhausted, irritable, and unable to function at your best. Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking too early can impact your mood, focus, and overall health. Over time, poor sleep can take a toll on your relationships, work, an quality of life. To support you we can use:
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) - A gold standard, evidence-based approach that helps you change unhelpful sleep habits, calm the racing mind at night, and establish healthy sleep patterns.
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With treatment, restful nights and restored energy are possible. Therapy can help you reclaim the sleep you need to feel like yourself again.
Who We Work With
Adult Individual Therapy & EMDR
Adult individual therapy provides a safe, confidential space to explore personal challenges, build coping skills, and work toward emotional well-being. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a powerful, evidence-based therapy used to help process and heal from trauma and distressing life experiences. Together, these approaches support lasting healing and personal growth.
Children & Youth Therapy
Child and youth therapy offers a supportive, safe environment tailored to young people to help them express their feelings, develop healthy coping skills, and navigate life's challenges. Using age-appropriate techniques, this therapy promotes emotional growth, resilience, and positive mental health for children and adolescents.
Neurodivergent Individuals
At Lesley Hartman & Associates, we provide a neurodivergent-affirming space where individuals feel understood and supported. Our team recognizes the unique challenges of navigating a world designed for neurotypical experiences and offers care that validates your lived reality. We help address the stress and burnout that can come from masking, while fostering self-acceptance, resilience, and strategies for thriving authentically.
LGBTQ2S+ Therapy
We provide a welcoming, affirming space where individuals can explore their identity, address unique challenges, and build self-acceptance. This supportive therapy helps navigate issues related to gender, sexuality, and minority stress, fostering resilience, empowerment, and overall well-being.
Couples Therapy
We offer couples therapy which draws on the powerful framework of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), a deeply respectful, attachment-based approach widely recognized for its success in rebuilding relationship. Grounded in the idea that secure, emotionally present bonds provide safety and resilience, EFT helps couples move beyond repetitive conflict patterns and toward genuine connection. Through EFT, you and your partner will begin to understand and break free from negative cycles that keep you emotionally distant.
First Responder, Military & Veteran Therapy
We offer a confidential and understanding space for first responders, military personnel, and veterans to address the unique stresses and experiences of their roles. Through tailored approaches, it supports healing from trauma, building resilience, and promoting mental wellness in demanding and high-pressure environments.
How We Support
At Lesley Hartman & Associates, our team of compassionate and skilled therapists is trained in a diverse range of evidence-based therapies to support your mental health journey. We specialize in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Somatic Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT). This integrative approach allows us to tailor treatment to your unique needs, fostering healing and personal growth.
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a type of therapy designed to help people heal from traumatic or distressing experiences. It uses guided eye movements or other rhythmic sensations to help the brain process and reduce emotional impact of painful memories, making them less overwhelming and easier to manage in daily life. EMDR is evidence-based and has helped many people find relief from trauma, anxiety, and related challenges.
Somatic Therapy
Somatic Therapy is a body-focused approach to healing that recognizes the deep connection between mind and body. It helps you become more aware of physical sensations, tension, and patterns held in the body--often linked to stress or past trauma. Through techniques like mindful movement, breathwork, and grounding exercises, somatic therapy supports releasing stored tension, calming the nervous system, and fostering a greater sense of safety and well-being.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a therapy approach that helps you understand and heal the different "parts" or aspects within yourself. Think of your mind like a family made up of various voices or feelings--some may be hurt, others protective. IFS guides you to connect with these parts, understand their roles, and help them work together more peacefully, leading to greater self-awareness, healing, and emotional balance.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a practical, goal-oriented form of therapy that helps you understand how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are connected. By identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and learning new ways to respond, CBT can help reduce distress, improve coping skills, and create lasting positive changes in how you feel and act. It's widely used for challenges like anxiety, depression and stress.
Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) for Couples
EFT for couples is an evidence-based approach developed by Dr. Sue Johnson. Rooted in attachment science, EFT helps partners understand and transform the negative patterns that create distance and conflict. Together, couples learn to recognize underlying emotions, express their needs more openly, and respond to each other in ways that build safety and trust. Through this process, partners can repair ruptures, strengthen their emotional bond, and create a more secure and lasting connection.