About
Dr. Hann Psychology Services specialize in:
- Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP)
- Medically Unexplained Symptoms/ Traumatic Symptom Disorder
- Dissociative Seizures
- Treatment Resistant Depression
- Treatment Resistant Anxiety
- Emotion Focused Couples Therapy
- Independent Medical Evaluations (IME)
Dr. S. Gerald Hann, M.A.S.P., EDD
Dr. Hann is the Director of the practice, and has over 28 years of experience as an educator and psychologist working with adolescents, adults and couples. Dr. Hann specializes in those undergoing independent medical legal assessments and patients with medically unexplained symptoms. Dr. Hann has years of experience using Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) to rapidly reduce or eliminate emotional symptoms related to anxiety, depression, somatization and personality disorders. ISTDP can help alleviate self-defeating behaviors, which often derive from difficult early-life attachments. This helps patients create behaviors that lead to more fulfilling lives and reduces limiting symptoms the patients may have been dealing with for years.
As well as being registered to practice in Nova Scotia, he holds a Certificate of Professional Qualification in Psychology, National Certification in School Psychology (USA), Nova Scotia Level 8 teaching certificate, and is listed on the Canadian Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology. He graduated with a doctorate in educational and school psychology from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania specializing in family and school relations and uses his training and experience to complete assessments that are comprehensive and beneficial to clients.
Dr. Hann’s clients include:
- Private individuals
- Government agencies
- Law firms
- Insurance companies
- The Courts
- Private businesses
Kayla Truswell, Ph.D.
Dr. Kayla Truswell is a Registered Psychologist, who completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Saskatchewan. She has generalist clinical training in assessment, consultation, and treatment of individuals across the lifespan with a variety of psychological conditions, including anxiety disorders, mood disorders, PTSD, somatization, and personality disorders.
Through her graduate training, she gained a breadth of experience from working with individuals with diverse backgrounds in a number of settings, including hospitals, community organizations, a child development centre, and forensic facilities.
Dr. Truswell has training in a number of treatment modalities, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and mindfulness strategies. However, she primarily uses Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP), an emotion-focused therapy, when working with adults and adolescents.
Dr. Truswell also has clinical training and experience completing comprehensive psychological evaluations. She is proficient in a number of assessment contexts, including psychodiagnostic evaluations, cognitive assessments, and psychoeducational assessments with school-aged children and adults.
Sarah Hutchins, B.Sc. (Honours)
Sarah Hutchins is a psychometrist and psychological assistant at the practice. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Psychology (Honours) in 2017 at Acadia University and is currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Education Elementary Program at Mount Saint Vincent University. After graduating with her BEd in 2019, Sarah plans to obtain her Master of Arts in School Psychology.
Sarah’s psychometrist and assistant positions involve the completion of a variety of tasks, which include administering and scoring tests, reviewing reports, closing files, file organization, and other miscellaneous duties. Sarah is trained to administer and score cognitive, academic and career and aptitude tests.
Through her work and volunteer experiences, Sarah has discovered a passion for working with children and youth, and she is eager to learn and expand her knowledge in the field of psychology in the coming years.