FEELING CHALLENGED?
Work with a Calgary psychologist who knows how to overcome challenges… Depression, anxiety, stress & other psychological issues may seem as daunting as completing a marathon. My approach to “Plan, Take Action & Track Progress”, has helped 100s of clients. I used this approach to attain a black belt in karate and to succeed in the Boston Marathon and Ironman.Take the First Step
Meet with Dr. Pat for a FREE Initial 30-Minute ConsultationDr. Patrick Keelan, Psychologist
Counselling Offices in Calgary and Cochrane
Media & Speaking Engagements
Available and experienced with television, radio, newspaper and magazine interviews.In the News & On Stage
See Topics of Discussion and Past Interviews and Events.
Free Initial Consultation
I offer a no charge initial 30 minute consultation in Calgary or Cochrane to provide you us with an opportunity to meet and discuss your needs and ensure your comfort.Take the First Step
Meet with Dr. Pat for a FREE Initial 30-Minute Consultation
Formula for Success
My approach to “Plan, Take Action & Track Progress”, has helped 100s of clients succeed.About Dr. Pat
Work with a psychologist with a record of achieving difficult results.Latest Articles From Dr. Pat’s Psychology Blog
Chicken and egg: Quality of the therapeutic relationship and progress in therapy
In this article, I discuss how the quality of the relationship with your therapist can affect your progress in therapy – and vice-versa. A well-established positive correlation exists between the quality of a client’s relationship with their therapist and the client’s progress in therapy. That is, research indicates that clients who have a good relationship with their therapists are more likely to make progress in therapy compared with clients who have a bad relationship with their therapists. Many people assume this research finding necessarily means that therapists should focus on taking steps to improve the quality the therapy relationship...[more]
Two motivators to change behaviour: Hope for the good and fear of the bad
In this article, I discuss how you can use hope for positive consequences and fear of negative consequences as motivators to help you change unwanted behaviour patterns. In my work as a Calgary psychologist and a Cochrane psychologist, clients sometimes have the goal of changing unwanted behaviour patterns such as procrastination, losing one’s temper and excessive substance use. One of the best ways to help clients achieve behaviour change in these instances is to help them focus on motivators for the types of change they are seeking. Two types of motivators serve this purpose...[more]
To vent or not to vent: That is the question
In this article, I discuss whether venting about difficult people and situations is helpful in and out of your psychologist’s office. In my work as a Calgary psychologist and a Cochrane psychologist, I often encounter clients who choose to spend some or all of the time in a counselling session ‘venting’. This typically involves complaining about difficult people and/or situations affecting them. Given that people pay to see psychologists and that psychologists are ethically obligated to attempt to ensure that clients are benefiting from their services, it is reasonable to consider whether venting is a productive use of time in therapy. A related concern is whether it is beneficial to the client to vent to people other than their psychologist outside of therapy sessions. I will explore these questions in the following paragraphs...[more]