Clinical Health Psychology Job Opportunities
We are excited to be recruiting for a number of permanent doctoral positions in Manitoba through recent government investment. Most positions are based in Winnipeg, with start date as soon as the candidate is available. While a small number of these positions are formally posted (see Job Opportunities link at top right), all opportunities listed below are available.
You are welcome to contact us directly to discuss and/or send your CV and a cover letter indicating area(s) of interest to: Dr. Lesley Graff, Provincial Medical Specialty Lead-Clinical Health Psychology, Shared Health at [email protected] (admin). Priority review for applications starts January 8, 2025, with applications accepted until positions filled.
Winnipeg – Child Services
Developmental disorders (preschool), Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Diabetes, Transgender Health, Medical Psychology – consult/treatment, Mental Health – consult/treatment, Pediatric Neuropsychology*, Youth Forensic**
Winnipeg – Adult Services
Pain, Bariatric surgery, Depression, Transplant, Cardiac disease, Primary care team, Inpatient mental health, Forensic assessment/treatment**, Newcomer community mental health team, Community mental health team (Assertive Community Treatment model)
Rural / Northern Services
- Lifespan Mental Health (Dauphin); Adult Mental Health (Brandon)
- Lifespan Mental Health (Oakbank)
- Adult or Lifespan Mental Health (Northern region, site flexible)
We offer competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, flexible start date, relocation support, clinical supervision until licensed for independent practice, ongoing professional development, professional license reimbursement; and opportunity for supervision of psychology residents, clinical teaching, and clinical research through integrated clinical/academic roles.
Standard Requirements for the positions include:
- Doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) in Clinical Psychology from a CPA/APA-accredited program
- Completion of a CPA/APA-accredited internship/residency
- Registered or eligible for registration as a Psychologist (C.Psych.) in Manitoba www.cpmb.ca
Training and experience in the specific clinical area is an asset; for *neuropsychology and ** forensic positions, training in these areas is required.
Manitoba is hiring clinical psychologists!
Are you a caring and compassionate individual looking for an energizing work environment? Do you thrive in a team-based environment focused on clinical and research excellence?
Clinical Psychologists assess, diagnose and treat patients, develop and improve treatments for patients ranging from children to seniors across a wide spectrum of medical and mental health concerns.
Manitoba clinical psychologists offer psychological assessment, treatment and consultation services at hospitals, in primary care and in community specialized services in Winnipeg and throughout the province.
Clinical Psychologists use evidence-based approaches for a broad range of medical and mental health conditions. They aim to empower and support the individual or family to make and sustain changes, that will lead to outcomes such as symptom reduction, recovery, and improved functioning and quality of life. Clinical psychologists use standardized psychological tests to inform diagnostic and cognitive assessment. Clinical psychologists also develop and deliver psychological therapies, tailored for mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety and trauma, and for medical conditions such as sleep disorders, gut disorders, and chronic and acute pain.
Offering innovation in clinical services as well as expertise and leadership, clinical psychologists in Manitoba are vital members of interprofessional care teams, whether in outpatient, inpatient or community settings.
Manitoba offers a great variety of rewarding and stimulating job opportunities for clinical psychologists that provide valued clinical care to patients alongside compassionate colleagues who strive for excellence.
With mentoring and collegial support available, clinical psychologists working in Manitoba also benefit from strong collaboration with physician colleagues. There are opportunities for integrated clinical and academic roles, which include some protected time for clinical teaching and research with the University of Manitoba’s Department of Clinical Health Psychology, a department of the Max Rady College of Medicine.
We welcome interested individuals at any stage in their career, inclusive of those currently completing residency through to established colleagues.
Education, Training and Licensing
Education and Training:
Training to become a Clinical Psychologist is a stepped process.
Step 1 – An undergraduate degree (4 years) establishes foundational knowledge in psychological science.
Step 2 – The graduate doctoral degree (6 years) provides clinical knowledge and training as a clinician and scientist.
Step 3 – The residency program (1 year) offers further depth and breadth of clinical experience, as well as specialization where appropriate.
Step 4 – In Manitoba, Psychologists are a regulated health profession, licensed through the Psychological Association of Manitoba. Core competencies include assessment, diagnosis, treatment, consultation and clinical research. A doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) is required for independent practice as a Clinical Psychologist. Following completion of the doctoral degree, registration is first as a Psychologist Candidate, which involves a year of supervised practice, and completion of national and provincial exams, resulting in licensure for independent practice as a Psychologist (C.Psych)
License to Practice:
In Manitoba, Psychologists are a regulated health profession, licensed through the Psychological Association of Manitoba. A doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) is required for independent practice as a Clinical Psychologist. Following completion of the doctoral degree, registration is first as a Psychologist Candidate, which involves a year of supervised practice, and formal national and provincial exams, resulting in licensure for independent practice as a Psychologist (C.Psych).
Manitoba is hiring Clinical Psychologists!
Clinical Psychologists in Manitoba’s health system are salaried medical staff who hold privileges to practice in hospitals and other health settings within a designated health region.
Primarily working in the provincially-led Clinical Health Psychology – Shared Health services, many Manitoba Clinical Psychologists also hold faculty appointments as members of the Department of Clinical Health Psychology, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba. To be eligible for employment, applicants will have doctoral (PhD/PsyD) degrees from CPA or APA-accredited clinical training programs, have completed a nationally accredited residency, and are registered or eligible to be registered as Psychologists (C.Psych) with the Psychological Association of Manitoba.
We offer rewarding and stimulating jobs that allow professionals to contribute to knowledge, learning, and clinical care with compassionate colleagues who strive for excellence.
Our positions offer a competitive salary and an attractive benefits package; relocation support; clinical supervision until licensed for independent practice; professional license reimbursement; ongoing professional development; and opportunity for supervision of psychology residents, clinical teaching, and clinical research.
Permanent job opportunities span the following areas:
- Clinical Psychology – Adult services
- Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology
- Clinical Psychology – Lifespan (community or rural practice)
- Health (Medical) Psychology
- Neuropsychology (gero and peds)
- Forensic Psychology
Advance your clinical and academic career in an exciting and supportive environment.
Enjoy strong collaboration with physician colleagues and other members of interprofessional teams in a wide variety of clinical settings and specialties.
- Work with and learn from experts specializing in care of adults, children and adolescents, neuropsychology and more!
- Enjoy the benefits of Manitoba’s unique integrated clinical and academic roles, which include protected time for clinical teaching and research in the Department of Clinical Health Psychology at the University of Manitoba, a department in the Max Rady College of Medicine.
Choose from opportunities in acute or primary care, and urban or rural practice and enjoy all Manitoba has to offer.
- Affordable real estate with housing prices lower than the Canadian average
- Work-life balance with short commutes, many recreation options, including professional sports, arts, cuisine and music
- Four distinct seasons to enjoy with easy access to fishing, camping, hiking, skiing and beaches
- Family-friendly neighbourhoods and communities
Whether you are just beginning your career, an established psychologist, or at a senior stage in the profession, consider Manitoba!
News
Toward health: the broad reach of Clinical Health Psychology
We can’t instantly change the way we feel. We can’t simply decide ‘I’m going to feel differently now’. But we can try to work on how we behave, the things we do, the situations we put ourselves in and, to some degree, how we think about situations. This in turn will have an effect on our feelings, and ultimately how we handle challenges.”
Clinical psychologist Dr. Laine Torgrud compares cognitive behavioural therapy, the most common type of treatment for patients accessing psychology care, to the three points of a triangle representing our behaviour, our thoughts, and our emotions.
“The work of psychologists revolves around looking at ways we can change behaviour that is critical to better health,” explains Dr. Torgrud. “When we work to change our behaviour and work to change the way we think, it will ultimately affect how we feel about a situation or issue.”
Testimonials
Dr. Joanna Bhaskaran C.Psych.
Clinical Health Psychology, Shared Health
3 years in clinical practice
Undergraduate Degree: University of Manitoba
Doctoral Degree: University of Manitoba
Residency: St Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Ontario
I’m interested in people and their stories. Being there with them through the whole gamut of life is an honour. I am privileged to be able to create safe spaces when someone is going through something hard and also like being on the other side and celebrating together. I feel so fortunate to be there with them through the full spectrum of the human experience, from the depths of suffering to the heights of joy. I’m doing something I love while also making a difference.
I didn’t always know I wanted to be a psychologist. I grew up in the Middle East and psychologists aren’t common there. My family left Sri Lanka during the civil war and I saw first-hand how the trauma of war, discrimination and oppression affect not just your mental health but also your physical health.
Currently, I work out of two clinics and as an Assistant Professor in the College of Medicine, University of Manitoba. In one of my clinical roles, I work with newcomers, through the Newcomer Collaborative Community Mental Health Program. In my other role within an Operational Stress Injury clinic, I provide clinical care to Canadian Armed Forces members, RCMP members, and veterans. Every day at work is different and I’m always learning. That’s one of the best but also challenging parts; there’s always something new to experience.
When people come to Canada, they don’t necessarily have the space and time to navigate psychological care. There are settlement workers who help newcomers meet their physical needs but often there is residual trauma from where they’ve been. Where I think I make the most difference is how I take the structure of evidence-based psychological care in our profession which is used in the formal health care system and adapt it to fit the needs of our newcomer populations within the community, developing trust in the system.
As a clinical psychologist in Manitoba, I have so much flexibility with the range of clients I see and the challenges I take on. I’m passionate about finding ways to create wrap around care and building the bridge between our health care system and the community. Clinical Psychology allows you to develop your own niche and follow your own path of interest; it is such a versatile and rapidly evolving field.
Dr. Valerie Krysanski C. Psych.
Depression Services | Inpatient Mental Health Consult
Victoria Hospital
Clinical Health Psychology, Shared Health
20 years in the field
Undergraduate Degree: University of Manitoba
Doctoral Degree: University of North Dakota
Residency: Ottawa Hospital
Post-Doctoral Fellowship: University of Ottawa
I first came across the field of psychology in high school – but didn’t really set my sights on it until I took an introductory course in my first year at the University of Manitoba. It quickly became my favorite class, studying human behavior and understanding the brain was so interesting and, just like that, I was hooked. I had always known I wanted to pursue a career that allowed me to help people and I love the analytical, problem-solving side of working in psychology. But I also knew I wanted a profession that allowed me to teach and do other things that interest me, like research. Clinical Psychology offered a meaningful way for me to integrate these personal interests and skills.
Psychologists work in diverse settings, including hospitals, universities, schools and private practice. I have been at Victoria Hospital for 14 years and love the work, as it combines the full range of my psychologist skills including hospital-based clinical services, teaching/supervision of residents/trainees, and research. I am very enthusiastic about clinical supervision and teaching, and I find this to be one of the most rewarding and enjoyable aspects of my work.
In Clinical Health Psychology, psychologists are medical staff like our physician colleagues and also have faculty appointments to do teaching with medical students and psychology and medical residents – – a unique appeal to working in our department. These were two contributing factors that drew me back to Manitoba after completing my training out of province.
Another great aspect of our department is collaboration. We often consult each other on clinical cases, share practice resources to best support one anot and work together in clinically relevant research projects. I have also appreciated opportunities to connect on a personal level with colleagues at fun departmental social events.
I love that I am continually engaged in my everyday work by the diversity of what I do. I enjoy the fast-paced work environment balancing clinical work with patients, putting the puzzle pieces together in challenging psychodiagnostic assessments, supervising psychology residents and trainees, and teaching medical students – there’s never a dull moment!
Dr. Sayma Malik C.Psych.
Child Development Clinic
Specialized Services for Children and Youth Centre (SSCY)
Clinical Health Psychology, Shared Health
18 years in the field
Undergraduate Degree: University of Manitoba
Doctoral Degree: California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, San Francisco, CA, USA
Residency: University of California- San Francisco, California, USA
Post-Doctoral Fellowship: Children’s Hospital at Oakland, California, USA
Manitoba is a place full of opportunity for people to be trailblazers and to forge ahead into uncharted territory depending on their goals. Here, we can truly make a difference and advance different areas of health care and health research. It’s something I find very exciting – and was one of the reasons that brought me back to Winnipeg, after 13 years in California where I completed my clinical psychology training.
I often spent my vacation time returning home to visit family, and felt as though life was pulling me back to Winnipeg, so I decided to make the move home in 2011.
I’m grateful for the time I spent in California learning from the pioneers of early childhood intervention, and also that I could bring that incredible training back to Manitoba for the benefit of children and families here.
Early childhood intervention work is fundamentally critical and meaningful. The early years set the foundation for everything in life. It’s the beginning of brain development, learning about the world, and navigating how to connect with others.
When children are young we have a lot of influence to plant seeds for what’s to come. Research shows us that early intervention has an incredible return on investment, not only for mental health but overall health. When we are able to intervene early where children may be experiencing developmental delays, we can help identify what is needed to offset those challenges; we can interrupt problematic behavioural patterns that families might not even be aware of yet. We’re setting the stage for healthy coping down the line and it’s all linked together.
There is never a standard day at the office; I get to witness moments of recovery, connection, and of children reaching new milestones. Many of us in healthcare are privileged to be a part of the support network and bear witness to moments of healing as well as heartbreaking stories. It’s an honour to be invited into a family’s intimate world to support and help them overcome challenges. I do a lot of play-based assessment and a big part of what I do is working with parents to help them see their child differently with more benevolence and curiosity. There are just no words to describe how incredibly rewarding it is to support families in understanding their child’s unique and special needs and to guide them through next steps.
This work truly has a ripple effect of a lifetime. We all are doing our best and sometimes it doesn’t feel like enough. It’s never a question of value, it’s a need for people with passion and the capacity to do the work. If you have a passion for helping others and providing strength and guidance for people through challenging times, clinical psychology could be the career for you.