More About Alana Mantai

I care deeply about walking with people in whatever is causing pain and grief, and believe that the work of healing is a sacred journey. This belief has been influenced by my own experiences of grief and loss, spanning from various changes in my life, the death of significant friends and family, and the traumatic births of my children.

There are times where we can feel ill equipped to navigate these losses, so I strive to walk with people to remind them that they are seen and heard, their experiences matter, and that there is a way through the pain. Grief, trauma, and loss can cause great disconnection, and my hope is that I can help people feel more connected to themselves, others, and their experiences. Some of the therapeutic approaches I love to use include Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, attachment-focused therapy, emotion-focused therapy, and the Grief Recovery Method. I believe in adapting my approach to meet the needs of the people I work with, and value the wisdom and self-knowledge that people bring to their own healing journey.

When I work with children, I use various methods of play therapy and creative arts to help children and youth explore, express, and learn ways to communicate and regulate interpersonally. I believe in including caregivers in the therapy, and have completed many trainings on attachment-based play to help improve the caregiver-child relationship.

I enjoy working with people from a Christian perspective when that is desired, and have sought training to help people experience healing through connection with God. Please know that I honor and support whatever beliefs, values, and practices my clients hold, as they are gateways to healing, connection, and finding meaning in life.

A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS

What is your favourite quote?

“Our breath is the fastest way to come back home to ourselves” – Lisa Dion, founder of Synergetic Play Therapy

When did you know you wanted to become a psychologist?

I’ve known I wanted to be a psychologist since I was 12 years old! I have always been fascinated by people, why we do what we do, and how we heal from difficult experiences. Connecting with people in a deep way and seeing them discover new things about themselves is incredibly rewarding for me and keeps me loving what I do!

Qualifications

Grief Recovery Specialist

EMDR Clinician

Master of Counselling

Bachelor of Arts with a specialization in clinical psychology

Affiliations

College of Alberta Psychologists

Psychologist Association of Alberta

 

Certifications

EMDR

Grief Recovery Method

Emotion Focused Skills Training for Parents

Play Therapy (advanced skills)

Sand Tray in Play Therapy

Somatic Embodiment for Regulation

Attachment-focused EMDR

Unified Protocol and CBD for depression and anxiety

Attachment Based Play Therapy

Integrated Attachment Family Therapy

Internal Family Systems for Trauma

Somatic Strategies for Grief and Trauma

Neurobiology of Trauma, Grief, and Loss

Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Languages

• English

My Areas of Focus/Specialty Training:

Couples

• Divorce or Separation

Grief & Loss Care

• Divorce or Separation
• Grief and Loss
• Losing Someone to Suicide
• Loss of a Loved One

Trauma Care

• Abuse
• Family Violence
• Sexual Assault and Abuse
• Types of Trauma

Uniformed Personnel & First Responders

• Supporting Someone who is Grieving

I have experience in:

• Anger Management
• Anxiety Disorders
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Adults
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Children
• Becoming a Parent or the Addition of Children
• Child & Youth Anxiety
• Child & Youth Self Esteem Issues
• Child & Youth Stress and Trauma
• Children & Youth 10 to 12 Years
• Children 3 to 5 Years
• Children 6 to 9 Years
• Children's Mental Health
• Compassion Fatigue
• Death or Loss of a Pet
• Depression
• Emotional Regulation
• Front-Line Workers
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• LGBTQ2S+ Issues
• Life Transitions and Adjustment Issues
• Loss of Employment
• Loss of a Child
• Loss of a Loved One
• Loss of a Preterm Child
• Oppositional Defiant Disorder
• Parenting Issues & Support
• Parents & Caregivers
• Physical Abuse
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Religious or Spiritual Trauma
• Stress Management
• Suicidal Thoughts
• Workplace Stress
• Workplace Trauma
• Youth 13 to 15 Years
• Youth 16 to 17 Years

My treatment approaches:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Compassion Focused Therapy
• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
• Emotionally Focused Therapy
• Faith Based Therapy
• Grief Work
• Harm Reduction Therapy
• Internal Family Systems
• Motivational Interviewing
• Narrative Therapy
• Person Centered Therapy
• Play Therapy
• Sandplay Therapy
• Solution Focused Therapy