Sylvia Chan, R. Psych

Sylvia is a registered psychologist with over 12 years of experience in mental health, beginning her career as a registered nurse in psychiatry.

Her path into the helping profession was shaped by her brother’s death in her late teens, which grew a desire to accompany others through shared human experiences of pain and healing.

Sylvia’s practice has been grounded in trauma work, supporting people in healing from single, life-altering incidents to complex, interpersonally layered experiences. She has worked in specialized settings, including helping those rebuild confidence after serious car accidents and supporting refugee survivors of torture and sexual captivity. Her passion for trauma healing led her to Rwanda during her graduate training, where she witnessed the strength and resilience of the human spirit in rebuilding after genocide. Sylvia has trained in specialized non-verbal therapies like EMDR and Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), using eye movements to process distressing experiences and support healing of the nervous system.

In recent years, Sylvia worked in primary care addressing a broad spectrum of mental health concerns at inner-city, maternity, and university teaching clinics. Sylvia now works at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine, supporting medical residents and fellows through an incredibly demanding season of their careers.

Sylvia has also completed over 400 hours of training in psychological assessment and is recognized for formal assessment competency by the College of Alberta Psychologists.

Outside of work, Sylvia loves slow mornings and quiet evenings with a book, curating cozy spaces, and scratching her chronic travel itch. These help Sylvia connect with herself, which allows her to hold space for others to connect with themselves.

Specialized Post-Graduate Clinical Training

• Accelerated Resolution Therapy Basic (2024)

• Narrative Therapy Advanced (2023)

• Intensive Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (2023)

• Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (2022)

• EMDR Basic (2021)

• Narrative Therapy Foundations (2021)

• Prolonged Exposure (2021)

Education

• Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (2020), Providence Theological Seminary

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (2012), McGill University

Professional Affiliations

• College of Alberta Psychologists #6006

• Psychologists’ Association of Alberta member

• Canadian Psychological Association member

Professional Development

• Psychotherapy with Older Adults (2024)

• Walking with Grief - Helping Others Deal with Loss (2024)

• ADHD Clinical Services Provider Certification Course (2023)

• Maternal Mental Health Certificate (2022)

• Chronic Pain Foundations (2022)

• Cognitive-Behavioural Social Skills Training for Serious Mental Illness (2017)