MICHELLE MASTINSEK, B.Sc. (Hons)

Michelle has a B.Sc. Hons degree in Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour from McMaster University, and came to work at our clinic with a desire to gain practical experience in the field of psychology and learn about her own vocational passions. Through assisting Dr. Valentin with psychological, neurocognitive, and capacity assessments, Michelle has learned valuable clinical skills, what is involved in completing numerous types of assessment reports, and how to interpret neuropsychological test results. She is also trained in standardized administration of psychometric measures for neurocognitive assessments. Michelle is driven by her curiosity, empathy, and her need to feel challenged.

 

PERSONAL MESSAGE

I’ve always been a very curious person who likes answering questions and doing research. But I’ve also always been interested in more artistic pursuits, like creative writing. One of the main reasons I chose to pursue psychology is because it is both a science and an art, and allows me to use my strengths in both areas.

For me, the science of psychology comes from using psychometric measures to look for different diagnostic criteria. Using standardized testing, we are able to make precise scientific predictions about one’s strengths and weaknesses based on an immense amount of research that was done in that specific area of testing.

The art in psychology for me comes from writing people’s stories. It is only here that we can make other people reading those stories (school boards, lawyers, insurance companies, etc.) care about what that individual is going through. By using the written word in a creative way to articulate our clients’ stories, we can create empathy and help others understand someone who might be struggling.