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Nancy Ivany

Owner of Whole Body Connection

Nancy Ivany

Counsellor, M. Ed; M. Ed. CCC.
  • 6 Duffy Place, Suite A, St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada, A1B 4M5
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Nancy completed a Masters of Education in Counselling Psychology from Memorial University of Newfoundland (2019), a Masters of Education from Western University concentrating in Special Education (1999) and has worked as an Instructional Resource Teacher in the NL school system for the last 24 years. She is a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Counsellors and Psychologists Association (NLCPA) and is a certified member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA).

Throughout her career, Nancy has provided educational and counselling supports primarily for children and adolescents with a range of social, emotional and behavioral concerns, specifically anxiety, depression, ADHD, Autism and Oppositional Defiant Disorder. She has a special interest in art, play and cognitive behavioral therapy which she uses to help clients and their families set personal and educational goals, accept anxiety as an important and useful tool, develop positive self-identity and establish meaningful relationships. She has an in-depth knowledge of the education system (individualized educational plans, delivering accommodations and developing alternative courses and programs for students with diagnosed exceptionalities) and is experienced in helping families and their children navigate the available supports and services.

Children and youth naturally use play to express their emotions, learn about their world and communicate with others. Both directive and non-directive play therapy allows clients to cope and process stressful life experiences by improving self-esteem, building a toolkit of coping strategies, developing self-control and fostering responsibility for behavior and choices. In play therapy sessions, children and youth are allowed to “play out” their feelings and problems just as an adult would “talk out” their difficulties. The Association for Play Therapy has created an excellent short video to illustrate the importance of play therapy to help children process emotional, cognitive and behavioral challenges:

In addition to working with children and adolescents, Nancy is very interested in working with parents and caregivers to implement positive social, emotional and behavioral changes for children and developing social skills programs for young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication (Autism Speaks, 2022).  Because autism is a spectrum disorder, each person with autism has a distinct set of strengths and challenges in how they learn, think and problem-solve. In the words of Dr. Stephen Shore, “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.” For individuals with autism it can be difficult to learn and decipher social skills therefore, they need the opportunity to practice skills, discuss behaviors and ask questions about personal interactions in a safe and supportive space.

Nancy is now taking clients on Monday evenings beginning in September 2022 and is excited to work with children, youth and caregivers. She may be reached through email at njicounselling@gmail.com or through her private and confidential voice mail (709) 290-9376.

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