The Psychology of... Podcast: Recent Episodes

Zac Rhodenizer

Psychology is at play all around us. With your host and clinical Psychologist Zac Rhodenizer and his guests, we dive into fascinating topics where psychology plays a major role but is often overlooked, such as mountain climbing, pro wrestling, politics, eating, and much more!

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This interview is with Jill Nickens of  Akathisia Alliance for Education and Research

Akathisia is an extremely distressing neurological disorder characterized by severe agitation, an inability to remain still, and an overwhelming sense of terror. It is primarily a medication side effect. People with this condition can quickly become suicidal and even homicidal. Akathisia is far more common than has been reported in the past and remains dangerously under-diagnosed and under-reported today.

This podcast should not be used in the place of medical advise or psychological treatment. The goal is to help raise awareness about Akathisia. Please considering sharing with mental health and medical professionals in your circle.

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In this episode Zac speaks with therapist, writer, and public speaker Stella O'Malley about safetyism, resilience, and childhood anxiety. Stella is a bold public thinker making waves from her home in Ireland. Her work, including her three books which are discussed in this interview, can be found at www.stellaomalley.com and on twitter @stellaomalley3 

Opinions expressed here are personal and may not reflect the opinions of the entire field of psychology or its professional associations and colleges.

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In this episode Zac sits down with the President of Society for Academic Freedom and Scholarship in Canada, Mark Mercer. They discuss why there is a need for such a society, what are the forces that get in the way from freedom of expression and scholarship on campuses, and they make comparisons between Canadian and American institutions. Mark mentions how the legacy media rarely reports on issues of academic freedom making all the more important to share this episode and SAFS with others. Visit www.safs.ca to learn more.

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In this episode Zac sits down with Dr. Clay Routledge, a professor and researcher who focuses on human flourishing, progress, and existential psychology. Clay provides a well needed perspective on how we can flourish. They discuss gratitude, perspective taking, and nostalgia and how these approaches lead to greater progress. They also discuss how difficult it can be talk about progress while many others in the world continue to suffer.

Please support his work by checking out the excellent new magazine Profectus as well his other works found on his website

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In this episode Zac spoke with Lenore Skenazy from www.letgrow.org Lenore wrote the book Free Range Kids and is president of the non-profit organization Let Grow which counters the culture of overprotection. Experts from Dr. Peter Gray to Jon Haidt agree that by introducing acceptable levels of risk and resistance to our children's lives we can make significant improvements to mental health. If you are a parent or a teacher please listen to this episode and promote Let Grow in your community. Download the free education resource kit here. https://letgrow.org/program/educational-resources/

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In this episode Zac speaks with Dr. Rima Azar, Health Psychology professor at Mount Allison University who recently was suspended without pay from her job due to comments she made on her personal blog.

We discuss 'cancel culture' which means different things to different people. The intention of the podcast is to discuss how to promote freedom of thought, speech. and inquiry while still considering the consequences of one's speech.

If you feel compelled to support Dr. Azar you can do so on financially here https://ca.gofundme.com/f/t88quc-raising-money-for-legal-fees

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We are back with our first in person interview since the pandemic and I have to apologize to our listeners and our guest for the poor audio quality. We will be better next time. In today's episode Zac sits down with Psychologist Brad Moser to discuss the importance of fatherhood. In honour of Father's Day have a listen and share it with the dads in your life.

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In this episode Zac discusses what it means to be a conservative in 2021 with independent scholar Bo Winegard. Bo has published articles on multiple topics and writes often for Quillette.

You can read more about Bo's work and support him on patreon by visiting his website at https://www.bmwinegard.com

This episode is not an endorsement of any specific political ideology but an attempt to discuss Bo's thesis that conservatism is actually the political ideology that most closely maps onto what we know about human behaviour and psychology.

In this episode we discuss topics like Jonathan Haidt's Moral Foundations Theory, cancel culture, bias in academia and media, and a movement called "ethnotraditionalism".

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Today's episode is with Dr. Lynne Gots who is a clinical psychologist and assistant clinical professor in the department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences at the George Washington University School of Medecine.

Her website can be found here https://cognitivebehavioralstrategies.com

In the episode we discuss Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and how it often interacts with morals. Often called scrupulosity, this is when obsessions are focused on morals and the fear of offending someone or God.

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For today’s episode the guest is Gabriella Carafa who is a social worker in the greater Toronto, certified in perinatal mental health. She has experience working with individuals with disabilities and complex medical conditions. She works with individuals, children, families, and couples in her private practice. She has a special interest in parenthood for folks with disabilities including physical, intellectual, learning and/or episodic disabilities and has her own lived experience of disability.

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About Our Guest

Gabriella is a social worker who is certified in perinatal mental health. She has over seven years combined experience working with individuals with disabilities and complex medical conditions as well as supporting individuals in the perinatal period. She works with with children, adolescents, adults, families and couples in her private practice. She has a special interest in parenthood for folks with disabilities including physical, intellectual, learning and/or episodic disabilities and has her own lived experience of disability. Gabriella is passionate about sharing knowledge and experience by providing content interviews, professional workshops, creating invited blog content, and leading healthcare and social services training opportunities. Gabriella brings a diverse, unique, passionate and vibrant voice to the realities and intersections of mental health, ability & the perinatal experience.

Contact Info

Website - http://www.gabriellacarafa.ca

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Lethbridge Institute of Family Therapy

Web - https://www.lethbridgetherapy.com

Phone - 403-849-7827

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lethbridgetherapy/

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Zac sits down with Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife, a relationship and sexuality coach as well as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in the state of Illinois. Together they discuss male sexuality and the misunderstandings that men and women have about male sexuality. Join them as they have important and powerful discussions that are often too sensitive for men or women to have.

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About Our Guest

Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife, as well as being a relationship and sexuality coach and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in the state of Illinois, she also has a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology. In addition to her dissertation research on LDS women's sexuality and relationship to desire, she has taught college level human sexuality courses. Her teaching and coaching focuses on helping LDS individuals and couples achieve greater satisfaction and passion in their emotional and sexual relationships.

In addition to consultation with couples and individuals (in person and online), she offers online relationship and sexuality courses as well as live workshops and retreats for LDS couples and individuals.

Contact Info

Website - www.finlayson-fife.com

Facebook - www.facebook.com/Dr-Jennifer-Finlayson-Fife-249991585871/

Instagram - www.instagram.com/finlaysonfife/

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Lethbridge Institute of Family Therapy

Web - https://www.lethbridgetherapy.com

Phone - 403-849-7827

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lethbridgetherapy/

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Zac and sports fanatic Austin Mueller talk fantasy sports and the role it can play in community, as a hobby, and even as a way to trash talk your buddies! But make sure you know your stuff before coming into the fantasy sports ring with these guys!

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About Our Guest

Austin was brainwashed a Boston fan since his early days by his older brothers and cheers for the Celts still today. Auz also religiously followed Barkley's career, so when Sir Charles was traded to Phoenix Austin became a Suns fan, which carried through the Nash era and till now.

Auz's biggest moment in basketball was as a glue guy on his high school team that went on to win the 96 BC Provincial Championship.

Austin's claim to basketball infamy was leading the Nation in fouls in his ill advised mid 30's comeback to college basketball.

His NBA equivalent is rebounding, fouling and pick setting specialist, Chuck Hayes! (If you don't know him, YouTube his unlikely triple double with the Rockets.)

Now Austin (at least 50 pounds heavier than that picture) plays in a local men's league trying desperately, but mostly failing, to maintain some basketball relevance.

Join Austin in the fantasy sports world as well as listen to his podcast at:

https://www.baselinespinaroonie.com

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Lethbridge Institute of Family Therapy

Web - https://www.lethbridgetherapy.com

Phone - 403-849-7827

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lethbridgetherapy/

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Bullying and harassment has taken on a new meaning in recent years. Zac sits down with Hayden, a Health and Safety Consultant in BC who does investigations into bullying and harassment in the work place. They discuss what work place bullying and harassment looks like and how we can often have different perspectives on what bullying actually is. They discuss bullying vs. conflict, and ways to handle certain situations you may find yourself in.

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About Our Guest

Hayden Greenshields - CRSP, M.Sc (T), (C)OHS, NCSO

Hayden has been a safety professional with over 14 years of experience in Oil & Gas, Construction, Manufacturing and Forestry.

Hayden first started working as a safety professional in the sour gas fields in Northern B.C. and Alberta as an H2S Safety Specialist. His role was to provide breathing air systems, gas detection systems and rescue to clients on drilling rigs, service rigs, pipelines, gas plants & oil refineries. As Hayden’s skills and experience grew, so did his responsibilities and he eventually becomes a Project Safety Coordinator whose role was to coordinate small to large scale plant ‘shutdowns’ or maintenance turnarounds for oil & gas and thermal power stations. Hayden was in charge of confined space assessments, breathing air systems, safety and fire watch, lead hands and rescue team(s). During these intensive and complex projects, Hayden decided to pursue an NCSO designation through the Alberta Construction Safety Association to increase his competency’s in industrial safety and received his National Construction Safety Officer designation in 2009.

With a new designation and increased knowledge under his belt, Hayden decided to leave the Oil & Gas Industry in Alberta and began working as a Project Safety Manager in the Construction Industry in British Columbia. While working on one of his larger and longer duration projects, (construction of a 65-kilometre haul road connecting two mines through a mountain pass), Hayden decided to pursue his certification in Occupational Health & Safety through the University of New Brunswick and finished the certificate program in 2011 while also working on the project.

Two large-scale projects in the North-West Coast of B.C. kept Hayden busy from mid-2011 – 2016 where he again worked as a Project Safety Manager, HSE Lead and as a Contract Manager. During this time, Hayden immersed himself with broadening his knowledge in the safety sciences and became captivated with a highly specialized field of safety called Human Factors. He decided to enroll himself in a Master’s Program through the University of Lund, Sweden on the topic of Human Factors and System Safety in 2013. Specializing in Human Factors & System Safety allowed Hayden the opportunity to teach students, Human Error, through the University of Northern British Columbia on their Occupational Health & Safety Practitioner Certificate Program.

The allure of entrepreneurism allowed Hayden to leave project work into consulting and joined Free Spirit Ventures Inc., as a Health & Safety Consultant in March 2016. During this time, Hayden has become an external auditor for Energy Safety (Enform), BC Forest Safety Council and the BC Construction Safety Alliance.

CERTIFICATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS * Canadian Registered Safety Professional (BCRSP) * National Construction Safety Officer (ACSA) * BC Forest Safety Council Certified External Auditor * BC Construction Safety Alliance Certified External Auditor * Energy Safety (Enform) Certified External Auditor * Member of Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE) * Member of Community of Practice in Human Factors (CoP) * Member of the Canadian Centre of Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS)

Contact Info

Web - http://www.safetypays.ca

Email - hayden@safetypays.ca

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Free-Spirit-Ventures-Inc-1527354787571029/

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Lethbridge Institute of Family Therapy

Web - https://www.lethbridgetherapy.com

Phone - 403-849-7827

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lethbridgetherapy/

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Zac sits down with Cody Nielsen, certified professional business coach and entrepreneur, to discuss the role leadership has in your business and its success. They also discuss how leaders are developed, not born, and that anyone with good intentions and desire can develop into an effective leader.

**During this COVID-19 crisis, Cody is offering free coaching sessions to any small-medium size businesses in need of help and resources. This can easily be done online. Feel free to reach out and get in contact with him for more information or to schedule a session.

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About Our Guest

In 2011, Cody started his first business with this wife which grew large enough to put his formal education on pause. He still owns his own business, Green Leaf Spray Co., and has also certified as a professional business coach because of his passion for business and helping others in their personal and entrepreneurial pursuits. He also has great fulfilment in his local congregation where he helps serve and lead several hundred people.

www.NielsenCoaching.com

LinkedIn

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If you need assistance through the Lethbridge Institute of Family Therapy, please reach out to us!

403-849-7827

www.LethbridgeTherapy.com

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We changed our original schedule and instead want to help you with some important information and ways to cope through the Corona Virus outbreak. Be sure to share this with your friends and family to help everyone work together through this time! 

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Zac sits down with Mental Performance Consultant, Josh Hoetmer, to discuss how he helps athletes improve the mental aspect of their sport.

They also discuss why sports are so enthralling, drawing on comparisons with religion. This episode was recorded a few days after Superbowl 54 and the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and the others who were with him on that helicopter, so we touch on that subject as well.

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Josh's Webpage

Alberta Sport Development Centre

https://www.cspa-acps.com/professional-members

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Zac sit's down with entrepreneur Steve Christensen and discusses how experiences contribute to our psychological well-being and how experiences trump possessions. They also touch on theories put forward by Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman about the experiencing vs. remembering selves.

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About Our Guest

Steve Christensen is the founder of NOVO Watch and cofounder of Neuwly. NOVO Watch is a watch company who's hand made watches use historic material to produce. His other venture, Neuwly, is setting out to organize the worlds experiences to make them more meaningful.

His NOVO Watch designs and ideals have been featured on Cool Material, The Awesomer, Ask Men, Urban Daddy, Vend, and other prominent blogs, websites and magazines, and Neuwly is just getting its footing as a new startup.

Steve has his Bachelor of Management from the University of Lethbridge and a Master of Real Estate Development from Johns Hopkins University.

Neuwly

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Novo Watch

Website

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Joining Zac is therapist Mike Sommerfeld to discuss the sensitive and often controversial topic of sex addiction. Each has their own approach to helping a client overcome this addiction and they'll discuss these approaches with their pro's and con's.

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About Mike

Michael’s professional interests are directed towards couple’s therapy and sex therapy. This interest is driven by the belief that relationships and interpersonal connections are fundamental to human life, and healthy relationships add to our individual health. Michael is well experienced in providing couples therapy, and continues to increase his expertise through education and training. Michael incorporates an Emotion-Focused Couple’s Therapy approach to help clients identify unhealthy interaction patterns and learn to develop patterns that allow them to bring out the best in themselves, and in their partners.

Michael has a passion and dedication to this work and he considers it a privilege to help clients work towards health, happiness, connection, and, wholeness. He is experienced and skilled in working with various mental health concerns, such as depression, anxiety, and personality disorders, including borderline personality disorder.

sommerfeldcounselling@gmail.com

http://www.oliviapsychology.ca

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Having compassion and being a shoulder to lean on takes a lot of energy and can result in helping professionals needing a lot of help themselves. Zac sit's down with Psychotherapist Francoise Mathieu to tackle the somewhat recent field of compassion fatigue and why it's so vital for helping professionals, first responders, military personnel, and more.

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About Our Guest

Francoise Mathieu, M.Ed., RP., CCC.
Compassion Fatigue Specialist
Executive Director, TEND.

Francoise is the executive director of TEND, whose aim is to offer consulting and training to professionals on topics related to secondary trauma, compassion fatigue, burnout, self-care, wellness and organizational health.

She is a Registered Psychotherapist and a subject matter expert on topics related to compassion fatigue and secondary trauma. Her experience stems from over 20 years as a mental health professional, working as a crisis counsellor and trauma specialist in university counselling, military, law enforcement and other community mental health environments.

Since 2001, Francoise has given hundreds of seminars on compassion fatigue and secondary trauma across North America to thousands of professionals in the fields of health care, mental health, law enforcement, the criminal justice system, military, human trafficking, child welfare and other similar high-stress, trauma-exposed professions. She has presented to members of St Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Memphis, the LAPD, Mount Sinai Hospital, The Chief Coroner’s Office of Ontario, and many other agencies who do high stress trauma exposed work.

Francoise is one of the founding members of the Secondary Traumatic Stress Consortium and the author of The Compassion Fatigue Workbook, published by Routledge in 2012, as well as several articles and publications.

Connect with Francoise

Web - www.tendacademy.ca

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/tendacademy/

Online Courses:

Compassion Fatigue - https://www.tendacademy.ca/product/compassion-fatigue-101-course/

Staying Grounded in Stressful Work - https://www.tendacademy.ca/product/wtf-strategies-to-keep-helping-professionals-grounded-and-centered/

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Are social media and smart phones ruining our kids childhood? Is it helpful for them at all? Join the conversation between Zac and TEDx Speaker Collin Kartchner about how social media is effecting our mental health and happiness.

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About Our Guest

On Feb 6, 2018, the Salt Lake Tribune's front page article began: "Collin Kartchner decided to fight Instagram with Instagram." Two months later, Collin started a nationwide movement called #SavetheKids and has been on a crusade to help people both young and old to rise above the negative effects of social media & screen-addiction, while showing the world how to use it for doing good. Using social media, Collin raised $100k's for hurricane victims, kids fighting cancer, and orphans in South America. In 9 minutes he raised enough money to put up "You Are Beautiful" & "You Are Loved" billboards seen over 1.2M times. Now he's on a crusade to save teens from social media's potential destruction to their self-esteem and mental health, and empowering parents to reconnect with their kids. #SavetheKids #SavetheParents

Follow Collin:

Web - https://savethekids.us

TEDx Talk - https://youtu.be/uMb0wqTqE_4

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/collinsavethekids/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/collinkartchner/

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What are the biggest mountains in the world? As we learn from our Guest, Trevor Stuart, the biggest mountains are not Everest or Kilimanjaro (although he's climbed both), they're personal mountains. Join Zac and Trevor as they discuss overcoming the mountains in our mind and how the psychology of climbing can help us conquer these trials.

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About Trevor

As a philanthropist, climber, keynote speaker, writer, and real estate agent, Trevor knows how to spend his time well!

He grew up surrounded by domestic violence. He experienced a pivotal moment when, as a child, he decided he'd live above how he was being raised. Choice by choice and lesson by lesson his life changed. As a result of those choices, Trevor has experienced a life he never dreamed of. He's climbed major mountains all over the world to raise money and awareness for charities, and he accomplished that despite the many daunting physical and emotional challenges that seemed determined to thwart him.

Trevor's Message? If I can do it, you can too!

Trevor elevated his life and finally escaped his past. Now he inspires others to answer the call for themselves - What's YOUR Everest?

Trevor Stuart Contact Info - Elevating Lives

Phone - 403-795-4486

https://www.elevatinglives.com

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/Tr_Everest/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/TrevStuart

Linked In - https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevorstuartelevatinglives/

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Are you a fan of the hit reality TV show Survivor? If psychology had a sport it would be Survivor! For 39 long seasons it has entertained and captivated audiences. Zac sits down with super-fan Jace Forsyth to discuss the role of psychology in the game itself and how it mimics our life in several ways.

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To contact Zac and his team visit:

Facebook - www.facebook.com/lethbridgetherapy/

Web - www.LethbridgeTherapy.com

Email - info@LethbridgeTherapy.com

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'Tis the Season...to be stressed!? Zac sits down with historian and archivist at Lethbridge's Galt Museum to discuss some of the history of Christmas, how and why we celebrate it the way we do today, and ways we can reduce the stress that surrounds the holiday for too many of us.

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About Chris

Chris Roedler works at the Galt Museum in Lethbridge and has also been involved with the Galt Museum in Fundraising since 2011. He has worked with various not-for-profits including Volunteer Lethbridge, Southern Alberta Technology Society, Youth Science Canada, and others in various roles, often helping them out with resource development and fundraising. His current role is with the Galt Museum & Archives in Resource Development and Volunteer Coordination. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, playing music on many instruments, and seeing and experiencing new adventures.

The Galt Museum - www.galtmuseum.com

The Galt is well respected in Alberta's museum community, has a growing national profile, and is committed to international museum standards. The archives contain an extensive collection of information on the human history of Lethbridge and southwestern Alberta. Today, the museum cares for well over 17,000 artifacts and more than 1 million archival documents and photographs. These collections continue to grow. The history of Lethbridge and southwestern Alberta can be explored through the Galt's rotating world-class exhibits, special events, and school and community programs. The Galt Museum Store offers visitors a selection of historic publications and other unique local and retro gifts. Volunteers donate their time and talents to enhance the work of museum staff.

Blog Post - The Real Transformation of Scroog

https://www.lethbridgetherapy.com/podcast-1

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To contact Zac and his team visit:

Facebook - www.facebook.com/lethbridgetherapy/

Web - www.LethbridgeTherapy.com

Email - info@LethbridgeTherapy.com

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To contact Zac and his team visit:

Facebook - www.facebook.com/lethbridgetherapy/

Web - www.LethbridgeTherapy.com

Email - info@LethbridgeTherapy.com