Dr. Nina Fusco has worked in clinical, forensic, law enforcement, and public safety settings for over a decade. She prioritizes a warm and collaborative approach with her clients. She focuses on working together with clients to identify goals and develop a treatment plan that fits their needs. She recognizes the significant role early childhood experiences have in shaping our development over the course of our lifetime, and specifically in shaping our beliefs and our interpersonal relationships. She acknowledges the important part that psychological treatment can play in understanding and redefining challenging life events and circumstances. She strives to help clients find meaning in challenging situations in order to promote growth and personal development. She incorporates principles from various therapeutic approaches, including CBT, DBT, Emotion-focused therapy, and Psychodynamic theory.
Nina also thoroughly enjoys offering training and workshops to help clients acquire knowledge and skills, and empower them to make positive changes in their lives. She has developed and led workshops on a variety of topics, including trauma-informed leadership, resilience, mental health in the workplace, and challenges related to police work. She has also run numerous post critical incident groups, and has formal training in Critical Incident Stress Debriefing.
Nina has had a strong interest in forensic psychology and trauma since deciding to pursue psychology, focusing her early research work on trauma in crime victims. She began her career in Forensic Psychiatric Services in British Columbia, where she developed expertise in the assessment of risk for criminal recidivism and psychopathy. She next worked in a provincial correctional facility. Through her years at the detention centre, she conducted assessments and provided support to those awaiting trial and sentencing, and co-led the Critical Incident Stress Management Team in assisting correctional staff impacted by their work. She then worked in the Integrated Forensic Program at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. There, Nina provided individual and group services to clients with complex mental disorders and further developed her expertise in forensic assessment. She was also actively involved in the Royal’s training program for practicum students and pre-doctoral residents in Psychology.
Since 2020, Nina has been working for a police service to support members of all ranks and backgrounds. This work has helped her gain a better understanding and appreciation for the challenging work of first responders. She provides psychological support to police members after critical incidents but also understands that exposure to traumatic events is only one aspect of work-related stress for first responders. She is also actively involved in training and educating police members, and is helping develop resiliency training programming and guidelines for police services.
Nina enjoys working with clients from all walks of life. She appreciates how our cultural and ethnic background contributes to our uniqueness. She is fluent in both English and French. Through her work, she has gained extensive experience in the assessment and treatment of trauma-based symptoms, particularly as it pertains to public safety personnel, crime victims, and justice-involved persons. Her clinical training and experience have focused on the assessment and evidence-based treatment of psychological difficulties, mental disorders, interpersonal relationships, and life challenges in general. She has completed training in a number of areas, including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), risk for criminal recidivism, and the treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and psychosis.
Nina completed her Bachelor’s degree, Honours, at McGill University (2005) and her Ph.D. at the Université de Montréal (2011). She completed her pre-doctoral residency in Clinical Forensic Psychology at British Columbia Mental Health and Substance Use Services, with primary rotations at the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital. She is registered as an autonomous psychologist with the College of Psychologists of Ontario in the areas of Clinical and Forensic/Correctional Psychology.