Dr. Cynthia Baxter

MD FRCPC DABPN

Forensic Psychiatrist
Assistant Clinical Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary

Email:  baxter@theforensicgroup.ca

Dr. Cynthia Baxter is a Canadian forensic psychiatrist who has been assessing and managing violent offenders, sex offenders, and severe personality disorders for the criminal justice system, law enforcement, and the health care system since 2002. She is board-certified in both Canada and the United States and enjoys collaborating with a variety of different professionals in order to assess and manage difficult cases.

She is also a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Calgary, Faculty of Medicine, and is Chair for the examination board for psychiatry residents certifying oral exams for the Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary. Dr. Baxter is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (DABPN) and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (FRCPC) with forensic sub-specialty certification.

Dr. Baxter’s interests and expertise focus on risk assessment, violent offenders, sex offenders, criminal behaviour, and general psychiatry. Her expertise in the field of forensic psychiatry is well recognized and she serves as an expert witness at both the Provincial Court and Court of Queen’s Bench levels. She has sat on multiple committees, expert panels, and provided special consultation to the field of forensic psychiatry.

With a clear passion for the field of forensics and a humour that engages her audience, Dr. Baxter is regularly invited to provide talks and speaking engagements that are informative, relatable and interesting to a variety of different groups on a variety of topics.

Dr. Baxter has received a number of awards and distinctions from various professional organizations. The most distinguished award was in 2009, whereby Dr. Baxter was the recipient of the Canadian Psychiatric Association/Council of Psychiatric Continuing Education Award for Most Outstanding Continuing Education Activity in Canada. Most notable to her down-to-earth personality is the “Best Psychiatrist to be On-Call With” Award (2011) and The Daniel A. Lupin Scholarship (1999) from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Alberta that recognized her demonstrated level of humanity while providing quality care.

With a goal of ensuring that forensic psychiatry is more accessible in the community, Dr. Baxter opened her community office in 2013. She has selected a superb and accomplished clinical team to form the Baxter Forensic Group. Valuing prevention as an important public health goal, Dr. Baxter has also founded a “Prevention Clinic” to prevent sexual offences.

To gain more insight into Dr. Cynthia Baxter’s distinctions, appointments and teaching activities, review her curriculum vitae here.

Ms. Jacqueline Leland

MPsych (For) RPsych

Forensic Psychologist

Email:  leland@theforensicgroup.ca

Ms. Jacqueline Leland has been a forensic psychologist since 2003 with an interest and expertise in clinical psychological assessment and treatment within forensic contexts.  She is registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) and the Canadian Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology (CRHSPP).  Her mission is to provide psychological services in order to enhance understanding and improve personal lives, while maintaining an appreciation for the implications within forensic contexts.  Ms. Leland has served as an expert witness at both the Provincial Court and Court of Queen’s Bench level.

Ms. Leland has worked for Alberta Health Services (AHS) at a maximum security inpatient forensic psychiatric hospital since 2007.  In her role, she provides assessments for individuals with potential mental health difficulties who have been charged or convicted of a criminal offence.  She routinely completes court assessments addressing issues around fitness to stand trial, criminal responsibility, recidivism risk, as well as Long Term and Dangerous Offender applications.  During her employment, she also volunteered with the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) committee, which provides ongoing learning opportunities to colleagues with forensic grand rounds and annual conferences.

Ms. Leland worked at medium and maximum security prisons where she provided psychological assessments for intake, suicide risk, program suitability, security classification, and the National Parole Board (NPB) to address risk and release of correctional inmates back into the community.  She also provided individual therapy and group treatment for violence prevention, sexual offending, and family violence programming.  In 2006, Ms. Leland was bestowed an appreciation award from the Correctional Service Canada (CSC) for her dedication and work as a member of the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team, which provides services to correctional staff who were involved in serious incidents.

In addition to working in the federal system, Ms. Leland was employed at the Calgary Young Offender Centre (CYOC), working with adolescents and young adults who have been charged or convicted of a criminal offence.  In 2012, Ms. Leland was bestowed a professional recognition award from the Alberta Solicitor General and Public Security for her work as the Clinical Team Lead for the development and implementation of a violence prevention program for at risk male youths who have been convicted of a serious violent offence.  Ms. Leland continues to be a respected treatment provider for adolescents and young adults in the Intensive Rehabilitative Custody and Supervision (IRCS) program, a federal program responsible for providing specialized therapeutic services for youth with mental health needs who are convicted of a serious violent offence.

Ms. Leland is an esteemed colleague with the Baxter Forensic Group.  She values her positive relationships working with individual clients and as a consultant to other mental health clinicians, medical doctors, legal professionals, the Courts, and government agencies.  Ms. Leland’s private practice is Lex Psychology Corporation where she provides psychological evaluations, forensic risk assessments, fitness for duty (FFD) evaluations, and litigation support.  Clinical psychological assessments include the use of psychometric tests and provide information regarding diagnostic impressions, cognitive and executive functioning, memory, personality, and psychopathology.  Ms. Leland also values her role as a treating clinician, working with individuals from a variety of contexts, including the Calgary Police Service (CPS), adolescents and young adults, offenders, and the general public.

Learn more about Ms. Jacqueline Leland, including additional information about psychological assessment and treatment services

Mr. Steven Harbourne

RN

Therapist and Registered Nurse
Registered Nurse, Forensic Assessment Outpatient Services – Alberta Health Services

Email:  harbourne@theforensicgroup.ca

Mr. Steven Harbourne is a well-respected nurse and therapist in the assessment and treatment of those with offending behaviours. He has been a registered nurse with the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta since 2006.

Mr. Harbourne initially made his mark in the forensic field while completing intake and court-mandated assessments as a nurse with the Southern Alberta Forensic Psychiatric Centre, Alberta Health Services. During this time, he fine-tuned his people management skills while collecting detailed personal histories and participated in the treatment of acute psychiatric disorders.

At Forensic Assessment & Outpatient Services, Alberta Health Services, Mr. Harbourne spearheads the development of group therapy programs and individual therapy for individuals who have been convicted of a variety of offences. It is here where Mr. Harbourne continues to supervise other nursing students and provides specialized therapy programs on a variety of topics, from:  family violence, sexual offences, self-esteem, cognitive behaviour therapy, and anger management.

Mr. Harbourne is Co-Chair of the Southern Alberta Forensic Psychiatric Services Continuing Professional Development committee. He has helped coordinate and organize a wide range of workshops and conferences on topics such as: Therapeutic Skills for Deconstructing Shame and Guilt in Forensic Mental Health (presented by Dr. Karl Tomm) and Mental Illness and Offending, Stalking, and Psychological Autopsies (presented by Dr. James Ogloff).

Recognized for his outstanding work, Mr. Harbourne was selected by Dr. Cynthia Baxter to assist her in making forensic psychiatry and treatment more accessible in the community with her private clinic, the Baxter Forensic Group. Mr. Harbourne is accountable for providing individual therapy with clients seeking help with anger management, interpersonal difficulties, anxiety, depression, and medication management. As a specialist in his field, he also delivers unique group therapy programs at the Baxter Forensic Clinic.

To gain more insight into Mr. Steven Harbourne’s accomplishments, review his professional resume here.

Mr. Richard Veldhoen

BA

Certified Threat Assessor

Email: rich@theforensicgroup.com

Mr. Rich Veldhoen has been a police officer for twenty years and most recently has held the rank of detective with a major metropolitan Canadian police agency. Mr. Veldhoen began his career with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 1996 before transitioning into a municipal police service. Mr. Veldhoen has consulted in threat assessment across a broad spectrum of areas including familial violence, homicide, stalking, sexual violence, workplace violence, school violence, and extremism. Further, Mr. Veldhoen has consulted extensively in threats to justice officials including federal, provincial, and local government officials. During his assessments of behaviour, he utilizes a variety of structured professional judgement and actuarial tools to understand the nature and degree of risk and, subsequently, provides risk prevention and mitigation strategies to reduce the risk to individuals and facilities. Mr. Veldhoen is also certified in Statement Analysis.

During his twenty year career in law enforcement, Mr. Veldhoen has worked in a variety of positions and is trained in numerous areas including mediation, VIP security, restorative justice, and he completed an Understudy Program where he was certified in threat assessment by the RCMP.

Mr. Veldhoen has been active in providing training or presentations to a wide variety of professionals since 2002, including the University of Calgary, Mount Royal University, media outlets, and government officials. Mr. Veldhoen has worked in numerous areas involving sensitive matters including internal corruption. Mr. Veldhoen has completed investigations and provided reports to senior management in an oversight position within the organization, completing internal investigations and providing recommendations for change to prevent future occurrences.

As contribution to community is also important to him, Mr. Veldhoen is currently a member of the Community Advisory Committee with the Correctional Service of Canada’s Regional Parole Office and is the Vice President of a local Credit Union where he has been on the Board of Directors for several years. He also served as security for a medical team in Haiti.

Strategic Partners

National Polygraph Service

conortapp.com/nps

National Polygraph Service
Gregg McMartin, Founder

Email:  info@nationalpolygraph.net

With over 34 years of experience in Law Enforcement and Truth Detection, Gregg McMartin, a certified Forensic Polygraph Examiner, has advanced training and is current in the latest techniques and technologies of polygraphy and the detection of deception in written and verbal communication.

Mr. McMartin served 25 years with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, with the majority of his service investigating major crimes and seven years in charge of the RCMP Calgary Polygraph Unit. He is a graduate of the Canadian Police College Polygraph Training Unit and was certified in Canada as a Forensic Polygraph Examiner in 1988. In 1994, he established National Polygraph and has provided private polygraph service throughout Canada.

He is a former instructor of polygraph at the Canadian Police College in Ottawa Ontario and has lectured throughout North America to various federal and municipal police departments, as well as corporate companies in the detection of deception in written and verbal communication. He is the recipient of commendations from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in recognition of his work and has appeared in television shows, radio talk shows, and has been written about in books, national magazines and numerous newspaper articles.

Ms. Terra D. Taylor

R. Psych

Registered Psychologist

Terra Taylor is a Registered Psychologist, and co-founder, in private practice at Taylor Clark Psychological Services in Calgary, Alberta. Her license is registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists and she is a member of the Psychologists Association of Alberta, the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts and the Canadian Association of Threat Assessment Professionals. She is committed to professional development and regularly attends conferences and workshops. Terra has lectured at a University level, and she has presented internationally. She has been qualified as an expert and testified in the Provincial Court of Alberta and in the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench.

One of Terra’s primary interests is working with families of divorce and separation, and she has been practicing in this specialty for close to a decade. In this role she conducts a variety of interventions including, but not limited to, Practice Note 7 Therapeutic and Evaluative Interventions (i.e. The Voice of the Child; Therapeutic Intervention with One Parent, Both Parents, Child Only, Parents and Children; Parent-Child Reunification). She assists and supports families during and after their family transition, which encompasses roles such as, Counselling for children, adolescents and adults as well as Divorce Consultant and Parenting Coordination.

Another predominant focus of Terra’s practice is counselling for children, adolescents and adults. She has had extensive experience working in a University setting as well as in her private practice. She provides counselling with primary focuses on depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, self-esteem, stress management, career development, relationship matters and issues surrounding grief and loss.

Terra uses her experience and knowledge to assist individuals and families in achieving a better quality of life.

Please contact Terra Taylor:

Telephone: 403-984-5725

Email: t.taylor@taylorclark.ca

Website: www.taylorclark.ca

*Terra D. Taylor Registered Psychologist Inc. is an independent practice and is not associated with Baxter Forensic Group

Dr. Susan E. Clark

PsyD

Registered Psychologist, Mediator, & Parenting

Coordinator – Arbitrator

Dr. Susan Clark is a Registered Clinical Psychologist and has been in private practice since 2008. She is registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists, the Psychologists Association of Alberta, the Alberta Family Mediation Society, the Association for Conflict Resolution, the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, and Canadian Association of Threat Assessment Professionals.

Dr. Clark has lectured at the University level and presented at nationally and internationally renowned conferences. Dr. Clark has extensive training and expertise in the criminal and civil forensic arena. She has been qualified as an expert witness and provided expert testimony in the Provincial Court of Alberta and the Court of Queen’s Bench.

Prior to returning to Alberta, her practice included individual and group psychotherapy, as well as conducting comprehensive assessments using Evidence-Based Practices for Child Protective Services and the Department of Justice, in San Diego, California.

Dr. Clark has a wealth of clinical experience working with children and families dealing with severe trauma and abuse. She also provided psychological services and consultation for children and adolescents required to testify in criminal and civil hearings. Dr. Clark provided intensive sex offending and substance abuse treatment for juvenile and adult sexual offenders.

Dr. Clark’s involvement within the psycho-legal arena has led her to specialize in high conflict Child Custody Evaluations (Practice Note 8: Parenting Time/Parenting Responsibilities Assessments), Risk Assessments, Mediation, Parenting Coordination-Arbitration, Practice Note 7 Interventions (Therapeutic and Evaluative), Consultation and Litigation Support.

Dr. Clark’s current clinical practice includes working with children, adolescents, and adults. She provides individual and couples therapy. Her special interests include: life transitions, interpersonal relationship concerns, human sexuality, stress management, as well as anxiety and depression.

Please contact Susan Clark:

Telephone: 403-984-5725

Email: s.clark@taylorclark.ca

Website: www.taylorclark.ca

*Dr. Susan Clark is an independent practice and is not associated with Baxter Forensic Group