Psychologist aims to help First Nations healing
Kim McKay-McNabb knows what an uphill battle it is to earn a Ph.D.
Her pursuit of an education was lengthy, but she says it was well worth it because she is now doing what she was meant to be doing — helping her community.
As a clinical psychologist, she works out of the George Gordon First Nations urban office in Regina.
“When I was a kid I always liked to listen to people’s problems,” said McKay-McNabb. “My old mushom would say, ‘You just listen so well.’ So I think, as a kid, part of me knew I would be this kind of person but I thought I was going to be a teacher.”
However, after helping her sister chaperone students on a class trip she changed her mind on that career path.
“I realized, ‘Holy cow! I have five kids of my own I don’t need anymore,’ ” said McKay-McNabb with a laugh.
She re-thought her career path and decided to enrol in developmental psychology class and instantly knew that she found her passion.
“I knew I wanted to work for our First Nations people because I already come from a family that had been challenged by the residential school (system),” said McKayMcNabb. “I knew in my lifetime, I would like to help us heal as a community.”
Initially, she thought she would become a counsellor on reserve, but after some thought she decided to take her education further.
During the same time, she and her husband decided to have their last baby.
“So I thought I would take a year off and maybe apply to grad school,” said McKay-McNabb.
Then University of Regina started a clinical psych program and, on a whim, she applied.
“I thought I wouldn’t get in because you usually don’t get accepted the first time you apply — and I got accepted,” said McKay-McNabb. “Had my little baby with me breastfeeding in class. Yup, that was me doing my masters.”
She finished her master’s, decided to continue her schooling and, five years ago graduated with her Ph.D in clinical psychology.
“I wanted the Ph.D because it was then I realized that in our communities we have a lot of mental therapists who don’t have a psychology background,” she said. “I wanted to get the credentials to diagnose, treat and access our people — that was really the motivator.”
McKay-McNabb said there is a demand for her services in First Nations communities and wishes more youth would consider entering the field.
“There are a couple of graduate students that I am mentoring and I am really excited we will have more of our people with the credentials to help in the healing,” she said. “Like the old people say, ‘It took more than 100 years to get us to where we are today and it’s going to take that long to recover. It’s going to take time, longer than my lifetime.”