CASA Psychological Services was established in 1989 by Dr. Brian Chartier as a part-time practice while he was a full-time professor at St. Thomas More College/University of Saskatchewan. Over time, the practice expanded its scope and expertise as several doctoral-level psychologists joined full-time.
In 1992, Dr. Jim Arnold, Dr. Chartier’s first doctoral student, joined the practice after several years in public practice. He was followed by Dr. Susan Brock in 1994 and Dr. Lana Shimp in 1996. Various other psychologists have worked at CASA over the years, with some finding a long-term home here. Dr. Erika Rojas joined the practice in 2014 after graduating with her doctorate in 2013, and Dr. Larisa Cornelius joined in 2018 after completing her doctorate. The practice also benefits from several psychologists who work part-time as associates while holding full-time positions in public practice, and from associates who are working part-time as they complete their doctoral degrees.
Training the next generation of psychologists has always been a priority at CASA. The practice has hosted many student trainees at the master’s and predoctoral levels over the years. CASA primarily accepts students from the Clinical Psychology program at the University of Saskatchewan, but has also welcomed students from the Educational and Counselling program in the College of Education at the University of Saskatchewan and from other accredited programs across the country. Additionally, CASA offers predoctoral residency positions to psychology residents from across Canada. CASA also maintains two offices at Venture Rehabilitation Services Group (VRSG) where we are part of multidisciplinary assessment and treatment teams providing services to individuals with pain, injury, accidents, chronic illness, and disease.
The practice has evolved from being self-managed to having a strong administrative staff, including an office manager and two full-time administrative assistants who handle reception duties and account management. There are also part-time support staff, primarily during the summer months. To ensure client file data and financial record security, CASA employs an external computer security firm.
Originally occupying a single room on the main floor of its current building, CASA now has 14 offices spread across three levels in the same building.
The psychologists at CASA have seen changes over the years. Dr. Brock relocated to the west coast of Canada in 2016 but continues to consult with the practice regarding neurofeedback. In 2020, Dr. Arnold began considering retirement, prompting discussions about renaming the practice. When Dr. Arnold fully retired from private practice in 2022, the practice, formerly known as Chartier Arnold Shimp and Associates, was renamed CASA Psychological Services. The new name maintains a connection to our history—CASA being an acronym for Chartier Arnold Shimp and Associates—and evokes the idea of a “house of psychology,” reflecting our commitment to providing a supportive and welcoming environment for mental health care.
Our logo features the Greek letter Psi (Ψ), the symbol for psychology, inside a house, symbolizing our dedication to creating a home for psychological services where clients can feel secure and supported.