About Us

Judy Haid and Michael Smith joined forces and entered private practice in 1984, having each established careers and influential positions in their respective fields.

Today their practice spans work as counselors and therapeutic coaches with families, individuals, seniors, youth, children, couples, as well as other divorce/separation professionals and specialists.

Counsellors

Judy Haid

Judy Haid has spent more than 40 years in private practice as a counsellor. She is one Manitoba’s best known and most respected counseling professionals. Judy has many areas of expertise including; marriage and family counselling, body therapy (Bioenergetics), loss and grief counselling (trained with world renowned expert on death and dying Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross), and collaborative law. Judy worked at the University of Winnipeg under what was then called the Interfaith Pastoral Institute (now Aurora), for Child & Family Services Manitoba, as the school psychologist for Ramah Hebrew School, and for the Manitoba Department of Education as a counselor to teachers at Norberry School in St. Vital.

She entered private practice in the mid 80’s in order to pursue and expand her professional interests, and work with more innovative therapies, such as Body Psychotherapy and others.

Judy has been a member of Collaborative Practice Manitoba for more than 15 years, and has sat as a Member of the Board of Director’s for the past 2 terms. She also presently Co-chairs the Education and Training Committee, holding training sessions for new and evolving members.

Judy is known for having piloted and championed the Assertiveness Training movement in Manitoba. She has conducted workshops in Stress Management and Conflict Resolution for many professional associations and institutions across the province, including the Manitoba Dental Association, Manitoba Association of Registered Nurses, MONA, and others, as well as for the Canadian Government (Department of Public Works), various Manitoba Government departments, the Grace Hospital, Victoria General Hospital, along with a wide range of corporate businesses across the province.
Judy has also taught and trained in counseling certificate programs, in both mainstream and aboriginal studies programs for the University of Manitoba, for the University of Winnipeg’s Continuing Education Program, and for the public at large.

Alongside her partner Michael Smith, she has held Inner Child and healing workshops within aboriginal communities throughout Manitoba and NW Ontario.

Judy holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Manitoba, is registered by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association and holds an International certification in BioEngergetics Analysis from the IIBA.

Michael Smith

Michael is the Managing Partner of HaidSmith and holds a Psychiatric Nursing Diploma from Portsmouth England. He also received his Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Regina / University of Manitoba.
Prior to entering private practice Michael held a wide range of positions including as a Psychiatric Social Worker for the Manitoba Psychiatric Institute, Age & Opportunity, Selkirk Mental Hospital, Eden Mental Health in Winkler, and St. Boniface Hospital. He also trained and worked at the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba as an Addictions Counsellor.

For four years he used his counselling skills at the Hollow Water Reserve Sexual Abuse Program, working with both victims and abusers, and their families. He has been contracted by Stony Mountain Penitentiary early release program, the Women’s correction centre in Portage La prairie, Public Works Canada and various men’s groups to teach life skills to help participants facilitate change.
Michael has been involved in the Aboriginal Alternative Justice Program as a means of providing offenders with an alternative to jail, advocating instead for individuals to take responsibility for their actions within their own communities.

Michael in collaboration with his wife Judy Haid has been actively involved in co-developing and delivering a wide range of workshop programs for aboriginal communities and the public. They co-developed and delivered a wide range of workshop programs for Aboriginal Communities and the public at large for the University of Manitoba Continuing Education. Together they pioneered Inner Child Workshops to help participants deal with trauma and recovery.

Today Michael is in an active practice providing therapeutic coaching as a mental health professional for collaborative cases.