About
Hello! I’m Dr. Joanna Kelm (she/her). I am a Registered Psychologist with the College of Psychologists of British Columbia. I am passionate about helping young people gain confidence in themselves and their ability to handle life, school, and relationships. I provide evidence-based support in a gentle, respectful, and collaborative way.
I work with children and teens who are struggling with a variety of concerns, including stress, depression, and behavioural issues.
My primary therapeutic approach is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), although I incorporate other approaches as appropriate. I have a special interest in supporting children and youth with anxiety, such as social anxiety, generalized anxiety, phobias, selective mutism, as well as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
I also love providing comprehensive psychoeducational assessments with the goal of helping children and teens (and their support people) gain an understanding of their unique strengths and difficulties.
I aim to support all client’s feelings of safety in my office, regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation.
Outside of the office, I love being outdoors with my husband and two children, reading, and spending time with good friends.
Experience
I completed my doctoral studies in School Psychology through the University of British Columbia in 2016, which included a residency at Child and Youth Mental Health Services. I have worked in schools, community mental health agencies, and hospital-based settings. I have provided supervision to Master’s level and Doctoral level students, and taught graduate courses. I currently consult for a provincial program.
In addition to my doctoral training, I have pursued additional specialized training in a variety of areas, including play therapy, infant mental health, OCD, selective mutism, attachment based approaches, and emotion-focused therapies.