Rehabilitation and Return-to-Work Focused Psychological Services

Dr. Whitfield completed his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, with a focus in Clinical Neuropsychology at Simon Fraser University. He completed his clinical residency at Riverview Hospital, which was part of the British Columbia Mental Health and Addictions Consortium. While at Riverview, Dr. Whitfield worked extensively in the provision of neuropsychological and psychodiagnostic assessment, as well as providing evidence based psychological, cognitive, and rehabilitative interventions to individuals with chronic and severe mental health difficulties. His training focussed on intervention and assessment with individuals with mood disorders, concurrent disorders and addictions, psychosis, and both acquired and developed neuropsychological and/or neurodegenerative impairments. Dr. Whitfield’s doctoral research focussed on recovery from concussion, and included the development and implementation of a novel treatment for chronic post-concussion symptoms at the clinical psychology centre at SFU. Doctor Whitfield is the co-author of a number of peer reviewed research papers which focus on recovery from mild traumatic brain injury, and he has won international awards for his research. Dr. Whitfield has been working with Back in Motion since 2007. Since that time Dr. Whitfield has prioritized the development and implementation of evidence based approaches to return to work focussed assessment and treatment services. Dr. Whitfield has worked in the Comprehensive Assessment Service, Customized Active Rehabilitation program, Occupational Trauma Program, InFocus Long Term Disability treatment service, and the Integrated Care Program. Dr. Whitfield currently manages and directs all psychological services provided at Back in Motion, including both assessment and treatment services; as well as provides supervision, consultation and mentorship for our team of psychologists, clinical consultants, psychotherapists, and clinical counsellors.

Dr. MacDonald is a Registered Psychologist in the province of British Columbia (#0154). He completed his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Wyoming in 1974. His clinical work spans over thirty years, and has been in the areas of neuropsychology and rehabilitation. He has served as senior psychologist at the G. F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre, providing neuropsychological and psychological rehabilitation services to clients with traumatic and non-traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, a neuromuscular disorder or an orthopedic injury. The services provided have included both neuropsychological and psychological evaluations, individual therapy and individual coaching. He has extensive experience in working with third party payers in addressing a wide variety of rehabilitation and disability management issues. Dr. MacDonald’s rehabilitation therapy focus is to engage clients in a collaborative partnership within a brief intervention framework and concentrates upon the client acquiring beliefs in their capabilities, with a goal of enhancing self-efficacy. John has been working with Back in Motion since 2009, and provides services in the InFocus, Customized active Rehabilitation, and Mental Health Standard treatment programs.

Dr. Williams graduated from the University of Regina’s Clinical Psychology program in 2008. Her focus is on health psychology, working with patients who have chronic pain and other health challenges to achieve their best daily function, including employment. Within this health population, often psychological difficulties in terms of depressed mood, panic, and anxious apprehension are common and she seeks to aid her clients in managing these difficulties. She works extensively with clients who have experienced traumatic events, like an automobile accident or workplace trauma, and complex traumas from repeated events in their past. She offers services to adults of various ages, having an interest in providing care to diverse BIPOC and LGBTQ+ populations. She practices from a goal-oriented, cognitive-behavioural orientation, with emphasis on mindfulness and acceptance and commitment approaches. She worked in academia for several years, conducting research in the areas of health and aging and has published extensively in this area. Dr. Williams has been working with Back in Motion since 2022.

Dr. Oates holds a PsyD in Clinical Psychology from Adler University. She completed her clinical internship at Adler Community Health Services in B.C. providing trauma-informed group and individual psychotherapy (i.e., Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) to men and women participating in an intensive residential treatment program for substance abuse. She also conducted psycho-diagnostic and neuropsychological assessments to men and women in a variety of settings (e.g., Fraser Health, WorkBC, Mood Disorders Association) with diverse presenting issues (e.g., complex mental health, brain injuries, physical disabilities, chronic health problems). Her doctoral research focused on exploring outcomes of participating in an adjustment to vision loss group facilitated by the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. Jacqueline has a grounded understanding regarding the impact of trauma, substance abuse, and chronic health problems on one’s physical, emotional, and social wellbeing. Dr. Oates joined the team at Back in Motion in 2021, and has worked in the InFocus and Integrated Care Programs, as well as Comprehensive Assessment Services.

Dr. Tamar Bat El is a Registered Psychologist (#2838) with The College of Psychologists of B.C. Dr. Bat El obtained her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology in 2018. She has acquired a vast degree of counselling experience since 2002, providing short-term and long-term therapy to clients struggling with a broad range of clinical concerns. Dr. Bat El has provided mental health treatment to adults in the private, public, government, hospital, community outpatient, and non-profit sectors. She has also obtained extensive training and clinical experience providing therapy to clients struggling with: adult and developmental trauma (PTSD, C-PTSD); sexual assault, incest, and interpersonal violence; alcohol and/or substance abuse, misuse, and addictions; eating disorders and mood disorders; chronic pain and injury; relational concerns; grief and loss; general life adjustment; and workplace stress. She has also worked with first responders, and is very experienced in providing crisis intervention. Additionally, Dr. Bat El has run a variety of psychoeducational and support groups with various client populations in different clinical settings. Dr. Bat El has also acquired specialized training over a number of years from a variety of clinical experts in the field of trauma treatment. 

Dr. Bat El adopts a holistic lens in her therapeutic approach, and also tailors her treatment to fit the unique needs of each client. She works collaboratively with her clients to address their unique concerns, and strives to cultivate a felt sense of compassionate presence, curiosity, and empathy in her work. Her therapeutic approach is integrative and multifaceted, and combines a variety of different therapeutic modalities into her practice, including: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Psychodynamic, Somatic, Humanistic, Mindfulness-based, Insight-oriented, Interpersonal, and Relational therapy models. Dr. Bat El is fluent in English and French.

Dr. Cohen completed a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She completed her clinical residency at University of Victoria Counselling Services. While at UVic Counselling Services, Dr. Cohen provided evidence based treatments for anxiety, depression, personality disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, phase of life, identity development, and relational issues. Dr. Cohen also led group counselling and provided career assessments. Dr. Cohen’s doctoral research focused on the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder and including the family system into recovery. Dr. Cohen is trained in cognitive-behavioral therapy and is experienced in mindfulness, exposure and response prevention, and works from a trauma-informed lens. Dr. Cohen is passionate about mental health and believes each person is capable of growth in order to meet their goals. Dr. Cohen has provided return to work focussed treatment services through the InFocus program at Back in Motion since 2020, is registered with the BCACC while actively pursuing R. Psych registration.

Dr. Christi Nagy completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Fielding Graduate University. She also holds a Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She completed her pre-doctoral residency with British Columbia Mental Health and Substance Use Services in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Her clinical experience has included both assessment and treatment of individuals with complex mental health issues in both forensic and non-forensic contexts. She takes pride in her ability to connect with clients from diverse backgrounds and varied clinical presentations. 

While Dr. Nagy has been highly influenced by her clinical training, her personal experiences have also been highly transformative. With a keen sense of adventure, she has spent several years living in the United States and in the Middle East in Bahrain. These experiences have well prepared her to form relationships with individuals from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

Clinically, Dr. Nagy is grounded in a cognitive behavioural approach to therapy. Teaching clients that their behaviours make sense within their learning contexts reduces shame, stigma, and defensiveness. She also has an appreciation for the acceptance and mindfulness based approaches of dialectical behavior therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy.  

Dr. Nagy’s priority in working with a new client is to develop rapport and build connection. She uses humor and a client-centered approach to building rapport. She later capitalizes on this relationship to challenge clients in session to make difficult steps towards change. She looks forward to helping clients at Back in Motion to overcome barriers to returning to work and improving their quality of life. Dr. Nagy joined the team at Back in Motion in 2022, and works in the InFocus program.

Dr. Taylor Willi completed his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Simon Fraser University in 2023 and his M.Sc. in Neuroscience at the University of British Columbia. He is currently completing the process of applying for registration with the College of Psychologists of BC. He completed his clinical internship with Veteran Affairs Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics. While providing services to Veterans, Taylor conducted assessments and evidence-based treatment for depression, anxiety-related disorders, trauma-related disorders, and substance-use disorders for groups and individuals. His doctoral research investigated the regular practice of ultra-brief breathing and relaxation interventions for the management of stress and anxiety related symptoms. His therapeutic approach is grounded in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Dr. Willi joined Back in Motion in 2023 and provides in-person treatment through the InFOCUS program at the Coquitlam Clinic and remotely via telehealth.

Rimal has a Masters of Arts degree in Counselling Psychology and has been working in the field of counselling as Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) since 2005.  She is also a Canadian certified Vocational Rehabilitation Professional registered with the College of Vocational Rehabilitation Professionals.  Rimal has been working at Back in Motion since 2010.  She has extensive experience working in return-to-work-focused environments.  She has worked in the WSBC-sponsored Occupational Rehabilitation program, which is a multidisciplinary treatment program for clients with musculoskeletal injuries resulting from a workplace injury. In this role, she provides individual therapy services, typically based on Cognitive Behavioral Treatment and Motivational Interviewing, focusing on issues such as pain, depression, anxiety, insomnia, anger, and workplace difficulties.  She also works in the Occupational Trauma Program, which is WorkSafeBC sponsored multidisciplinary treatment program designed to provide evidence-based interventions for clients with trauma-related disorders.  She has been an integral part of the Survivors of Violence Counselling Program, which is employment readiness counselling program sponsored by WorkBC. Rimal takes great pride in providing counselling services in English and Panjabi in a culturally sensitive manner with cognitive behavioural, psycho-educational and solution focused approaches. Rimal has been providing return to work focused treatment services in the InFocus and Occupational Rehabilitation Programs since 2010.

Jandy completed her Master of Counselling degree at City University of Seattle and is registered with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors.  Jandy is a trauma-informed, functional analytic psychotherapist who has provided therapeutic services for Back in Motion since 2016 across multiple, return-to-work focused programs.  In Survivors of Violence, a WorkBC employment readiness program, and the Occupational Trauma Response program, which is a WorkSafeBC return-to-work program for workers who experience psychologically traumatic injuries at work, Jandy has provided solution-focused, individual counselling support to help clients overcome the impacts of trauma including emotional dysregulation, anxiety, depression, and PTSD as well as improve their interpersonal skills, time management and goal setting. Jandy utilizes sensorimotor psychotherapy, somatic experiencing, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), to help clients process their traumatic experiences and improve their daily functioning.  Jandy has also facilitated psycho-educational workshops for Back in Motion including Recognizing, Understanding, and Overcoming the Impacts of Abuse, Stress Management, Pain Management, and relaxation classes.  Jandy has been providing return to work focussed treatment in the Resiliency Support Service, Standard Mental Health Service, Occupational Trauma Service and InFocus program since 2016. 

Anita Petrovic has completed her Masters in Vocational Rehabilitation Counselling at UBC and is a Registered Clinical Counsellor. At Back in Motion, she currently provides therapy services to both WorkBC clients and WorkSafe BC claimants to assist them in decreasing employment barriers and facilitating return-to-work readiness. Topics addressed include anxiety, pain, depression, interpersonal issues, and sleep and mood management. In addition to her educational background, Anita has extensive experience in the disability field, having worked as an Employment Counsellor/Case Manager for clients with various developmental and intellectual disabilities, along with facilitating psychoeducational groups on disability-related topics. She utilizes CBT, Rogerian, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) approaches when structuring individualized treatment plans to help clients move forward in their employment goals. Anita enjoys working with clients of differing backgrounds and is able to establish rapport using a mixture of respect, humour, and empathy. Anita has been working with Back in Motion since 2017, and has provided return to work focused services in the comprehensive assessment program, InFocus program, and Occupational Rehabilitation. Program.

Mercedes obtained a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University in 2019. She is a Registered Clinical and a member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. Mercedes has experience working with adults experiencing a diverse array of psychological, emotional, behavioural and social problems. Mercedes predominantly works from a client-centered, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy model and also utilizes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy to help her clients meet their goals. Mercedes has been providing return to work focused therapy with Back in Motion since 2021.

Tiffany completed her Masters of Education Degree in Counselling Psychology, with a special focus in Vocational Rehabilitation Counselling, at the University of British Columbia.  Tiffany has worked in the vocational rehabilitation field for over 17 years. In addition to Clinical and Vocational Rehabilitation Counselling, Tiffany is a qualified Expert Witness in Vocational Rehabilitation for the Supreme Court of British Columbia. She has experience in providing both medical-legal and non-medical legal vocational assessments, transferable skills analysis, and vocational counselling. She has significant experience in working on interdisciplinary rehabilitation teams comprised of medical specialists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists, recreational therapists, and social workers. Tiffany provided has provided specialized vocational rehabilitation counselling to patients  with a range of health issues, including acquired brain injuries including stroke, spinal cord injuries, neuromuscular skeletal conditions amputations, arthritis, and rheumatoid diseases. Tiffany worked with Back in Motion for over 11 years in various employment programs where she provided vocational rehabilitation counselling to clients with a wide range of disabilities (physical, mental health). Tiffany enjoys providing clinical and vocational rehabilitation counselling to clients, while providing a supportive, and non-judgemental environment for clients to feel safe to explore and work through their issues. She provides services using Client Centered, CBT, Solution-Focused, Mindfulness, and Motivational Interviewing modalities.

Munira Karimi is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and professional member of Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA). She graduated with Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MACP) from Yorkville University and BSc Economics from University of London. Additionally, she also has Certificate in Healthcare Management from The University of Georgia, and Certificate in Mental Health First Aid Basic from Mental Health Commission of Canada. 

She believes in building and maintaining positive relationship through supportive and empathic listening, and by being sensitive to diversity and multiculturalism. She is well versed with collectivistic and individualistic cultures.

She works with a wide variety of topics, including anxiety, trauma/PTSD, emotional dysregulation, depression, procrastination, cognitive reframing, anger management, grief, low self-esteem, stress, sleep problems, guilt, GRTW, and mTBI.  She uses integrative approach and utilizes tools from evidence-based models such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness based CBT, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), with CBT as the primary modality. Her approach to psychotherapy is from a non-judgmental and collaborative stance. Her goal is to create a warm and welcoming environment where it’s safe to explore personal challenges. She helps to facilitate conversation that deepens clients’ understanding of themselves and how they perceive the world. She is multilingual and fluent in English, Urdu, Hindi, Gujarati, and Bahasa Melayu.

Shola Akingbala is a professional member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association and an Ontario Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying). Shola utilizes an integrative approach in her therapy sessions which is based on evidence-based treatment such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Trauma Focused Therapy, Mindfulness Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (MCBT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Counselling. 

Shola has worked in the NHS in the UK for almost 10 years, working in a wide range of settings including mental health secure units, various community mental health services including Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services. Shola also has experience with working with adults with complex mental health difficulties in Canada. 

Shola constantly looks for opportunities to provide mental health support to individuals through her caring, empathetic, and attentive nature, providing a confidential space to help individuals to cope better with their difficulties. Shola is a firm believer in the importance of developing a strong therapeutic relationship in therapy and focuses on the here-and-now to facilitate change and provide helpful tools and skills to adjust thoughts and behaviours to become healthier and more in control.

Shola is also registered in Nova Scotia as a Counselling Therapist (# RCT-C19-038).