Dr. Helia Jafari, R.Psych.
Dr. Helia Jafari is a Registered Psychologist and her clinical practice is focused on culturally- and evidence-informed diagnostic assessment and treatment of anxiety, depression, eating disorders and body-image concerns, interpersonal/relationship difficulties (including parent-child relational conflict), disruptive/oppositional behaviour, stress related to immigration, cultural adaptation, and life transitions. She offers psychological services in both English and Farsi, and welcomes the opportunity to work with children, youth, young adults, and families from all cultural backgrounds.
Dr. Jafari’s enriched training and experience in a wide range of research-supported therapeutic approaches (e.g., primarily Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Family Based Treatment, Motivational Interviewing, Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy, and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy) has afforded her the proficiency to provide effective individual, family, and group intervention tailored to clients’ unique needs that is culturally and developmentally sensitive. She values creativity, playfulness, humour, and incorporates these into her strength-based therapeutic work with clients.
Dr. Jafari also brings with her clinical expertise and passion for offering specialized diagnostic assessments for children and youth with neurodevelopmental conditions (e.g., Intellectual Disability, Specific Learning Disorders, ADHD), including those with prenatal exposure to alcohol or other drugs with neurodevelopmental effects (e.g., fetal alcohol spectrum syndrome). She works closely with children and families to identify areas of strengths and challenges, and offers recommendations and supports in ways that are meaningful to them.
In addition to her private practice, Dr. Jafari works at the Lions Gate Hospital’s Carlile Youth Concurrent Disorders Centre, offering assessment and treatment services for youth with complex substance use and mental health issues. In this role, she also trains and supervises Clinical Psychology graduate students in the effective delivery of evidence-based diagnostic assessment and treatment. Currently, she is serving as an adjunct professor in the School and Applied Child Psychology at the University of British Columbia, teaching and training graduate students as well.
Dr. Jafari completed her Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) funded Ph.D. degree at the University of Calgary, specializing in clinical and counselling psychology. She completed her CPA-Accredited pre-doctoral clinical residency at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), with rotations in the ambulatory psychiatry (ADHD Clinic), neurology (pediatric stroke), and eating disorders (inpatient and outpatient) programs. She then completed a one-year fellowship with Sunny Hill’s Complex Development & Behavioural Conditions (CDBC) program at the BC Children’s Hospital. Dr. Jafari’s scholarly interest centers on the area of trauma and resilience in immigrant and refugee youth, and continues to publish scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals and present her research at national and international conferences.
As a professional, she is passionate about considering barriers and advocating for her clients and their families in the community. Through her clinical work, research, and teaching, Dr. Jafari seeks to support fostering resilience in children, families, and communities.
