about dr kristen silveira
Welcome to my psychology practice! My name is Kristen (she/her) and I am a compassionate and authentic psychologist.
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​I've always wondered about how our mind and body can work together to elevate our health. This led me to pursue rich and diverse training opportunities in the areas of neuropsychology and yoga.​
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For the past decade, I've been privileged to support people with their mental health. Through my professional and personal experiences, I've become passionate and hopeful about living a full life in the face of trauma, loss, injury, and illness.
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Apart from practicing psychology privately in the community, I work on a public health team supporting young adults. In my free time, I enjoy tinkering on the piano and exploring nature with my partner, son, and hilarious husky.
method
Holistic, humanistic, and effective therapeutic methods
Kristen's approach to therapy is humanistic. This means that she fosters a warm,
non-judgmental, and collaborative relationship with her clients. She supports her clients to honour and understand their experiences, as well as to feel empowered to embrace their strengths, navigate ups and downs, and experience personal growth and healing. She hopes that her clients feel seen, valued, and held accountable to their greatest self.
Kristen has a holistic view of mental health. She encourages her clients to attend to and nurture the connections between their mind, body, and environment. She is attuned to diverse factors - like lifestyle, culture, social systems, and identity - that may frame a person's experiences.
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​As a clinician-scientist, her work is grounded in people's lived experiences as well as psychological science. Kristen has a strong understanding of the science behind therapy and how to effectively tailor therapy for each unique client. She draws from various evidence-based therapies, including: mindfulness, cognitive-behavioural, and emotion-focused techniques.
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professional background
Training
Doctoral degree in clinical psychology
Post-doctoral fellowship in health psychology
Kristen has a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Victoria, which hosts a rigorous practical, research, and academic training program that is accredited by the Canadian Psychological Association. She specialized her training in the areas of trauma and neuropsychology (i.e., the science of the connections between brain, body, emotions, thoughts, and behaviours).
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She further completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Psychosocial Oncology with the University of Calgary and the local cancer centre, where she had the privilege of supporting patients and their loved ones in coping with life-altering illness. ​​
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Kristen's training equips her with extensive hands-on expertise, enabling her to meet, honour, and empower clients in their unique mental health journeys.
​Certification
​Registered Psychologist #2832
As a Registered Psychologist with the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC, Kristen operates with integrity and professionalism. She values and adheres to ethical standards and applicable laws, and is in tune with industry best practices in mental health care.
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Kristen is also a​n experienced yoga teacher with a RYT-200 certificate. This aspect of her background empowers her to weave mind-body awareness and techniques into her work, and ultimately support her clients more holistically.
Experience
Diverse healthcare experiences
In her training and early career, Kristen has gained nearly 10 years of experience in hospital and community clinics in Victoria BC and Calgary AB. She has worked with a diverse range of people facing various mental, physical, relational, spiritual, and societal challenges.
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These experiences have enriched and broadened her perspective on healthcare, positioning her to better support her clients.
Research
Science-informed practice
Kristen is a "clinician-scientist". She responsibly conducts, deciphers, and shares scientific research. She has an in-depth understanding of the scientific evidence that is used to develop and promote therapy techniques. This enables her to safely and effectively tailor techniques with her clients.
She is an innovative researcher in the areas of mind-body therapies, trauma, and coping with physical and neurological illnesses. For instance, during her PhD, she developed a yoga therapy program for survivors of childhood trauma.
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Explore some of her peer-reviewed research on ResearchGate.
Specializations
Areas of Focus
While she enjoys supporting clients with various experiences, Kristen specializes in working with people who are navigating trauma, loss, injury, or illness.​
Upgrades
Lifelong learning
Kristen is grateful for opportunities to learn alongside her clients and colleagues. As well, she continuously upgrades her knowledge and skills through professional development and training.