Dr Sarah Coupland
Registered Psychologist
My areas of expertise
Sometimes life throws you something unexpected. Whether it is a relationship breaking down, a life-changing diagnosis, or grieving the loss of a loved one, it can be helpful to have a professional to help you navigate what might seem overwhelming or insurmountable. I provide treatment for those struggling with intense emotions, substance use, and interpersonal conflicts.
Recovering from trauma is possible, but sometimes it is hard to know where to start. Traumatic events can leave you struggling to make sense of what happened and with feelings of anxiety, sadness, and confusion. I have experience working with those who have been exposed to traumatic or difficult events, such as first responders and victims of violence, and have training in the use of empirically-supported treatment approaches specific to trauma.
My approach to therapy
I believe in providing individualized, flexible, and evidence-based treatment and that therapy should be collaborative and client-driven in order to maximize benefit. The primary therapeutic modalities that underlie my approach are Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), though I will often integrate principles from other modalities. I believe in a strengths-based approach to therapy, and I hope to help clients build on their own resilience and abilities to manage stressors.
My background
I received my doctoral training in clinical and forensic psychology through Simon Fraser University and I completed my pre-doctoral residency through the Calgary Clinical Psychology Residency Program. While on residency, my primary rotation was through the Operational Stress Injury Clinic providing trauma treatment to veterans and serving Canadian Forces and RCMP members. I also completed rotations with the Foothills Mood Disorders Program and the Forensic Adolescent Program. I subsequently completed a postdoctoral fellowship through Patton State Hospital in California, recognized by the American Board of Forensic Psychology, where I worked primarily with individuals with major mental illness.
I have published and presented research within the area of forensic psychology (e.g., violence risk assessment and stalking), in addition to providing trainings on violence risk assessment. I also have an interest in teaching and have taught as a Sessional Instructor at the undergraduate level at Simon Fraser University.
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Dr. Coupland is registered as a psychologist with the College of Health and Care Professionals of British Columbia, and with the College of Alberta Psychologists. She currently offers telehealth services to clients residing throughout British Columbia and Alberta, in both English and French. Dr. Coupland is also a registered provider with the First Nations Health Authority and respectfully acknowledges that she practices in the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Kwikwetlem nation and Coast Salish peoples - the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations.