Dr Amy Janeck
Registered Psychologist
My areas of expertise
My clinical expertise is in the assessment and treatment of anxiety and mood disorders. I have experience in treating a variety of presenting problems including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), worry, trauma, panic attacks, phobias, and depression. I also help clients who are primarily struggling with adjustment to life events and transitions. I have a special interest in treating OCD and related disorders, including illness anxiety.
My approach to therapy
The treatment I provide is evidence-based. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), prolonged exposure therapy (PE) and exposure and response prevention (ERP) are used most frequently.
Confronting fears can be intimidating. Some clients might be worried they’ll be asked to do or talk about something they aren’t ready to take on; others might be embarrassed by their thoughts or avoidance. I believe a strong therapeutic relationship is key in helping clients feel safe to share their experiences and engage in therapy. I work with clients to develop achievable and meaningful goals using a gradual and measured approach.
Depression sometimes comes with beliefs that a personal ‘weakness’ or ‘laziness’ is to blame or that one should be able to ‘snap out of it’. No one chooses to be depressed. I assist clients to recognize and examine these and other kinds of negative thoughts and teach them how to change negative thinking and behaviours to improve their mood and general well-being.
I also appreciate that these difficulties occur in a context and impact not only a client’s functioning but can sometimes impact their relationships. I am open to having supportive individuals close to the client involved where appropriate and with a client’s consent.
I find great reward in facilitating a client’s understanding of their experiences and instilling in them a sense of hope and direction for a pathway forward.
My background
I received a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (1999) from Finch University of Health Sciences (now Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science), with a focus on the research and treatment of OCD. At the University of Michigan Department of Psychiatry, I completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in anxiety, stress and trauma. There I further explored my research and clinical interests across all the anxiety disorders and at the Ann Arbor VA Medical Center where I worked exclusively with veterans with PTSD. I also spent time in the Division of Behavioral Medicine where I worked with pain, cardiac and health anxious clients.
I previously served as Clinic Director in the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia where I oversaw operations of the training clinic and supervised students in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. I also coordinated practica and internship placements and taught graduate level courses in psychotherapy and ethics. I most recently served as the Deputy Registrar and Director of Registration of the College of Psychologists of British Columbia.
Outside of work, I enjoy searching for new recipes to cook, going to live performances of all kinds and keeping balanced both mentally and physically through classical ballet and hot yoga. I am also a mother of two wonderful teenagers who likewise keep me on my toes!
I am a Registered Psychologist in the province of British Columbia.