Dr. Meriel Ballard

R. Psych.

Dr. Ballard completed her Psy.D. at Adler University in Vancouver and her Doctoral internship at the CPA accredited South Island Residency through Child and Youth Mental Health. In addition to joining Vancouver Island Psychological Services, she continues to work locally with Child and Youth Mental Health.

Dr. Ballard’s primary clinical orientation is strength-based and person-centered; she adapts her approach to fit the needs, interests, and presenting challenges of each client. Dr. Ballard relies on evidence-based interventions such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Emotion Focused Family Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Mindfulness, Play Therapy, and Filial Therapy when working with clients individually and in groups. She sees each client as unique, and takes into account their diversity, development, attachment relationships, culture, identity, and trauma experiences. Dr. Ballard approaches her work with empathy, humour, creativity, and a non-judgemental stance. Dr. Ballard has experience providing intervention and assessment across ages, and particularly enjoys working with adolescents, young adults and children and parents. She has experience in the assessment and treatment of anxiety (such as generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic, separation anxiety, selective mutism, and obsessive-compulsive disorder), depression and mood disorders, low self-esteem, non-suicidal self-injury, grief and loss, borderline personality traits, ADHD and learning disabilities.

Dr. Ballard is registered with the College of Psychologists in BC (#2788).