Licensed Clinical Psychologist Serving Toronto & The Surrounding Area

A Licensed Clinical Psychologist Can Help

Psychological Testing and Assessment Services

As a licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. O'Connor has over two decades of experience working with young people and their families. She has the expertise and training to help you, help the young people you care about and work with. Through her professional career as a licensed psychologist, she has worked with large numbers of young people, their families and the professionals who work with them. She offers evidence based interventions to help with the psychological concerns that present in a young person. Her services are tailored to the young person's individual needs and concerns.

Through her post doctoral training in school neuropsychology, Dr. O'Connor integrates an understanding of the neurobiological basis of the learning, emotional, social and behavioral concerns that present in a young person. To learn more about Dr. O'Connor's psychological assessment and testing services for children, adolescents and young adults, click here.

Her psychological testing and assessment services include:

1. School Neuropsychological Assessments: (includes the components of a psychoeducational assessment, but provides a more in depth, comprehensive evaluation of the young person's needs.
   
2. Psychological Assessments
   
3. Trauma Focused assessments

                    Experience and Credentials

Dr. O’Connor is a licensed clinical and school psychologist with over two decades of experience working with children, adolescents, young adults and their families. She received her doctorate in psychology from the University of Toronto. She holds a Diplomate in School Neuropsychology from the American Board of School Neuropsychology. She holds  specialty designation in Clinical Psychology from The American Board of Professional Psychology, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology. In addition, she  holds  a  Certificate in Attachment Theory and Treatment.

Her areas of practice with the Ontario College of Psychologists include clinical psychology, school psychology and counseling. She is a member of the Canadian Psychological Association, The Ontario Psychological Association, The Canadian Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology, The International Neuropsychological Society,  the American Academy of Pediatric Neuropsychology and The American Board of School Neuropsychology.

Dr. O'Connor consults as a clinical supervisor. She has provided psychological assessments and clinical supervison to  The Family First Play Therapy Centre in Bradford, Ontario. In addition, to her practice in Toronto, she serves the York Region and Simcoe County. She also provides psychological assessments to the Lingyu International Psychology Centre in York Region. Her private practice in Toronto is located at Yonge and St. Clair.   She also offers services in the York and Simcoe regions.

Dr. O'Connor has also  worked as a school psychologist with the Toronto District School Board.

     Teaching, Presentations and Training Programs

As a professor with the Yorkville University Master of Arts in Counseling Program, Dr. O'Connor  developed and taught graduate courses (The Biological, Developmental & Scientific Basis of Behavior; Psychopathology - Disorders of Personality).  She also worked as a professor at Ryerson University in Toronto (now the Toronto Metropolitan University). In addition, she has consulted, conducted seminars and writes on topics related to her work as a licensed clinical psychologist.

She has developed and presented seminars, workshops and training sessions to various organizations, including addiction treatment centres, social service, mental health and educational organizations.

Dr. O'Connor has her Ontario teaching certificate. She has taught in regular class elementary school programs, worked as a teacher with special education students and worked with students in an English Second Language program at the Toronto District School Board.

Guiding Principles and Values

Early & Timely Intervention: Although symptoms of psychological concerns are often evident early on, other adolescent or child problems, such as traumatic and acquired brain injuries can surface later. Psychological concerns in children, adolescents or young adults, whether they surface early, or at a later stage, can benefit from timely intervention and support. The earlier we intervene when problems arise the greater the likelihood of preventing problems from escalating and becoming more difficult to reverse and/or deal with.

An Assessment Is Part of the Intervention: Dr. O'Connor's psychological assessments "get beneath the surface" to reveal what lies "at the root" of the psychological concerns that present in a young person. This includes the nature and extent of the problem, and what is contributing to and/or maintaining it and leads to evidence based interventions to help you help the children, adolescents and young adults you care about and work with.

One Size Does Not Fit All: Each child or adolescent presents with problems that are unique to his or her particular circumstance. Multiple and interacting factors that differ in each child contribute to the concerns he or she exhibits. Understanding the problem, and its unique presentation in each young person, points to the kind of interventions that are most likely to be effective for that child. Interventions work best when they are tailored to the child's individual needs and circumstance.

Focus of Dr. O'Connor's Practice

Dr. O'Connor, a Toronto Psychologist, focuses on the following issues and concerns:

• Learning Disabilities
• Reading and Other Learning Disorders
• Memory Problems
  
• Learning/School Problems
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Behavior, Social and/or Emotional Problems
• Child Trauma including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Complex Trauma.

 Books

Dr. O'Connor is the author of numerous books which she is currently updating and preparing for publication. This applies to I Can Be Me-A Helping Book for Children from Troubled Families-with a special focus on children of addicted family members. The fifth and updated edition of this book will soon be ready for publication.  

There are two versions of I Can Be Me - one is The Children's  Workbook, the other is The Adult Guide.

Learn more about I Can Be Me, both The Adult Guide and the Children's work book. 

I Can Be Me
  A Helping Book for Children From Troubled Families
-with a special focus on children of addicted parents

Dr. O'Connor is the author of  "I Can Be Me-A Helping Book for Children from Troubled Families.

I CAN BE ME  supports children from troubled families. It includes a special focus on children of addicted parents, and also supports children who are experiencing other adverse childhood experiences.

I CAN BE ME is a helping book for professionals and parents who want to help children of alcoholic and drug addicted parents. It addresses family problems from the perspective of children whose parents are addicted to alcohol or other substances.

It has been updated to reflect the literature on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).  There is an adult guide to assist therapists, parents and other adults in addressing this issue with children, and a children's work book.