Joanna Jeffers, MA, RPsych

I provide assessment and treatment for adults with OCD and related disorders, including body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs), using evidence-based approaches such as Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and the Comprehensive Behavioral (ComB) model. I am a licensed psychologist in British Columbia, offering in-person and virtual appointments in the Victoria area. I am also licensed in Ontario, where I provide virtual treatment through Archways Centre for CBT, an IOCDF-recognized specialty outpatient clinic for OCD. I have worked extensively with individuals with OCD and related disorders since 2000.

Invariably, other conditions co-occur with OCD. During assessment, I explore co-occurring conditions and any potential barriers to OCD treatment. These conditions may be addressed concurrently with ERP; however, some (e.g., eating disorders) may require specialized treatment or stabilization before ERP begins. Treatment plans are individualized, with ERP tailored to account for co-occurring concerns. While I have experience treating many commonly co-occurring conditions, I will recommend referral to or collaboration with another provider when a condition requires expertise outside my scope of practice.

I have received extensive specialized training in the assessment and treatment of OCD and related disorders. My ongoing professional development has included numerous advanced IOCDF workshops and consultation groups focused on OCD and BFRBs. I have been a member of the IOCDF and the TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors for over two decades. In addition to my clinical practice, I provide supervision and consultation to psychologists treating OCD and related disorders. My treatment approach is grounded in evidence-based interventions, particularly Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Comprehensive Behavioral (ComB) treatment for BFRBs.

Throughout my career, I have worked with adults from a wide range of cultural, ethnic, religious, socioeconomic, and other diverse backgrounds. I aim to understand each client’s concerns within the context of their individual identity, values, relationships, and lived experience, and to consider these factors when developing an individualized treatment plan. My approach is collaborative and culturally responsive, recognizing that experiences of OCD and related disorders—and attitudes toward mental health and treatment—can be influenced by cultural and contextual factors.

I have over 25 years of experience working with clients from diverse cultural, ethnic, religious, socioeconomic, and other backgrounds. As a psychologist registered in Ontario, I complete ongoing professional development in equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), including the CPBAO requirement for EDI-focused learning. My OCD-specific training has also included the IOCDF Advanced Forum, Flexibility Within Fidelity: Adapting Evidence-Based OCD Treatments to Client Factors, focused on thoughtfully adapting evidence-based treatment to individual client characteristics and contexts while maintaining fidelity to effective treatment principles.