Biography

Hi! I’m Hilary Duncan, a licensed clinical psychologist, with 10 years of professional experience, including 8 years of study at Concordia University. During my clinical studies, I completed professional training in both clinical psychology (therapy) and clinical neuropsychology (assessment of brain/behaviour functioning). Because of this, I tend to incorporate knowledge about brain functioning and neuroplasticity (the notion that we can change the brain) into therapy.

My style is fairly laid-back and casual – one comment I often get from clients is, “I didn’t know that therapy could be like this!”. I think that therapy works best when it feels natural and you feel like yourself. I would also argue that there is a very useful place for humour in therapy. My approach to therapy is collaborative. This means that you take an active role in deciding what we’ll work on together. It’s also solution-focused. This means that we define specifically what you want to work on, and then create a plan to address it. I use scientifically validated treatment approaches, including cognitive behaviour therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, schema-focused therapy, and cognitive rehabilitation techniques.

Clients that I have worked with have had difficulties ranging from mild to very severe. I specialize in helping people who are struggling with lack of motivation, difficulty with attention and organization, low self-esteem, anxiety, panic attacks, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. I also work with clients who are simply dissatisfied with some aspect of their life, but are unsure how to make changes. In general, my goal is to help clients figure out what is important and meaningful to them, and provide them with the tools to pursue those values.