Chipo McNichols, Psy.D., Registered Psychologist
Dr. Chipo McNichols studied in London, England; Vancouver, Canada; and Seattle, U.S.A. She is passionate about integrating culture into her practice, completing her dissertation on making cultural adaptations to healing complex trauma in children and youth.
Dr. McNichols applies a trauma- and attachment-focused approach to therapy. She believes trauma and attachment wounds have lasting negative effects on mental, behavioural, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being. She aims to help her clients better understand and process their memories so they can lead healthier lives with more secure relationships.
Dr. McNichols specializes in complex trauma, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, relationship concerns and work-related stress. She helps clients who have experienced trauma, abuse, neglect or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) address their past, so they can define their own future free of those burdens.
She knows stress, anger, grief, loneliness and fear are often rooted in pain. She understands depression and bipolar disorder can take over your life. She supports clients as they work through their emotions, giving them the inner resources they need to handle life’s challenges.
Dr. McNichols shows her clients how to calm their minds and confront the self-criticism or self-esteem issues that underlie their anxiety, stress, self-harm, social anxiety, body image issues or health anxiety. Whether spurred by obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), body dysmorphic disorder or trouble accepting sexual orientation, she helps clients deal with disruptive worries.
Dr. McNichols supports her clients with problems in their family, romantic or other relationships. Whether her clients are working through a messy divorce or childhood trauma, she offers an attentive ear and targeted strategies to help.
From high achievers to those with academic problems, Dr. McNichols also provides therapy to clients with school or work concerns. If perfectionism, procrastination, executive functioning, bullying or harassment impedes their work or if they want to reach their full potential, Dr. McNichols leads her clients to personal growth. She also treats attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), behavioural problems, psychosis and personality disorders such as borderline personality disorder.
At CRUX, Dr. McNichols offers online treatment and assessment services through easy-to-use technologies like Zoom. She also assesses attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), aftermath of abuse, anxiety, depression, psychosis and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Dr. McNichols strongly believes in embracing culturally diverse worldviews and opposes oppressive and racist practices, including gender-based violence. She regularly works with BIPOC (black, indigenous, and other people of colour), immigrants, and those who are LGBTQIA2S+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, asexual and two-spirit).
Dr. McNichols treats and assesses adults (19 years of age or older). Dr. McNichols is a licensed psychologist registered with the College of Psychologists of British Columbia. Psychologists who are fully registered in other Canadian jurisdictions (such as British Columbia) can provide online services to residents of other provinces. Dr. McNichols works with clients from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and British Columbia.