Alicja Dobrzanski

Dr. Alicja Dobrzanski

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology

It takes a lot of courage to recognize that something in your life (e.g., how you feel, your relationship, your career) is not the way you wish it would be; it takes even more courage to decide to reach out for support in spite of the stresses and strains you are experiencing. I hope that the paragraphs that follow will help you get to know me a little bit and decide whether my experiences and approach might align well with the person you are striving to grow into.

I am a first generation Canadian of Polish heritage who was born in Ontario and presently resides in Victoria, BC. I use she/her pronouns. I am in the process of applying for registration with the College of Psychologists of BC. In the interim, I am providing services under the supervision of Dr. Christopher Cardoso and Dr. Danielle Kingdon. Over the last several years, I amassed a wealth of experience from having worked in a variety of settings (Downtown Eastside, community mental health clinic, transitional housing for young men in recovery, university health and wellness centre) with adults of diverse gender, sexual, cultural, religious, and spiritual identities. The presentations I have most often worked with include complex PTSD, ADHD, difficulties with emotion regulation (including managing anxiety and low mood), relationship challenges, identity exploration, and overall feeling “stuck” in life. I have also run groups for processing grief and learning skills to manage periods of emotional overwhelm/cravings.

I approach my clinical work by integrating theories from multiple evidence-based approaches (e.g., DBT, ACT, CBT, and psychodynamic therapies) while regularly checking in with you in pursuit of gaining a deeper understanding of your challenges and the context within which you (and they) are situated. I often enrich this exploratory work with the invitation to learn skills/techniques tailored to your needs (e.g., getting unstuck from critical or defeating thoughts; breaking out of painful emotional spirals; sourcing motivation to work towards frustrated goals; making requests and/or setting boundaries). I frequently use humour, validation, and metaphor in sessions. I place a lot of value on being authentic, transparent, and collaborative with my clients.

In addition to psychotherapy, I am also happy to offer diagnostic, ADHD, and personality assessments.

I look forward to getting to know you and working with you to help you make the changes you wish to see in your life.