Dr. Beverly Walpole, C. Psych. (she/her)

Dr. Beverly is the founder and director of arbutus psychology. She is registered with the College of Psychologists of Ontario (License # 6672). Dr. Beverly is licensed to work with children, adolescents and adults in the areas of health and clinical psychology.

Dr. Beverly embraces a holistic approach to treatment that recognizes the important connection between mind and body. She employs various evidence-based treatments to guide intervention and support individuals in the promotion of mental health and wellness, including: mindfulness, interpersonal processing, motivational interviewing and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Dr. Beverly has received specialized training and has expertise in treating ANXIETY in children and adults (e.g., generalized anxiety, specific fears, social anxiety, health/medically related anxiety, etc.). Dr. Beverly also works with children and families to provide support for OCD, tic disorders and emotion regulation difficulties.

Dr. Beverly's therapeutic style is engaging, authentic and warm. She offers clients genuine positive regard so they know they are being heard. Clients are encouraged to be active collaborators in the therapeutic process with the intention of building insight, deeper self-awareness and noticeable improvements in mental and physical wellbeing.

In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Beverly also conducts sessional teaching at the University of Guelph. She provides supervision to psychology students in their final stages of PhD work and enjoys supporting students in their development of proficiency in delivering evidence-based treatments. She has also provided engaging and comprehensive training in Motivational Interviewing through workshops, and consultation to organizations including Hamilton Health Services.

Dr. Beverly completed both her Masters (2008) and Doctorate degrees (2013) in Clinical-Developmental Psychology at the University of Guelph. She trained at the Toronto Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and she completed her external residency at Eastern Health in St. John's Newfoundland. She worked for several years in the medical psychology program at BC Children's Hospital in Vancouver before moving back to Guelph and founding arbutus psychology!

Rita Abdel-Baki is a doctoral student in the Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology Program at the University of Guelph. She currently works under the supervision of Dr. Beverly. Before beginning her PhD, Rita completed her MSc in McMaster University’s Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour Program (Research and Clinical Training Stream), and her MA in the Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology program at the University of Guelph. Her research goals are to better understand parental self-efficacy in parents of autistic children. 

Rita provides evidence-based care while pulling from different modalities including emotion-focused family therapy (EFFT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). She has worked with children and adolescents with anxiety, mood, and emotion regulation difficulties. Rita takes a strengths-based, compassionate, and developmental approach. In all of her clinical work, Rita aims to support the wellbeing and self-esteem of children and adolescents.

Rita has trained at the Centre for Psychological Services at the University of Guelph, the Halton District School Board, and McMaster Children’s Hospital Child and Youth Mental Health Outpatient Program. In her spare time, Rita likes to read memoirs, cook, and collect plants.