Meet Dr. Peter Joy
Regarding my background, I have worked as a psychologist in British Columbia for over 30 years. Initially, I worked as a consulting psychologist at the Thorson Pain Rehabilitation Clinic (1991-1992), and then for seven years as a psychologist at WorkSafeBC. At WorkSafeBC, I conducted psychological-legal assessments of injured workers for medical, claims, rehabilitation, pension, and Board of Review purposes. I conducted research, and I worked within in the PACE Program, a then WorkSafeBC Interdisciplinary Pain Program.
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I have had a full-time private practice since 1999, specializing in both the assessment and treatment of individuals with acute and chronic pain and related disability plus co-existing (or unrelated) anxiety, depressive, sleep, neurocognitive, substance, and trauma and stressor-related disorders. More commonly, the reference would be to problems with anxiety, depression, sleep, cognitions, substance use and abuse, fears, phobias, and PTSD.​
Background
In the last 5 years, I have been mostly focused on treatment, working with people from all walks of life and with a multitude of different issues and/or concerns. As above, these can include any of, or any combination of: anxiety (GAD, social, health anxiety), PTSD, Complex PTSD, fears/phobias, anger, panic attacks, trauma and stressor-related disorders, OCD, ADHD, insomnia, depression, bipolar illness, grief/bereavement, issues with substance use/abuse, chronic illness, chronic pain, workplace issues and/or disability, couples issues, family relations problems, and so on. As well, I routinely assess and treat individuals injured in motor vehicle and recreational accidents, plus RCMP members and other First Responders suffering from traumatic exposure in the workplace.
I am informed by a bio-psycho-social understanding of physical and psychological health. This understanding informs my approach to both assessment and treatment.
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Primary treatment modalities include CBT (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy), ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction), and MI (Motivational Interviewing). I am also well versed in couples/marital therapy and Family Systems Theory. My treatment approach is highly collaborative. In-session treatment is supplemented by links to multiple self-help and educational online resources - see Resources link. Different client strengths, weaknesses, capabilities, and preferences are recognized: treatment is individualized. Individual, couple, family, and group approaches are accommodated.
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I have been a long-standing member of the British Columbia Psychological Association, the Canadian Psychological Association, the Canadian Pain Society, the American Pain Society, and the International Association for the Study of Pain.
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More recently, I have acted as the psychological representative on the PainBC Project ECHO for Chronic Pain. I have worked as a psychological consultant with the Canadian Pain Regenerative Institute (CPRI Health) and Restore Sports Medicine.
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I have presented and published widely in my area of interest. I have been qualified on numerous occasions over the course of 32 years as an expert in psychology in the Supreme Court of British Columbia, and in the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta.