ABOUT ME

I completed my Master’s and PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Regina.  My dissertation examined the effectiveness of an online cognitive behaviour therapy program for cancer survivors with depression and anxiety. I completed a yearlong predoctoral residency in Winnipeg with the Department of Clinical Health Psychology, in the Rady Faculty of Medicine, at the University of Manitoba.  I then worked as a staff psychologist and faculty member of the University of Manitoba for several years working in a hospital treating patients with mood and sleep disorders and in primary care consulting to physicians and patients. With my remaining time, I started my private practice in Winnipeg and loved it!

I recently relocated to Calgary to be closer to extended family and to enjoy the warm chinooks! My focus is now on my private practice, providing treatment to community members in Calgary.  I have always been passionate about increasing availability of resources to areas with less available resources, therefore, I provide virtual videoconferencing to clients in other areas of Alberta and to Manitoba (I am a registered psychologist in both provinces).

Publications

Understanding and contributing to scientific research is a foundation of providing evidence-based therapy to clients. Please see the list for some of the research I have been involved in.

  • Vincent, N., Dirkse, D., Giannouli, E., & McQuarrie, A. (2023). Transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral therapy for nightmares and parasomnias. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 19(3), 499-509.

  • Vincent, N., Alcolado, G., Dirkse, D., Furer, P., Henriksen, C., Krysanski, V., ... & Holmqvist, M. (2021). Canadian psychological practice: Development of low intensity/high volume initiatives in public healthcare. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie canadienne, 62(3), 227.

  • Dirkse, D., Hadjistavropoulos, H. D., Alberts, N. A., Karin, E., Schneider, L. H., Titov, N., & Dear, B. F. (2019). Making Internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy scalable for cancer survivors: a randomized non-inferiority trial of self-guided and technician-guided therapy. Journal of Cancer Survivorship, 1-15.

  • Hadjistavropoulos, H. D., Nugent, M. M., Dirkse, D., & Pugh, N. (2017). Implementation of internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy within community mental health clinics: a process evaluation using the consolidated framework for implementation research. BMC Psychiatry, 17, 331. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-017-1496-7

  • Hadjistavropoulos, H. D., Schneider, L. H., Edmonds, M., Karin, E., Nugent, M. N., Dirkse, D., Dear, B. & Titov, N. (2017). Randomized controlled trial of internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy comparing standard weekly versus optional weekly therapist support. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 52, 15-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2017.09.006

  • Soucy, J. N., Owens, V. A., Hadjistavropoulos, H. D., Dirkse, D. A., & Dear, B. F. (2016). Educating patients about Internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy: Perceptions among treatment seekers and non-treatment seekers before and after viewing an educational video. Internet Interventions, 6, 57-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.invent.2016.09.003

  • Pugh, N. E., Hadjistavropoulos, H. D., & Dirkse, D. (2016). A Randomised Controlled Trial of Therapist-Assisted, Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Women with Maternal Depression. PloS one, 11, e0149186. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0149186

  • Schellekens, M., Tamagawa, R., Labelle, L., Speca, M., Stephen, J., Drysdale, E., Sample, S., Pickering, B., Dirkse, D., Lawlor Savage, L., & Carlson, L.E. (2016). Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery (MBCR) versus Supportive Expressive Group Therapy (SET) for distressed breast cancer survivors: evaluating mindfulness and social support as mediators. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 40, 414-422 doi:10.1007/s10865-016-9799-6

  • Carlson, L. E., Tamagawa, R., Stephen, J., Doll, R., Faris, P., Dirkse, D., & Speca, M. (2014). Tailoring Mind-Body Therapies to Individual Needs: Patients’ Program Preference and Psychological Traits as Moderators of the Effects of Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery and Supportive-Expressive Therapy in Distressed Breast Cancer Survivors. JNCI Monographs, 2014(50), 308-314.doi:10.1093/jncimonographs/lgu034

  • Dirkse, D., Hadjistavropoulos, H. D., Hesser, H., & Barak, A. (2015). Linguistic Analysis of Communication in Therapist-Assisted Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 44, 21-32. doi: 10.1080/16506073.2014.952773

  • Dirkse, D., Lamont, L., Li, Y., Simonič, A., Bebb, G., & Giese–Davis, J. (2014). Shame, guilt, and communication in lung cancer patients and their partners. Current Oncology, 21, e718. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3747/co.21.2034