Christie Byvelds, MSW, RSW 

Social Worker

Hi!

I’m Christie, a registered social worker and psychotherapist, and a facilitator of many of CAFCO’s groups.

I provide compassionate, trauma-informed psychotherapy to children, youth, and young adults. My areas of focus include trauma, anxiety, OCD, and giftedness. I also support those struggling with depression, self-esteem, and emotion regulation. In addition to my work with young people, I am dedicated to supporting parents and caregivers of all types through parent coaching. My aim is to help caregivers develop effective parenting strategies, improve communication, strengthen their relationships with their children, and equip them with tools to promote their child’s mental well-being.

I am deeply committed to offering affirming care to 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and have experience working with gender-diverse youth and their caregivers. I also strive to bring an anti-racist and anti-oppressive lens to my practice, recognizing the importance of addressing the intersections of identity, particularly with clients from marginalized and historically underserved communities.

My clients have described me as warm, compassionate, and approachable. My therapeutic approach is grounded in evidence-based interventions, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT), Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Brainspotting. I incorporate art and play into my work with youth and actively involve caregivers in the child’s therapeutic process to ensure that new learning is applied effectively outside therapy sessions.

I hold a Master of Social Work degree from Carleton University and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Psychology from Queen’s University. I am a member in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and the Ontario Association of Social Workers.

Beyond my clinical practice, I am passionate about social work education and mentorship; for over a decade, I have been a sessional instructor with the School of Social Work at Carleton University. A passionate enthusiast for all things research-related, I have taught research methods and statistics courses and also provided research consulting services to various government and international non-profit organizations including Natural Resources Canada, Plan International, and several international Red Cross Societies. I am dedicated to integrating my research expertise with my clinical practice, always aiming to offer evidence-based, data-driven treatments to my clients.

Services I offer:
  • Psychotherapy for children, youth, and young adults
  • Parent coaching for parents/caregivers
Groups I facilitate:
  • Don’t Flip Your Lid! – in-person emotion regulation group (grades 1-3 and grades 4-6)
  • Cool Kids – in-person anxiety group (grades 3-5 and grades 6-8)
  • Adolescent Anxiety group – virtual anxiety group (grades 9 – 12)
  • DBT Skills group – virtual group for teens and their caregivers (grades 9 – 12)
  • Correction Through Connection: Supporting Your Child with Their Intense Emotions – virtual group for parents of children and teens with intense emotions
  • Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) group – virtual group for parents of children with anxiety and OCD
Areas of practice:
  • trauma
  • anxiety and perfectionism
  • OCD
  • giftedness
  • depression
  • emotion regulation
  • parent-child relational problems
Types of Therapy Provided:
  • Cognitive Behavioural therapy (CBT)
  • Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT)
  • Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
  • Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT)
  • Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
  • Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE)
  • Brainspotting