Dr. Caroline Sullivan, C.Psych.

Co-Founder, Co-Director, Psychologist

613-567-0777
Hi!

I am Dr. Caroline Sullivan, a Child, Adolescent, and Family Psychologist, and Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Child, Adolescent, and Family Centre of Ottawa (CAFCO).

I provide therapy to children, adolescents, and families with a range of mental health difficulties. I have a particular interest in conducting our Initial Consultation appointments where I can quickly assess and make detailed and tangible hands-on recommendations for families while they wait for services with us, or are more appropriately matched for services in the community. In therapy, I mainly support those struggling with parenting concerns, anxiety, OCD, depression, behavioural issues, trauma, and co-parenting through and after a separation/divorce.

I use an integrative approach to meet clients’ needs, primarily anchoring myself in attachment and strength-based theories, and drawing from therapeutic modalities such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), and Emotion Focused Family Therapy (EFFT). I believe that caregivers play a key role in supporting a young person who is struggling and aim to involve family whenever possible.

I completed my Ph.D. at Concordia University and my residency at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). Outside of my clinical work, I am a full-time teaching professor in Clinical Psychology at the University of Ottawa,  and I provide clinical training and supervision to Ph.D. students. I am also the mother of two wonderful (and sometimes challenging) teenagers.

I am committed to making a difference in my community and I am honored to have been the recipient of several awards and recognitions over the past 20 or so years. For my commitment and contributions to CAFCO, I received a FortyUnder40 Award from the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce and Ottawa Business Journal, as well as the Award of Merit from the Ontario Psychological Association – the OPA’s highest award for organizations who have made a significant contribution to the profession. I also received the 2020 Excellence in Teaching Award from the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Ottawa, and the Clinical Excellence Award (ACE) from the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) in 2021.

Clients I work with:
  • Children and youth aged 0-18
  • Parents
  • Families
Areas where I can help:
  • Initial Consultations
  • Anxiety
  • OCD / perfectionism / trichotillomania
  • Difficulties with emotion regulation
  • Parent-child conflict
  • Trauma
  • Co-parenting conflict following a separation/divorce
  • Depression
  • Psychodiagnostic assessments (i.e., diagnosing mental health conditions)
Types of Therapy Provided:
  • Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
  • Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT)
  • Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
  • Exposure/Response Prevention (E/RP)