Dr. Rachael Neal received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Concordia University in Montreal. She completed her predoctoral residency with Vancouver Coastal Health, working with individuals with severe mental illness; and individuals with health conditions or injuries who experience anxiety, mood, or trauma-related difficulties.
Dr. Neal has specialized training and extensive experience in cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) for OCD and anxiety disorders. Prior to her predoctoral residency, Dr. Neal trained for several years at the CBT Unit of the Allan Memorial Institute in Montreal, QC conducting short-term CBT with individuals presenting with obsessive-compulsive (OCD), anxiety, mood, and trauma and stressor-related disorders, amongst others. She also previously trained with the Clinical Neuropsychology Service at St. Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton, ON.
Dr. Neal has conducted research examining how we can better measure and intervene to reduce compulsive reassurance seeking in CBT for OCD. She has authored several articles on this topic, and presented findings at conferences nationally and internationally. She also co-authored a book chapter on responsibility, checking, and reassurance seeking behaviour in OCD. Her research interests broadly concern cognitive mechanisms of change in CBT for obsessive-compulsive and anxiety disorders.
Dr. Neal believes in creating a non-judgmental, validating, and collaborative environment for therapy. She is committed to evidence-based practice and primarily uses a short-term cognitive-behavioural approach (i.e., CBT), but may also draw from other evidence-based modalities (e.g., acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), mindfulness, motivational interviewing) to tailor therapy to the client’s individual goals. Her aim is to help clients develop tools to flexibly manage obstacles and improve overall quality of life.
Schedule at the Vancouver CBT Centre: Dr. Neal is available for appointments
between 9:00a.m. and 5:00p.m. Thursdays and Fridays.