Dr. Melisa Robichaud specializes in the provision of Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for anxiety and anxiety-related disorders in adults. She has particular expertise in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), with an emphasis on obsessionally-focused OCD, such as pure or primary obsessions), illness anxiety disorder (also called health anxiety or hypochondriasis), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, specific phobias, body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs; for example, skin picking or hair pulling), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Dr. Melisa Robichaud is a co-director of the Vancouver CBT Centre and one of its founders. She received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Concordia University in Montreal. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at UBC Hospital where she was involved in research on cognitive therapy for OCD (primary obsessions subtype). She is currently an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia (UBC), a clinical instructor in the UBC Department of Psychiatry, and a clinical associate in the Department of Psychology at Simon Fraser University (SFU). She is also certified as an expert in cognitive-behavioural therapy by the Canadian Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies (CACBT).
Dr. Robichaud’s prior professional experience includes working in the former Anxiety Disorders Clinic of UBC Hospital, where she provided assessment and treatment to anxiety disorder patients, trained and supervised psychiatry and psychology residents in the provision of CBT for anxiety disorders, and ran the GAD treatment program. She has also been actively involved in non-profit organizations dedicated to the dissemination of best practice treatment for individuals struggling with anxiety disorders. She is a former President of CACBT (2016-2019) and was on the CACBT Certification Task Force. She also served on the Board of Directors for Anxiety Canada (formerly AnxietyBC) from 2006 to 2010, was the Director of Programs (2007-2010), and served on the Anxiety Canada Scientific Advisory Board.
Dr. Robichaud’s particular area of expertise is CBT for GAD and excessive worry. She has provided workshops and supervision to mental health professionals internationally on how to recognize and treat GAD. She has also published numerous scientific articles and book chapters on the subject, as well as co-authoring several books on the treatment of GAD, including Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: From Science to Practice (2nd edition), and the self-help workbooks, The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Workbook: A Comprehensive CBT Guide for Coping with Uncertainty, Worry, and Fear, and The Worry Workbook: CBT Skills to Overcome Worry and Anxiety by Facing the Fear of Uncertainty.
Dr. Robichaud’s office hours are Tuesday to Thursday, 7am to 4pm. She offers telehealth/virtual appointments only. Dr. Robichaud is registered to practice as a psychologist in British Columbia and New Brunswick.