Dr. Mandeep Gurm
(she/her; pronounced mun-deep)
I am a cis-gender woman of color who lives with a chronic illness. I completed my graduate course work at Simon Fraser University and graduated in 2020 with my PhD in Clinical Psychology. Since the start of my graduate training in 2011, I developed expertise in working with with neurodivergent, queer, and multicultural families in hospital, community, and private mental health settings. My areas of interest also include supporting clients with anxiety, low mood, obsessive compulsive disorder, and emotion dysregulation. I love to work with clients and families from all backgrounds.
In private practice, I want to create a safe and comfortable space for my clients and their families. I strive to create a casual and accepting environment where all people feel welcome. I believe that each person has a unique set of strengths and hope that those strengths are incorporated in all the work that we do together. I value my clients for who they are and affirm the intersectionality of their identities (e.g., gender, neurodiversity, cultural, religious).
In my spare time, I enjoy the beauty of nature, listening to music, and learning to code. I also enjoy cooking and trying new recipes. I speak English and Punjabi and can provide services in both languages, if required.
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions about my experience/qualifications, or if you have questions about whether I would be the right fit for you.
Education
I graduated from Simon Fraser University in 2020. My doctoral dissertation was about parent-child interactions in children with and without a diagnosis of autism. I am well versed in neurodivergence due to my educational background. Specifically, I conducted research about how parent-child interactions can influece a child's emotion regulation. Other research interests included executive functions and mental health. In my private practice I use my area of research specialty to inform my clinical work.
When I complete a psychological assessment, my goal is to ensure that you understand your or your child’s strengths and needs. Every brain works differently, and I believe that there is no right way or wrong way for a brain to work. When we understand how our brains work, we can receive better supports and advocate for ourselves better.
A psychological assessment with me consists of a few phases:
Phase 1 – background collection and interviews.
Phase 2 – psychological testing
Phase 3 – feedback
Phase 4 – written documentation
In BC, free autism assessments are provided through the BC Autism Assessment Network (BCAAN). To be referred to BCAAN for an assessment, a referral is required from a medical doctor. The other option is to complete a non-BCAAN private assessment which usually costs money. If you are interested in having your child complete one of these assessments with me, you can use the contact form on the Contact Me page or email me directly at doctorgurm@gmail.com. After your initial contact I will add you to my waitlist and call you for a free 15 minute phone call prior to booking any assessment appointments to ensure that I am a good fit for your needs.