Experience

Dr. Dahary provides psychological services to children, adolescents, and their caregivers in English and French. She is skilled at supporting young people with neurodevelopmental profiles (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, ADHD, and learning difficulties), physical differences (e.g., low vision, hearing loss, and mobility/movement difficulties), and mental health challenges (e.g., anxiety, depression, and emotional dysregulation). Dr. Dahary also has strong experience in supporting hospitalization stays, adherence to rehabilitation regimens, adjustment to new diagnoses, and coping with health-related presentations (e.g., chronic pain, somatization, traumatic brain injury, feeding difficulties, and genetic conditions) alongside an interdisciplinary team.

Clinical Approach

Dr. Dahary strives to build a therapeutic space that feels genuinely warm, individualized, and compassionate. Because every young person is unique, Dr. Dahary firmly believes in working collaboratively with her clients to develop a shared understanding of their experiences and to support them in discovering and taking steps toward what matters to them. She finds beauty in all human minds and builds on interests and strengths to address growth areas.

Her therapeutic approach is primarily guided by the principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and she has received advanced training in ACT. Dr. Dahary also integrates mindfulness and attachment-focused approaches and techniques from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) when appropriate.

Background & Training

Dr. Dahary completed her M.A. and Ph.D. in the School/Applied Child Psychology Program at McGill University. During her pre-doctoral residency at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, she completed rotations within the chronic pain, specialized orthopedic and developmental rehabilitation, autism, and neuromotor programs. Dr. Dahary also received English and French clinical training at a university psychology clinic, early intervention and rehabilitation centers, and mainstream and specialized schools in Montreal, Quebec.

Education & Research

Dr. Dahary is passionate about autism research. Her doctoral research informed on the use of strengths-based approaches, such as music, for supporting autistic children in inclusive school and community settings. Dr. Dahary is continuing her clinical and research training with neurodivergent people and families as a post-doctoral fellow at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).