Experience

Dr. Dahary is skilled in supporting young people and their families with neurodivergences (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, ADHD, and learning difficulties), physical differences (e.g., low vision, hearing loss, mobility/movement difficulties), and mental health challenges (e.g., anxiety and emotional dysregulation). She also supports clients in coping with stressful medical appointments, adhering to rehabilitation regimens, adjusting to new diagnoses, and managing health-related presentations (e.g., chronic pain, somatization, and physical injuries). As a bilingual practitioner, Dr. Dahary offers select services in both French and English..

Clinical Approach

Dr. Dahary strives to create a therapeutic space that feels genuinely warm, individualized, and compassionate. Because every young person is unique, she 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 most to them. She sees beauty in all minds and builds on interests and strengths to address areas important to her clients.

Dr. Dahary’s therapeutic approach is guided by the principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), in which she has received advanced training and clinical supervision. She integrates other approaches when appropriate such as play-based strategies, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and skills from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). Dr. Dahary often works with caregivers to support youths and young children, and she is trained on parent-based treatment protocols like SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions).

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, she completed rotations in chronic pain, specialized orthopedic and developmental rehabilitation, autism, and neuromotor programs. She also received bilingual clinical training at a university psychology clinic, early intervention and rehabilitation centers, and mainstream and specialized schools in Montreal, Quebec.

Education & Research

Passionate about autism research, Dr. Dahary’s doctoral work explored strengths-based approaches (e.g., leveraging interests like music) to support autistic children in inclusive school and community settings. Her clinical and research experience was further enriched through a postdoctoral fellowship at CAMH, where she worked closely with neurodivergent individuals and their caregivers.