Janani Sankar, Ph.D., R.Psych.

Dr. Sankar is a registered psychologist at the Vancouver CBT Centre. She received her M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Western Ontario in London, ON, and completed her pre-doctoral residency at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, NS. Her clinical background involves working with adults with mental and physical health comorbidities, depression, anxiety, adjustment disorders, and interpersonal difficulties.

Prior to coming to the Vancouver CBT Centre, Dr. Sankar worked at the Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Centre of Vancouver, where she also completed a post-doctoral fellowship. She has intensive training and experience in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and in working with clients with severe emotion dysregulation. Dr. Sankar also has extensive training and experience in the area of health psychology, having worked with individuals with various medical conditions including chronic pain, cancer, neurological issues, and in acute care. She previously worked as the lead psychologist within the Complex Pain Centre at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver.

For Dr. Sankar, it is of the utmost importance to tailor treatment to clients’ needs, while maintaining an evidence-based approach. She primarily employs a Cognitive Behaviour Therapy framework to address clients’ presenting problems, but also integrates other evidence-based approaches, including DBT, motivational interviewing, and acceptance and commitment therapy, as needed. Dr. Sankar has a warm and genuine style and maintains a validating, non-judgmental, and collaborative stance in her treatment. As a psychologist, her goal is to help clients enhance their personal toolbox of coping skills that can improve their quality of life.