Note: Sam Yamada is currently working with clients virtually, not in-person.
Dr. Samantha Yamada
Clinical Psychologist
My longstanding passion for bolstering the mental health of young people has taken me to many places during my over 15 years in the field. I have worked directly with children and youth in community-based mental health, live-in specialized treatment settings, outpatient and day treatment hospital programs, schools, private practice, and even wilderness therapy. I have had the opportunity to work in Ontario, British Columbia and the United States and despite the differences in these settings, I have come to witness over and over again the strength and resiliency of young people and their families in the face of mental health challenges.
My approach to treatment planning is collaborative and I aspire to work closely with you to monitor progress and change course in treatment in order to maximize results. The approaches I use are primarily: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness, Exposure and Response Prevention, and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy.
I am a member of the Ontario Psychological Association and I am licensed as a Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychologist with the College of Psychologists of Ontario (License number 5862). I hold a PhD and a Masters degree from York University, a Masters of Education from Harvard University, and a Bachelors of Psychology from Queen’s University.
In addition to working directly with clients, I am committed to making changes at the systems level and have been the Co-Founder and Founding Director of Research at Pine River Institute and more recently the Director of Program Development, Research and Quality Improvement at the Child Development Institute in Toronto.
I know first-hand the challenges of dealing with mental health. It takes tremendous courage to reach out for support. As a member of the BIPOC community, I also recognize the importance of understanding how issues related to diversity and social justice can impact the development and persistence of mental health difficulties.
If you are interested in exploring whether I may be able to be of benefit to you please contact the clinic.