Danielle Downie (she/her)

PhD Candidate

Danielle is pursuing her PhD in Clinical psychology at the University of Toronto. Danielle has provided mental health services in a variety of different clinical settings. These include the provision of assessment and treatment services to individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder and related disorders at Sunnybrook Hospital, neuropsychological assessment services at Sunnybrook Hospital to individuals with dementia and other cognitive impairments, and counselling services at the University of Toronto Health and Wellness Center. She has also worked within clinical research on substance use disorder treatment at CAMH. .

Danielle has experience working with individuals presenting with a range of OCD symptoms including obsessions and compulsions related to contamination, doubting, religion, harm, sexuality, relationships, health, exactness/symmetry, and perfectionism. Danielle uses evidence-based treatments in her approach, including cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), exposure and response prevention (ERP), and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). Danielle is also able to provide inference-based CBT for OCD.

Danielle has provided assessment and clinical therapy with individuals with a wide variety of presenting issues, including OCD, skin picking, hair pulling, depression, autism, substance use disorder, anxiety, ADHD, body dysmorphia, and Tourette’s. She approaches each assessment with openness and curiosity, creating space for individuals to share their experiences without judgement. 

Danielle’s approach to treatment emphasizes a collaborative therapeutic relationship. Treatment with each individual is focused on developing a shared understanding of the person’s unique circumstances and helping them develop new skills to reach their goals. Danielle aims to create a safe, non-judgemental environment to support individual’s self-discovery and work together on reaching their goals. 

Danielle always ensures that she creates an affirming and inclusive environment for individuals she works with and ensures that individuals of all identities and backgrounds are well-supported. 

In her spare time, Danielle enjoys running and spending quality time with friends and family.