Dr. William Koch, R.Psych., ABPP

Dr. William (Bill) Koch is a psychologist who specializes in the assessment and treatment of trauma survivors and people suffering from anxiety disorders and phobias. His primary emphases are the forensic assessment of psychological injuries arising from accidents, sexual assault and harassment, as well as disability claims. He also consults on professional malpractice matters, and assessment of fitness to practice for health professionals referred by their regulatory colleges. He is the first author of Koch, W.J., Douglas, K.S., Nicholls, T.L., & O'Neill, M. (2006). Psychological Injuries: Forensic Assessment, Treatment, and Law, Oxford University Press. He has published over 40 articles and book chapters, many conference presentations, and taught a number of training workshops in forensic psychology. Dr. Koch also has an interest and expertise in the treatment of MVA-related PTSD and driving fear and avoidance. Selected relevant academic work includes:

•    Koch, W. J. & Nader, R. (March 13, 2019) Assessing Psychological Injury: Empirical Methods & Common Pitfalls. Pre-Conference Workshop presented at American Psychology and Law Society meetings. Portland, Oregon.
•    Regambal, M.J., Alden, L.E., Wagner, S.L., Harder, H.G., Koch, W.J., Fung, K. & Parsons, C. (2015). Characteristics of the Traumatic Stressors Experienced by Rural First Responders Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 34, 86-93.
•    Koch, W.J. & Nader, R. (June 6, 2014). Who’s the Client? Differing Responsibilities of Care Faced by Forensic Psychologists in Psychological Injury Cases. In a symposium entitled Ethical Issues in Forensic Psychology: A CPA 75th Anniversary Ethics Symposium (Chair Carole Sinclair). Presented at the Canadian Psychological Association Annual Conference. Vancouver, BC.
•    Koch, W.J. & Keith, R. (Co-Chairs, December 3, 2010). Treating and Litigating in the Face of Psychological Overlay. Continuing Education Workshop, Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia.
•    Koch, W.J. (October 16, 2010). Forensic Assessment and Treatment of PTSD. Workshop presented to the Canadian Academy of Psychologists in Disability Assessment. Toronto, Ontario.
•    Koch, W.J., Nader, R. & Haring, M. (2009). The science and pseudoscience of assessing psychological injuries. (pp. 263-283). In J. Skeem, K. Douglas, & S. Lilienfeld (Eds.) Psychological Science in the Courtroom: Controversies and Consensus. Guilford Press.
•    Koch, W.J. & Samra, J. (2005). Posttraumatic Stress Disability after Motor Vehicle Accidents: Impact on Productivity and Employment. In I. Schultz & R. Gatchel. Handbook of Complex Occupational Disability Claims. New York: Kluwer. Pp. 333-341.
•    Koch, W.J., O'Neill, M., & Douglas, K.S. (2005). Empirical Limits for the Forensic Assessment of PTSD Litigants. Law & Human Behavior, 29, 121-149. Reprinted in The International Library of Psychology: Psychology and Law. (2007, Editors: R. Roesch & K. Thomsen)

Dr. Koch served as a Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia for 35 years as well as serving as an adjunct professor and teaching graduate level forensic psychological assessment courses at both UBC and Simon Fraser University. Between 1987 and 2005, he directed one of the most prominent psychology internship programs in Canada at UBC Hospital, and between 1984 and 2005, he directed a specialized cognitive behaviour therapy clinic at UBC Hospital for anxiety disorders, depression, and stress-related physical problems such as chronic headache and irritable bowel syndrome.

Dr. Koch has been given the Canadian Psychological Association's Award for Distinguished Contributions in Education and Training (2004), as well as the British Columbia Psychological Association’s Park O. Davidson award for contributions to the profession of psychology (2002). He has held a number of board and administrative positions in professional psychology at both the provincial and national level, including serving as Acting Registrar (1990-1991) and later President of the College of Psychologists of BC (1995).

In the community, Dr. Koch has a long involvement in track and field serving from 2004 through 2012 on the board of the NorWesters Track and Field Club on Vancouver's North Shore. Since 2011, he has served on the British Columbia Branch of Athletics Canada’s National Officials Committee and is currently the BC Branch Chair. He authored the current code of conduct for BC Athletics officials, and serves many weekends during the track and field season as a starter throughout British Columbia and western other Canadian provinces.  He is a qualified international level starter and national level mentor and classroom teacher for starters.

In his personal life, Dr. Koch cooks for his family and friends, spends time in the gym, walks the beaches and trails of the Gulf Islands, reads a great deal of fiction as well as about social, political, and economic issues, and cleans his starting pistols, some of which are of dubious origin and in a state of severe disrepair.