Dr. Carlos Sierra Hernandez, Therapist
Dr. Carlos Sierra Hernandez specializes in the evidence-based treatment of generalized anxiety disorder, OCD, depression, social anxiety, and specific phobias. In addition, he offers treatment for panic disorder, bipolar disorder, and challenges associated with anxiety and mood challenges and disorders. Carlos holds a special interest in working with clients who want to manage stress and its effects on their daily functioning and physical health. He offers these services to adults in English and Spanish.
Carlos’ approach to therapy is grounded in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). He works collaboratively with his clients to build strategies that help them challenge unhelpful patterns of thinking and behaving with the goal of improving their mental health and overall quality of life. His approach to therapy is, nonetheless, flexible and he works collaboratively with his clients in defining their needs and preferences with the objective of offering effective strategies that can support his clients’ goals. Mindfulness-based interventions, emotion-focused therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) are among some of the evidence-based strategies that Carlos uses to complement his clinical work.
In the therapy room, Carlos aims at fostering an environment in which clients feel safe and respected and where their strengths and individuality are valued and used to achieve their therapy goals. Holding an inclusive and non-judgemental stance in therapy is a priority for Carlos as he strongly believes that this approach to his work serves as the foundation for effective and collaborative work with his clients.
Carlos emigrated to Canada from Colombia in his teen years. He received his PhD in Clinical Psychology from Simon Fraser University. Carlos completed his residency at the Calgary Clinical Psychology Residency Program where he participated in clinical rotations at the CBT outpatient service, the adolescent inpatient unit at Foothills Hospital, and at the regional psychological assessment service for Alberta Health Services. After completing his residency and as Registered Provisional Psychologist in the Province of Alberta, Carlos offered specialized psychological services to cardiac rehabilitation patients, as well as private therapy services to adults and adolescents experiencing significant difficulties with anxiety disorders, OCD, and depression.
In addition to his work at NSSAC, Carlos remains engaged in clinical research. He has published scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals on intervention and implementation research, particularly on treatments of complicated grief and parenting interventions. An ongoing research interest for Carlos is men’s and fathers’ and mental health, including the barriers to service utilization and the effectiveness of available interventions.
