SUPERVISORS

SUPERVISORS

Our supervisors provide training in psychodynamic therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, mindfulness, Emotional Focussed Therapy and motivational interviewing. Our supervisors for 2022-2023 and their specialities are listed below:

Meet Our SUPERVISORS

Dr. Wendy Wood

Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Wendy Wood is a registered clinical psychologist who received her Ph.D. from Concordia University. She has worked with a wide range of problems, from burnout to relationship difficulties, and has extensive training in student mental health, including 15 years of service at McGill Mental Health.

She also has special interest in women’s reproductive health, in particular helping women and couples deal with infertility, postpartum depression, and pregnancy loss. During the course of training and career, she has worked in general hospitals, mental health hospitals as well in university settings and in private practice. She has worked in Halifax, Toronto, and Montreal. Some areas of her training include perinatology (high-risk pregnancy), oncology, HIV, student mental health, attachment and relational issues, LBGTQ+, dual diagnosis, anxiety, and depression. Dr. Wood creates a warm and non-judgemental environment for students to explore their strengths and weaknesses in supervision. She supervisors primarily psychodynamic therapy, but will integrate other approaches when necessary.

Dr. Wood is a current member of L’Ordre des Psychologues du Québec (Permit #11353-09)

Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Hallie Frank is a clinical psychologist with over 50 years experience. She obtained a doctorate in clinical psychology from McGill University. She was faculty in the Department of Psychology at Concordia University for 27 years where she taught graduate level seminars on theoretical models of behaviour change as well as supervised students in the Applied Psychology Center. She also worked as the chief clinical psychologist at the McGill University Mental Health Service for 38 years where she conducted therapy and supervised graduate students. Along with those commitments she also maintained a private practice and continues to see clients privately. Dr. Frank joined Wood Psychology in 2021 as a supervisor.

In addition to clinical work, Dr. Frank served as a research consultant to the department of psychiatry at the Jewish General Hospital for over 15 years. She has published many articles in academic journals and three chapters in scholarly books. Some of these publications were research studies on personality disorders and divorce. Her most recent publication, entitled Understanding Yourself and Your Relationships: Notes From a Therapist’s Desk  was written primarily for therapists and focuses on reflective papers based on clinical observations. 

Dr. Frank’s primary therapeutic orientation is psychodynamic, an approach that encourages clients to examine the reasons for repetitive behavior patterns, to appreciate their contributions to these patterns, and to explore the motives of significant others. Dr. Frank values transparency in her supervisory style and her warmth and humour makes her a pleasure to work with.

Dr. Frank is a current member of L’Ordre des Psychologues du Québec (Permit #00996-68).

Dr. Alina Kao

Senior psychologist

Dr. Alina Kao is a licensed clinical psychologist specialized in couple therapy, reproductive health issues, and the treatment of sexual difficulties such as low sexual desire, erectile dysfunction, premature or delayed ejaculation, difficulties with orgasm, and genital/pelvic pain. She also has expertise treating a variety of general areas such as depression, anxiety, stress management, chronic pain, coping with illness, relationship issues, difficult life transitions, low self-esteem, as well as personal growth and development.

Dr. Kao received her Ph.D. from McGill University. She is on staff in the Psychology Department of the McGill University Health Center (MUHC), and is affiliated with the Sex and Couple Therapy Service, the Schizophrenia Tertiary Service, and the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Service of the Allan Memorial Institute. During the course of her training and career, she has worked in university settings, general hospitals, mental health hospitals, as well as a private multidisciplinary pain clinic.

Her therapy orientation is integrative and evidence-based. She draws from several approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Systemic Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to develop a customized treatment to meet the specific needs of each individual or couple.

Dr. Kao is a current member of L’Ordre des Psychologues du Québec (Permit #12094-12).

Dr. Max Lewkowski

Senior psychologist

Dr. Lewkowski is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in evidence-based psychotherapy, primarily cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). His approach starts with the assumption that as humans we are all imperfect, and he works with clients to use their own, as well as new, coping skills to adjust to ongoing challenges.

 Dr. Lewkowski has significant experience addressing perfectionism, depression, social anxiety, panic, phobias, obsessions and compulsions (OCD), insomnia, trauma, anger management, stress management, life transitions, and family relationships. He strives to make therapy an active process and to keep therapy sessions time-limited to increase results for efforts.

Dr. Lewkowski gained his experience working as a clinical psychologist in the city’s major hospitals and in private practice performing psychological assessments and doing therapy with adolescents and adults. He is fully bilingual in French and English.

Dr. Lewkowski is a current member of L’Ordre des Psychologues du Québec (Permit #10926-07).

Dr. Jeff Anyan

Senior psychologist

Dr. Jeff Anyan received his Ph.D. from Concordia University and is a licensed clinical psychologist. He has trained in various settings including private practice, universities, hospitals as well as specialized mental health clinics. Over the course of his training, he has worked and studied in Montreal, Toronto, and Europe.

Dr. Anyan has extensive experience working with diverse problems including depression, anxiety, and trauma. In addition, he works with issues related to the self, such as identity, life’s transitions, stress and burnout. He also works with issues related to interpersonal relationships, including difficulties in developing and maintaining relationships, and attachment styles.

Acceptance commitment therapy (ACT), psychodynamic therapy, mindfulness meditation, and cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) form the cornerstone of Dr. Anyan’s therapeutic approach. Yet he understands that each person has individual needs, so his treatment plans are tailored for each client. He offers open discussion and a warm environment in which clients feel accepted and supported throughout the process.

Dr. Anyan is a current member of L’Ordre des Psychologues du Québec (Permit #13548-19).

Dr. Michael Benibgui

Senior Psychologist

Dr. Michael Benibgui is a licensed clinical psychologist with 20 years experience who received his Ph.D. from Concordia University and additional postdoctoral training at Columbia University. 

He spent 12 years in New York City directing clinical trials and government-funded community mental health programs treating co-occurring disorders / dual diagnoses (mental health disorders combined with substance use disorders) in underserved populations, such as LGBTQ+, People Living with HIV, and homeless individuals. 

Subsequently, Dr. Benibgui was a founding member of the first group private practice in Manhattan offering services and training in Integrative Harm Reduction Psychotherapy for the treatment of aforementioned disorders, primarily working with executives in high performance / high stress environments within the financial sectors.

He utilizes a personalized integrative approach, combining Psychodynamic Therapy and other Evidence Based methods, including Motivational Interviewing, Mindfulness-Based Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in order to tailor treatment to the needs of his clients, all the while nurturing the creation and maintenance of a strong therapeutic alliance. His style is conversational, interactive, and at times appropriately humorous.

Dr. Benibgui currently specializes in working with people struggling with mood and anxiety disorders, OCD, compulsive behaviors (sex addiction, alcohol / substance abuse, eating disorders, and other risk behaviors), kink and other expressions of alternative sexuality, work / life and relationship stressors and borderline personality disorder. 

He has specialized training and conducted research studies serving the LGBTQ+ population, including individuals seeking guidance and support for gender confirmation surgery.

Dr. Benibgui is one of only a few psychologists in Canada  offering Psychedelic Integration Therapy for those seeking insight into their experiences, and relief from anxiety and other mood disorders.  

Dr Benibgui is a member of l’Ordre des Psychologues du Quebec (Permit #10314-04), and licensed in New York State (License #019286).

Application procedure

We welcome applications from Ph.D. candidates and licensed psychologists year round. Applicants can send their CV with a letter of intent and 3 reference letters to drwendywood@gmail.com

For external practicum students who are following Match Day in February, please submit your application before December 1st. Following receipt of your application, we will contact you shortly after to set up an interview (typically in person). If you have questions about our program or application process, please contact Dr. Wood at drwendywood@gmail.com

We look forward to hearing from you!  

We look forward to working with you!