Areas of expertise

Technology to improve and modernize psychological care

I first wrote a computer program in my Ph.D. studies to help those with anxiety associated with stuttering. After this, I created an online treatment for social anxiety for anyone around the globe (www.ai-therapy.com). This fully automated intervention is called Overcome Social Anxiety, and we have published an RCT & real-world study demonstrating that it is helping those who suffer. The next product I launched in 2015 was Overcome Fertility Related Stress, which incorporates the latest technologies and improved usability aimed at helping those who struggle with conception using CBT to target the psychological side of that problem. Finally, I have also run my own clinic since 2008 and have been studying and working in psychology for 20 years. In my clinical work over the years, I have been developing online tools in order to maximize and measure the benefit of the evidence-based techniques I administer in my clinical practice. For my clinical practice innovations and my Ph.D. research, I was awarded the prestigious Tracey Goodall Early Career Award, which recognizes research and clinical innovation in the field of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.

Social anxiety, Generalized Anxiety, Health Anxiety, Panic Disorder, Fear of Flying & Performance Anxiety

In my clinical work & training in Australia, Canada, Oxford, the U.K., and Iceland, I have encountered thousands of presentations of how anxiety looks like in the real world. Therefore, I see a wide variety and complex presentations of anxiety having a debilitating impact on people’s lives. Also, I have been conducting peer-reviewed research in this area for more than a decade. My publications include papers on the fear of blushing, fear of stuttering, performance anxiety, and online treatments to tackle social anxiety. I have extensive clinical experience in these areas and have been practicing since 2005.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

I have been fortunate enough to have been able to both train and practice professionally at clinics that are known in each city (Sydney, Australia, and Vancouver, Canada) to be the top clinics for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder treatment. So, I have learned from the best and have specialized in complex OCD for the past decade. OCD is one of the more complicated mental health problems, and I have been fascinated by the theoretically driven and effective treatment we have for this problem. I have published a couple of research articles on the role of magical thinking in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder maintenance.

Eating disorders / Body Dysmporhic disorder

When I worked as a senior research clinician at Oxford University in the UK, I worked with several of the leading clinical researchers in eating disorders. Therefore, I have a deep understanding of how eating disorders work. Also, both in my training to become a clinical psychologist and in my practice in Canada and Australia I have worked with hundreds of different individuals with Body Dysmorphic Disorder for the past 15 years.

Depression, behavioural activation & goal setting

In my postgraduate clinical training and in my early days’ practice, I treated individuals with depression using the evidenced-based standard Beckian, Ellis, and mindfulness-based approaches treatments. However, at Oxford, I learned from one of the leading researchers in a sub-brand of Cognitive Behavior Therapy called Behavioral Activation. This changed my paradigm. So for the past 10 years, I have changed the type of cognitive behavior therapy I use in my face-to-face treatment, where I find I can be more effective. Behavioural activation is not only a suitable method to overcome depression, but it also fits in with my worldview of using Excel to achieve your goals in life. Personally, I use Behavioral Activation techniques to plan my marathon running & travelling. To date, I have finished 6 full marathons and traveled to 95 countries and counting…

 

2020 - Dr. Fjola Helgadottir Psychology, Vancouver, BC. Canada

Dr. Helgadottir has two decades of research experience in evidence-based psychological treatments and 15 years of clinical practice. Areas of expertise are OCD and anxiety disorders (social, generalized, and health anxiety), panic, eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorders, fertility issues, depression and more. In her practice, she uses technology to modernize mental health care.

2012 - Director of AI-Therapy & AICBT Consulting, Vancouver, BC, Canada, previously in Oxford, UK.

Dr. Helgadottir runs AI Therapy, where cutting-edge technology provides psychological service for individuals via fully automated computer programs. We have published programs for social anxiety, fertility stress, and death anxiety. In 2018, our social anxiety program underwent a randomized controlled trial in collaboration with researchers at the University of British Columbia. The results demonstrated that an automated program could help users with social anxiety. Further, we published the pre-post results from the real world of users from around the globe in 2019, demonstrating the efficacy of our Overcome Social Anxiety Program. Since then, we have published papers on death anxiety, and our first paper on Overcome Fertility Stress just got published.

AICBT Ltd. is an IT research and development company that provides advanced software solutions. We offer consulting services in various areas, including image processing and computer vision, machine learning for scientific applications, and expert systems for the online delivery of evidence-based psychological treatments.

2018 - 2020, Dr. Fjóla & Kompaní, Clinical Psychologist, Reykjavík, Iceland

Dr. Helgadottir ran a CBT practice in Reykjavik on Klapparstigur 25-27, 101 Reykjavik, where she saw hundreds of clients face-to-face and utilized technology and e-Services to enhance outcomes. She also offered supervision for other therapists, delivered workshops, published four peer-reviewed journal articles, chaired a symposium at the World Congress for Cognitive Behavior Therapy in Berlin in July 2019, hosted talks and did guest lectures at Universities. The most popular one was the talk I hosted on July 15th, 2019, Why is death a taboo? Currently, I offer my services to Icelandic patients via Telehealth. Finally, Dr. Helgadottir collaborated with Universities in Iceland and around the globe in disseminating evidence-based treatments via fully automated systems www.ai-therapy.com

2016 - 2018, The Vancouver CBT Centre, Ph.D. Registered Psychologist, BC, Canada

Dr. Helgadottir worked in a group practice with several leaders in our field of clinical psychology. The description for the clinic is the following: “We are a group of psychologists with extensive and specialized experience in evidence-based treatments, including cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT). The Vancouver CBT Centre was initially founded by the clinical team from the former UBC Anxiety Disorders Clinic. We specialize in treating complex and severely disabling anxiety disorders, as well as clinical depression and eating disorders”

2011 - 2014, Senior Research Clinician & Clinical Psychologist, Oxford University, UK

Dr. Helgadottir´s research focused on using modern technology to disseminate evidence-based psychological treatments.  Most people do not receive such treatments; technology is one key to solving this problem. The project Dr. Helgadottir was involved with was designing and building web-based therapist training programs in eating disorders and depression.  This work was funded through a Wellcome Strategic Award. I also worked as a clinical psychologist treating eating disorders using CBT-E. See more here.

Dr. Helgadottir also has expertise in designing and implementing treatment programs that use simulated therapist assistance. An example of this work is AI Therapy, an online program to help people overcome social anxiety.


2005 - 2011, Clinical Training and licensed Practice, Perth & Sydney, Australia.

  • 2005. External Clinical Placements in Perth: Transby college, Murdoch ADHD test lab, and private practice in Perth

  • 2006 I worked with 4 different supervisors at the Murdoch University Psychology Clinic. The format of this training was videotaped therapy session reviewed with a supervisor every week. 2 placement was work with children and 2 placements were with adults. The supervisors adhered to a range of different psychological schools.

  • 2007-2008. Royal North Shore hospital, Pain Management Research Institute & Spinal Cord Injury Unit. I was working with patients with chronic pain and spinal cord injuries delivering individual and group CBT in a multidisciplinary team.

  • 2007-2008. Prince of Wales Hospital, Medical Oncology.

  • 2008-2011. Ross Menzies Outpatient Clinic & after completing my training in complex anxiety problems I founded my own clinic named Fjola Dogg Helgadottir:
    I ran very busy evidence-based clinical psychology practice in Glebe, Sydney, Australia. I treated wide ranged of mentaI health problems such as depression and anxiety. I worked as a Specialist Clinical Psychologist working mainly under the Medicare Better Access Scheme receiving regular referrals from over 50 General Practitioners.

Education

UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, UNITED KINGDOM

Senior Research Clinician.
Chartered Clinical psychologist (CPsychol) registered with British Psychology Society and the Health Profession Council Honorary Clinical Psychologist - Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.
Research focused on using modern technology to disseminate evidence based psychological treatments.  Most people do not receive such treatments and technology is one key to solving this problem. The project involved designing and building web-based therapist training programs in the fields of eating disorders and depression.  This work was funded through a Wellcome Strategic Award.
Completed 2014

UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

PhD in psychology (postgraduate research scholarship)
Thesis title: Bridging the gap in internet treatments for mental health: A fully automated online cognitive behaviour therapy for social anxiety for those who stutter.For this work dr. Helgaottir won The Tracy Goodall Early Career Award. This prestigious award recognises outstanding research or clinical innovation that has made a outstanding contribution to the field of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). 
Graduated 2011

MURDOCH UNIVERSITY, PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Postgraduate Diploma of Psychology and Masters of Applied Clinical Psychology (3 years clinical training).
Thesis Title: The role of magical thinking in symptoms of psychopathology in a university undergraduate sample in Iceland.
Thesis title: Is facial redness more intense among patients who seek treatment for fear of blushing than among the normal population?
Graduated 2006 and 2008

UNIVERSITY OF ICELAND, REYKJAVIK ICELAND

Bachelor of Psychology and additional units in computer science.
Graduated 2004

Awards

TRACEY GOODALL AWARD EARLY CAREER AWARD

This prestigious award recognizes research or clinical innovation that has made an outstanding contribution to the field of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) in Australia. I won this award on the basis of my research into online treatments. In particular, I designed a computer program that functioned as a fully automated therapist. This work provided the basis for AI-Therapy.

UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY’S POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIP (PHD)

The topic of this scholarship was to investigate how to deliver psychological services to rural areas.

ISLANDSBANKI STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

I won this award based on the strength of my international research.

MARGRET BJORGOLFSDOTTIR MEMORIAL AWARD

The goal of this award was to support individuals and projects that promote education and entrepreneurship on the international stage.

ST PAULS HOSPITAL FOUNDATION

We have received a grant from St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation’s Enhanced Patient Care Fund. The Inner City Youth Program provides care for at-risk youth in Vancouver’s inner-city area. AI-Therapy online social anxiety treatment was offered to this population via this grant.

Memberships

CURRENT:

  • Canada: CACBT-ACTCC certified in Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Canada

  • Canada: Registered Psychologist, College of Psychologist of British Columbia

  • Canada: Member of the Canadian Association of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies - CACBT

  • Canada: Member of the Canadian Psychological Association

  • Iceland: Registered clinical psychologist specialist in Iceland (Medical Director of Health)

  • Iceland: Registered psychologist in Iceland (Medical Director of Health)

  • Iceland: Member of the Icelandic Psychological Association

PAST:

  • UK: Chartered Member of the British Psychological Society (CPsychol)

  • UK: Full membership of the Division of Clinical Psychology within the British Psychological Society (highest standards for clinical psychology practice in the United Kingdom)

  • UK: Health Professions Council registered Clinical Psychologist

  • UK: Member of the Oxford University Congregation

  • UK: Holder of Oxford Health Foundation NHS Trust Honorary Contract

  • Australia: Full member of the Australian Psychological Society's Clinical College (highest standards for clinical psychology practice in Australia)

  • Australia: Registered specialist in Clinical Psychology at Medicare Australia Approved by Work Cover Australia to deliver psychology treatment services to injured workers

  • Australia: Approved by The Department of Veteran Affairs to deliver psychology treatment services to veterans suffering from psychological illness

  • Australia: Full national registration in Australia, with endorsement of clinical psychology by Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency

  • Australia: Full membership with the Australian Psychological Society (MAPS)

  • Australia: Former treasurer for the NSW Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy (AACBT)

  • Former treasures for the National Committee for the Telephone and Internet-Based Counselling Interest Group of Australian Psychological Society

  • Australia: Member of International Society for Research on Internet Interventions (ISRII)


Fees are set in accordance with the BC Psychological Association. The current recommended rate is $235 per 50-minute session. Payment may be made by a credit card, cheque, or e-transfer. Please note that psychological services provided by Dr. Helgadottir are not covered by the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP). However, numerous extended health care plans provide reimbursement for psychological services including those provided by Dr. Helgadottir.