VIU Brings New Associate Dean of Health and Human Services On Board

Vancouver Island University (VIU) is pleased to announce Dr. Lynda Phillips has accepted the position of Associate Dean, Faculty of Health and Human Services. She brings 15 years of experience in post-secondary education in British Columbia and a strong background in educational psychology to this vital role.

An experienced educational psychologist and child and adolescent psychotherapist, Philips divides her time between teaching, research and private practice. Previous to this appointment at VIU, Phillips served as coordinator and instructor in the Department of Child and Youth Care Counselling at Douglas College where she taught her students how to work with some of the most at-risk children in the province. She has extensive knowledge in the areas of child development, attachment, mental health in young children, and early life trauma. Her research is focussed on how children make meaning from their lived experiences of adversity.   

In her work at the local, provincial, national and international levels, Phillips has focused on many areas of supported childcare, and has been involved with the establishment of a number of innovative delivery models, including the development of a childcare centre in Uganda for children with HIV/AIDS and their families. She has delivered programs and courses on three continents, and has taught students from domestic, First Nations and international backgrounds, and has a deep understanding of the diverse cultural and political issues involved in education and program delivery. 

Dr. Phillips is a member of the Canadian Psychological Association, the Canadian Association of Psychoanalytic Child Therapists, BC Play Therapy Association and the Western Canada Infant Mental Health Network. In addition, she is the organising Chair for the Pacific Northwest Schore Institute -- an international group of psychoanalytic psychotherapists who meet quarterly with Dr. Allan Schore, a noted expert in psychoanalytic and neuropsychoanalytic studies, to discuss the neurological foundations of attachment. In addition, Phillips serves as a member of a number of government advisory panels and has succeeded in influencing policy at various levels.

Phillips received her Ph.D. in Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, from the University of British Columbia (UBC). Reporting to VIU’s Dean of Health and Human Services, Phillips will provide leadership and oversight in the areas of academic planning, the development of new initiatives within the faculty, supporting student and program success, and a host of other key duties within the area.