Christie Byvelds
Faculty Liaison
| Degrees: | BA Hons (Queen's), MSW (Carleton) |
| Email: | ChristieByvelds@cunet.carleton.ca |
Christie Byvelds (she/her) is a registered social worker with extensive experience in mental health, working with children, teens, and their caregivers. Christie holds a Master of Social Work degree from Carleton University and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Psychology from Queen’s University. She is a member of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and the Ontario Association of Social Workers.
Christie works with CHEO’s outpatient mental health team and has a private practice, where she specializes in anxiety, trauma, and giftedness. In addition to her clinical work, Christie facilitates several groups through The Child, Adolescent, and Family Centre of Ottawa (CAFCO). Her therapeutic approach is grounded in her formal training and experience in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT), Supportive Parenting of Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), Brainspotting, polyvagal-informed interventions, and mindfulness.
Beyond her clinical practice, Christie is deeply committed to social work education and mentorship. For over ten years, she has been a faculty member with the School of Social Work at Carleton University, and has taught over thirty courses. In her role as Faculty Liaison, Christie builds and maintains critical partnerships between the university and student field placement agencies, ensuring valuable practicum experiences for students. Her dedication to education is reflected in her commitment to equipping future social workers with the practical skills and theoretical knowledge needed for successful careers.
Christie’s research background is extensive. She has provided consulting services to government and international non-profit organizations such as Plan International Canada, Plan International Bangladesh, Natural Resources Canada, and Red Cross Societies in Canada, Haiti, Bangladesh, and South Sudan. Her research work includes designing and implementing baseline and endline questionnaires, conducting statistical analyses, and developing program evaluation protocols.
In addition to her teaching and research roles, Christie has co-authored the textbook Statistics for Social Justice, which aims to make statistical concepts accessible to students with a focus on social equity. She also co-edited the book Mothering and Social Exclusion, a collection that examines the intersection of motherhood and marginalized identities.
As a queer, cisgender settler, Christie is committed to incorporating anti-racist, anti-oppressive, and trauma-informed perspectives into both her therapeutic and academic work. She recognizes the importance of addressing the intersections of identity in her practice, particularly with clients from marginalized and historically underserved communities. This commitment to inclusivity and social justice shapes her approach, ensuring her work reflects the diverse and complex experiences of the individuals and families she serves.