Javiera Dastres (She/her)Psychologist

Javiera (pronounced Huh-vyeah-ra) is a psychologist and Board-approved supervisor with a passion for providing respectful and non-judgemental treatment and services. She values creating safe and welcoming spaces that foster personal growth and self compassion and that allow people to connect with their authentic selves. Javiera has experience providing psychological services and supervision in correctional, community and private practice settings, and she has completed a Master of Science in Medicine (Sexual and Reproductive Health) in Psychosexual Therapy. Javiera has extensive experience working with and treating various issues, such as erectile difficulties, sexual and complex trauma, paraphilias (i.e., pedophilia and sadism), and pedophilic OCD. She also has comprehensive knowledge and understanding of non-monogamous relationships and in providing gender questioning and affirming support. Javiera values a client-centred and strengths-based approach to recognising, supporting, and understanding individual differences and needs, particularly around neurodivergence. Javiera provides therapy that draws on numerous approaches, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, Schema Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness, and Motivational Interviewing. She has completed both EMDR Level 1 and Level 2 (Advanced) Training. Javiera has written various SHIPS blog articles and social media content to help increase public awareness and education on numerous topics, including ADHD, non-monogamy, connecting with one's bi-identity, infertility, and grieving relationships. She has also developed a SHIPS online workshop for practitioners and students on how to work inclusively with non-monogamous clients. In 2019, Javiera volunteered in Peru as a Psychology Assistant providing counselling and support to child, adolescent, and adult victim-survivors of family violence and abuse. She also developed a pilot program for pre-teens and adolescents on sexual education, consent and healthy relationships, and she delivered interactive workshops to adults on a range of topics, including self-esteem, sexual diversity, and gender equality and inclusion. Javiera is sex positive, LGBTIQA+ inclusive, kink-friendly, sex work positive, neurodiversity affirming, and welcoming of all relationship structures (non-monogamy and monogamy). She is also conversationally fluent in Spanish.