Independent Medical (Psychological) Assessments

Independent Medical (Psychological) Assessments Ottawa

Clients are referred by lawyers, insurers, healthcare professionals, and other third parties for specific Independent Medical Assessments such as neuropsychological and psychological evaluations. Independent psychological assessments involve an approach that combines interviews and psychological tests designed to contribute to the psychologists’ professional opinion about the state of mind and psychological functioning of the client. The referral questions typically involve the courts, lawyers, or insurance companies. The assessment is conducted by a psychologist who has not yet previously been involved in the client’s treatment and will not be seeing the client for treatment in the future. The psychologist provides an impartial, objective opinion about the client’s state of mind and the probable causes of that state of mind. 


Recently, Dr. Jennifer Fernie and Dr. Angelina Chupetlovska have joined Dr. Iris Jackson's team. Dr. Jackson has many years of experience in providing Independent Psychological Evaluations in the context of civil lawsuits for psychological trauma. She has testified as an Expert Witness in civil lawsuits and tribunals. She is a member of the Canadian Society of Medical Evaluators (CSME) and sits on the board of the Canadian Academy of Psychologists in Disability Assessment (CAPDA).

Gilmour Psychologists with Expertise in Independent Medical Assessments

Contact Gilmour Psychological Services® in Ottawa to schedule a consultation with a psychologist who has an expertise in independent medical assessments.

A woman wearing a green shirt and a necklace is looking at the camera.
August 28, 2022
Dr. Angelina Chupetlovska provides treatment to children, adolescents, adults and families. She also conducts child custody and access assessments. In her psychotherapy orientation Dr. Chupetlovska brings together aspects from the psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioural, rational-emotive, and humanistic approaches.
A woman wearing glasses and a polka dot shirt is smiling for the camera.
August 8, 2021
Dr. Fernie has worked extensively with childhood trauma and personality difficulties. Dr. Fernie has also worked with people who needed treatment overcoming single incident traumas, interpersonal difficulties, mood disorders (including anxiety and depression), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), self-esteem, stress and other major mental health issues. She is experienced in assessing and developing individualised treatment plans collaboratively with clients. Her therapy choices are client dependent and she uses an integrated approach.
Headshot of a smiling woman with long dark hair on a white background
By Kristi Rudolph July 26, 2021
Dr. Syeda Huma Shireen, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist licensed in Quebec (Ordre des Psychologues du Québec, licence number 15026-23) and Ontario (College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario, licence number 400317). She also provides clinical telepsychology services in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia under the labour mobility provisions of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement. Dr. Shireen completed her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology at McGill University. She also holds a Master of Clinical and Counselling Psychology from the University of Toronto and a Master of Counselling Psychology from Adler Graduate Professional School. Her graduate clinical training included practica and internships at leading institutions, including the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto and the Jewish General Hospital in Montréal. Dr. Shireen's clinical psychotherapy practice includes the treatment of trauma and related disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, and personality disorders in adults from an integrative model, including mindfulness-based, emotion-focused, cognitive-behavioral, and psychodynamic methods, among other modalities. Her goal is to foster self-awareness and uncover clients’ innate potential for healing and problem-solving. Her approach provides a warm, non-judgmental environment where clients feel safe to explore their joys and challenges, learn from their difficult experiences, and make informed decisions. Her overarching goal as a clinician is to help clients develop trust in their own inner wisdom and become more self-sufficient. Dr. Shireen's independent psychological assessment expertise includes the assessment, diagnosis, and formulation of mental health conditions in adults in accordance with DSM-5-TR criteria, particularly related to trauma-related disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders. She provides independent, evidence-based opinions regarding diagnosis, causation, prognosis, functional limitations, and treatment needs. Her opinions are based on clinical interviews supported by standardized psychological measures, review of collateral documentation, and application of current scientific and professional standards. Dr. Shireen provides assessment services for veterans and first responders for Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) disability benefit applications. Her goal is to conduct high-quality comprehensive psychological assessments that accurately capture the psychological condition of each veteran for their benefits application and to enable them to develop a better understanding of themselves for future treatment and rehabilitation. To this end, she draws from her experience as a trauma-based psychotherapist and independent psychological assessor. Namely, she has vast experience working with clients with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, chronic pain, sexual trauma, and personality disorders. This psychotherapeutic work informs her psychodiagnostic formulation and treatment recommendations for VAC assessments. She also has experience providing comprehensive psycho-legal assessments rooted in advanced training through her Certification in MedicoLegal Expertise (CMLE). These advanced credentials reflect her specialized training in evidence-based and defensible disability evaluations, functional impairment assessments, causation analysis, and report writing. She has also completed numerous training relevant to this work, including the Veteran and Military Mental Health Certification Course through PESI Canada, the Military Cultural Competency course through the Veterans Transition Network, and learnings on moral injury through the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families. Her approach combines clinical expertise, trauma-informed care, and an understanding of the unique experiences of military service to ensure assessments are objective, respectful, and responsive to veterans' needs. Dr. Shireen is a registered provider with Medavie Blue Cross. Dr. Shireen maintains active professional affiliations with the Canadian Society of Medical Evaluators, the Canadian Board of Professional Psychology, and the MedicoLegal Society of Toronto.