Dr. Amanda Ferguson, Ph.D., C.Psych
Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Amanda Ferguson is a clinical psychologist and core therapist within the Evolve Therapy Program. Her work is grounded in understanding how emotions influence the ways people think, behave, make decisions, relate to others, and move through their lives. She brings a thoughtful and flexible approach to therapy, helping members make sense of what they are experiencing while identifying the psychological processes that may be keeping difficult patterns in place.
Amanda works with people experiencing a broad range of concerns, including trauma, anxiety, depression, stress, emotion dysregulation, substance use, interpersonal difficulties, and family conflict. Her therapeutic approach integrates Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), mindfulness-based interventions, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). Rather than applying one therapeutic model to every person, Amanda draws from these approaches according to the individual and what is needed at different points in treatment.
Within the Evolve Therapy Program, Amanda is part of the psychology team delivering the group therapy model developed at eFIT. She co-facilitates group therapy sessions, helping members understand the emotional patterns underlying their current difficulties and supporting them as they move from insight toward deeper emotional processing and change. In this work, Amanda brings both clinical structure and curiosity, helping members slow down and understand not simply what they are doing or feeling, but what may be driving those responses underneath.
Amanda earned her Ph.D. in Psychological Clinical Science from the University of Toronto, where her research examined how emotions influence decision-making and motivation. She completed her clinical psychology residency at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, with training in the assessment and treatment of concurrent and trauma-related disorders across inpatient, outpatient, and forensic settings. Her academic career has remained closely connected to questions about human behaviour and mental health. Amanda is a published peer-reviewed researcher, has lectured in the Department of Psychology at the University of Toronto Scarborough, and currently works as a Senior Research Associate at the University of Cambridge, where her research examines how technology use may influence trajectories of mental health and well-being, particularly among young people.
Amanda also brings expertise in psychodiagnostic and adult ADHD assessment to the Evolve Therapy Program. For some members, therapy itself raises important questions about how they have functioned throughout their lives. They may wonder whether longstanding difficulties with attention, emotion, behaviour, or everyday functioning reflect an underlying psychological or neurodevelopmental condition. Others may need greater diagnostic clarity to better understand themselves or to pursue appropriate accommodations.
When assessment is clinically appropriate, Amanda can help members explore these questions as part of their broader journey at eFIT. The purpose is not simply to arrive at a diagnostic label. A thoughtful assessment can provide a more precise understanding of a person's strengths, difficulties, patterns of functioning, and needs. That information can help members make sense of experiences that may have been confusing for years, inform treatment planning, and support recommendations or accommodations when appropriate.
This role fits naturally within the philosophy of the Evolve Therapy Program. Good care begins with understanding the person accurately. Sometimes that understanding develops through the emotional work of therapy. Sometimes formal psychological assessment adds another important piece. Amanda is able to contribute from both directions.
Across her work, she brings together the mindset of a clinician and a researcher: careful observation, curiosity about what lies beneath the surface, and a willingness to adjust the approach as understanding deepens. Within the Evolve Therapy Program, Amanda helps members develop a clearer picture of themselves while supporting the emotional work required to turn that understanding into meaningful change.