Our Psychologists

Dr. Ellwood is a registered psychologist who completed her Master’s (2000) and Doctoral (2006) degrees in Clinical Psychology at the University of Calgary. Her clinical internship focused on outpatient psychiatry, psychosocial oncology, and family therapy.

Using a cognitive mindfulness approach to therapy, Dr. Ellwood provides psychological services to those living with chronic or life-threatening illness, adults and youth with depression and anxiety, and people with trauma-related distress. She is also the clinical director of Reach the Peak Behaviour Intervention Services. This program provides behaviour consulting, behaviour therapy, and cognitive behaviour therapy to preschool and school-aged neurodiverse children.

Dr. Ellwood is a former Izaak Walton Killam scholar whose doctoral work identified factors that mediate the desire for hastened death among terminally ill cancer patients. Following completion of her doctoral degree, she worked as both researcher and clinical practitioner at the BC Cancer Agency. In this role Dr. Ellwood served on provincial and national groups including the National Cancer Institute of Canada’s Clinical Trials Group and was instrumental in the creation of a multidisciplinary research team investigating the neuropsychological impact of brain cancers. During this time she also held an adjunct professorship at UBC Okanagan in the department of Psychology. Dr. Ellwood also worked at Okanagan Ability Centre and Diversified Rehabilitation Group before opening her own private practice in 2009.

Dr. Towill is a registered psychologist, with a large private practice in Kelowna, British Columbia. She has worked with individuals, couples and families for over 20 years, on a wide range of psychological issues. Dr. Towill’s current practice focuses on couples therapy, reproductive health concerns and obesity. Dr. Towill holds numerous professional roles. She is an Affiliate Psychologist with Olive Fertility Centre Kelowna and Olive Fertility Centre Vancouver, and a Consulting Psychologist for Kelowna Band Surgery Centre. Dr. Towill is also a longstanding and proud provider of psychological assessment and therapy services for the RCMP and Veterans Affairs Canada. Dr. Towill is known for providing directive, goal- oriented psychotherapy, and for utilizing empirically derived cognitive-behavioral, mindfulness and solution-focused techniques to assist her clients in achieving their therapy goals.

Dr. Towill is passionate about her beloved Okanagan community, and has conducted countless lectures to lay and professional audiences on a wide range of psychological topics. She is a mother and former teacher, and is particularly interested in the impact of technology on cognitive and emotional development in children and youth. Over the last 18 years, she has given countless lectures on this topic to school administrators, teachers, parents and physician groups throughout BC.

Dr. Towill is a member of the College of Health and Care Professionals of British Columbia. She is also a member of the BC Psychological Association, the Canadian Psychological Association and the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society.

Please note that due to the large number of referrals Dr. Towill’s office receives, she is not currently accepting referrals related to mood disorders, sexual health concerns or family therapy with children under the age of 16.