Josie Geller

Dr. Josie Geller obtained her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of British Columbia (UBC). She joined the Department of Psychiatry, UBC, initially as Assistant Professor, and promoted to Associate Professor.

Dr. Geller’s research focuses on improving clinical outcomes in individuals with chronic health conditions, particularly individuals with eating disorders, by targeting intra- and interpersonal factors. Her areas of interest include clinician stance, readiness and motivation for change and self-compassion. Her provincially and nationally funded program of research focuses on assessing and enhancing motivation for change, overcoming barriers to self-compassion, and enhancing factors that contribute to the delivery of collaborative, patient-centered care.

Dr. Geller provides workshops to care providers throughout British Columbia as well as secondary and tertiary care eating disorder facilities around the world. The focus of these workshops is on assessing readiness for treatment, overcoming barriers to self-compassion, and on the application of a collaborative, patient-focused model of care to service delivery and policy-making. Although the workshops are primarily based on her research in the eating disorders, she also provides training in the areas of substance use, concurrent disorders, HIV, and obesity. At UBC, Dr. Geller teaches Motivational Interviewing skills to UBC Psychiatry and Psychology residents. 

• Populations: Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, obesity.
• Treatment modalities: Readiness and motivation therapy, compassion focused therapy, cognitive behaviour therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy.

Peer-reviewed publications

• Research Scholar Award, Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, 2000-2005
• Research Senior Scholar Award, Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, 2005-2010
• Health Professional Investigator Award, Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, 2019-2023
• Dr. Geller authored the BC Clinical Practice Guidelines, which provide best practices for children, youth, and adults with eating disorders. A key feature of the BC Guidelines is a tool that she developed, the Short Treatment Allocation Tool for Eating Disorders (STATED). The STATED is unique in its consideration of patients along independent dimensions that capture the full spectrum of eating disorder presentations in children, youth and adults.
• President, Eating Disorders Association of Canada (2017)
• Director at Large, Eating Disorders Association of Canada (2013 – 2015)
• Editorial Board, Journal of Eating Disorders (2012 – 2020)