Michael Vallis, Dalhousie University

Profile photo of Michael Vallis, expert at Dalhousie University

Associate Professor Psychiatry Halifax, Nova Scotia tvallis@dal.ca Office: (902) 473-8635

Bio/Research

Dr. Vallis is a registered clinical psychologist employed at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, Halifax, and cross-appointed to Dalhousie University as Associate Professor in Psychiatry and Adjunct Professor in Psychology, where he practises health psychology. A native of Dartmouth, h...

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Bio/Research

Dr. Vallis is a registered clinical psychologist employed at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, Halifax, and cross-appointed to Dalhousie University as Associate Professor in Psychiatry and Adjunct Professor in Psychology, where he practises health psychology. A native of Dartmouth, he obtained his undergraduate training from Dalhousie University (B.Sc. Honours, 1977), and his postgraduate training in clinical psychology from the University of Western Ontario, London (M.A.-1979; Ph.D.-1983). After holding clinical positions at the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, Toronto (1982-1985) and the Credit Valley Hospital, Mississauga (1985-1988) he returned to Nova Scotia in 1988. Dr. Vallis has held academic appointments at the University of Toronto (Lecturer, Dept. of Psychiatry, 1984-1988) and currently is Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, and Adjunct Professor, Department of Psychology, Dalhousie University. His main area of expertise is in adult health psychology, with an emphasis on diabetes, Gastroenterology, cardiovascular risk and obesity. Dr. Vallis provides clinical service to the QEII and is active in research and teaching. Clinically, he has been part of the Diabetes Management Centre and the GI Unit at the QEII HSC, formerly the Camp Hill Medical Centre, since 1988. Clinical intervention focuses around behaviour change and adaptation to chronic disease, with a specific focus on motivation, behaviour modification and emotion management. In terms of teaching, Dr. Vallis has recently launched the Behaviour Change Institute within the Capital District Health Authority. The purpose of this institute will be to provide competency based training in motivational enhancement, behaviour modification and emotion management interventions within primary care settings. In addition, Dr. Vallis regularly supervises Ph.D. doctoral candidates, doctoral psychology interns, psychology practicum students and regularly lectures to medical students on motivation as well as the role of psychological factors in diabetes, GI and healthy living. As well, he regularly teaches psychotherapy courses to the Ph.D. Clinical Psychology Program at Dalhousie University, as well as providing training sessions in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and motivational enhancement in a number of venues, including; a collaborative program with the Dalhousie Continuing Medical Education department, industry sponsored programs (Roche Diagnostics, Pfizer; Abbott), and training programs to various professional groups. Dr. Vallis remains active in research. He has an active publication record and has on-going research programs in the following areas; motivational enhancement, hepatitis C, and diabetes and cardiovascular risk modification.



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