we are nothing without our people:

Dr. Amanda (Mandy) Lim is an Associate Physician at Joyce Health. She also provides free counselling services. She was raised in Calgary and obtained her Bachelor's of Science, Medical Degree, and completed her residency training in Family Medicine here as well. She completed her CanReach certification in 2022 and is very excited to work at Joyce Health as she is passionate about mental health and well-being, and caring for families with an interpersonal focus. When she’s not seeing patients, you can find her with her husband and young children, making music, dabbling in photography, crafting or tossing a Frisbee.

Dr. Ingunn Benediktsson is an Associate Physician at Joyce Health. She was born in Iceland but grew up in Calgary.  Dr. Benediktsson comes to medicine after a previous career in music; she completed a Bachelor and Master of Music Performance in Toronto, Ontario at the Royal Conservatory of Music. She returned to Calgary and completed a Bachelor of Health Sciences from the University of Calgary. Dr. Benediktsson obtained her medical degree from the University of Calgary and completed her residency training in Calgary. She obtained further training in child mental health via CanREACH in 2024.

Dr. Benediktsson has three young boys, and enjoys spending time outdoors with her kids and crazy dog.

Dr. Amarakone is from London, England and has been practicing medicine since 2000. She initially trained in pediatrics (child health) in the UK, before completing family medicine training and moving to Canada in 2008. She enjoys helping patients take a pro-active approach to their health and wellness and has a special interest in child health. She is CanREACH certified in child and adolescent psychiatry and is excited and proud to be an Associate Physician at Joyce Health.

Dr Maria M Botha is an associate physician with Joyce Health. She completed her medical studies at the University of Pretoria in South Africa in 2001. After immigration to Canada in 2008, Dr Botha and family have proudly called Calgary home for the last 13 years. She has a passion for pediatric medicine, particularly pediatric mental health in recent years. She completed her CanREACH certification in 2022. 

Dr Botha is guided by a strong believe in the values of love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control as essential to a joyful life. 

Associate Physician at Joyce Health

Hello, my name is Dr. Christa Klapko! I am a born and raised Calgarian. I did my undergraduate degree in Biology at the University of Lethbridge, then I headed up north to Edmonton for Medical School at the University of Alberta. I was lucky to come home for my family medicine residency training through the University of Calgary. Most recently, I completed the CanREACH program in Pediatric Mental Health. 

I have a wonderful, supportive husband and three beautiful children that keep us occupied during most of our free time! 

In the summer you can find my family and I at the lake, enjoying cabin time filled with boating and a variety of water sports. I am very excited to be joining wonderful colleagues at Joyce Health. 

Associate Physician at Joyce Health

Providing free counselling services (i.e. CBT, DBT)

Dr. Magdalene Leung is a proud native Calgarian. Academically, she received both her Bachelors and Masters of Science at the University of Calgary. She completed her medical school at Queens University in Ontario and her residency training in family medicine at the University of Calgary. 

She believes that everyone is resilient, resourceful and capable of making and sustaining change. Her psychotherapy framework are grounded on a holistic model that focuses on four domains: biological; psychological; social and spiritual.  She has used strategies including: motivational interviewing; cognitive behavioral therapy skills (CBT); dialectical behavioral therapy skills (DBT) and interpersonal therapy skills to help patients deal with mental health challenges such as: day-to-day stressors, depression, anxiety, trauma, insomnia, loss of a loved one and addiction.  She has worked with many patients in 1:1, family counselling as well as group therapy for the past five years. She feels very privileged to have the opportunity to work at Joyce Health and to help people in Alberta and the NWT.

Associate Physician at Joyce Health

Hira Waqar is a family physician in Cochrane, Alberta. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Calgary before pursuing her medical education at the American University of the Caribbean. Dr. Waqar is passionate about preventative medicine, women’s health, and mental health. She is also CANREACH certified, showcasing her commitment to providing access to Child and Adolescent Mental Health services. In addition to her clinical work, Hira actively contributes to the medical community as a moderator for the Alberta International Medical Graduates Association (AIMGA), where she supports international medical graduates in their professional development. Dr. Hira Waqar’s journey reflects her dedication to enhancing the well-being of her patients and fostering a healthier community through comprehensive, patient-centered care. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, hiking, reading books and playing board games with her family and Friends. 

Dr Yan Yu is a family physician and the Founder and Director of Joyce Health. He attended medical school and completed residency in Family Medicine both at the University of Calgary, and studied at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. 

Dr Yu has worked in pediatric mental health at the Alberta Children’s Hospital for over 6 years. He obtained his CanREACH certification in 2023 and is passionate about improving the mental health of children and young adults. In his spare time he creates medical videos on Youtube, and enjoys spending time with his wife Jois (Pronounced: “Joyce”) and his son. 

Dr Yu is pleased to provide service in English and Mandarin Chinese.

Lead Consulting Psychiatrist at Joyce Health

Dr Vetter is an Associate Clinical Professor in psychiatry at the University of Calgary. He attended Ulm University in Germany for medical school, and then went to the United States for his residency training in Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania. He then completed his child and adolescent psychiatry training at Massachusetts General Hospital/McLean Hospital at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

Dr. Vetter works as a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary, and his clinical commitments include emergency psychiatry, a transgender clinic for youth, work with Alberta Children and Family Services, as well as a small private practice. He also likes to spend as much time possible with his 3-year-old son, Freddy. He is thrilled to be a consultant for Joyce Health.