Self-EDvocate
Education and Development Center
At Self-EDvocate, we empower students to advocate for their learning needs. When students know how their brain learns best, they can achieve greater success in school and in life. When parents and teachers are educated about a child’s learning strengths and challenges, they are more effective in providing support.
We provide detailed psycho-educational assessments in the Vancouver Fairview area. We assess for Specific Learning Disorder, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Intellectual Developmental Disorder, and Giftedness in students ages 7 to young adult. We also provide follow-up Speech-Language services that include consultation, screening, and virtual home-based intervention services, if appropriate.
At Self-EDvocate, we view assessments as roadmaps that guide our clients toward meeting their potential in school, at home, and in life.
Please visit our Services page for more details.
Dr. Zuhra (Zora) Teja is a Licensed Psychologist, award-winning educator, and Founder of Self-EDvocate. She has dedicated 25 years to improving the social-emotional and academic development of children locally and internationally. She has served as Vice-Principal of the Provincial Outreach Program for Autism and Related Disorders, leading a multi-disciplinary team of health care professionals, behaviour analysts, and specialist teachers, who provide consultation and training to educators across BC.
Dr. Teja earned her PhD in School Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, and completed an internship with the International Rescue Committee, providing psychotherapy to refugee mothers. She earned her MA in Special Education and BEd in Teacher Education from UBC.
In 2024, Dr. Teja received the UBC Faculty of Education Alumni of the Year award for her dedication to children at risk in BC and internationally. Her commitment to expand school psychology services in resource deprived areas globally has been recognized by the Clinton Global Initiative.
Dr. Teja is described as an educator who makes children of varied neurological abilities “feel valued and heard” and makes families of diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds “feel right at home with her”.
Chelsea Jelic is a Registered Speech-Language Pathologist, with over 15 years of experience supporting meaningful communication in children, youth, and adults in British Columbia. As an associate of Self-EDvocate, Chelsea provides consultation, screening, and home-based intervention services where the psycho-educational assessment recommendations might include follow-up speech-language support.
Chelsea earned her Masters of Science Degree in Audiology and Speech Sciences from the University of British Columbia. Her diverse experience includes working in public education, clinical settings, and home-based environments, allowing her to support clients across a range of needs and settings.
Chelsea is passionate about family-centered care that builds the capacity of parents to support their child while honouring the child'’s strengths, needs, and unique ways of communicating.