Mind Full: The Canadian Psychological Association podcast

Publishing children's books: Another path to knowledge mobilization with Marlee Kostiner 07.05.2026 39min

Marlee Kostiner put her passions for writing, digital media, and mental health to use publishing children's books. She has one of her own - Namoosté - but her main focus is on helping mental health professionals write evidence-based books for kids. She joins Mind Full to discuss the publishing process and the importance of knowledge translation in today's world. Garden Wolf Publishing: https://www.gardenwolfpublishing.com/ Marlee's email: mailto:marlee@gardenwolfpublishing.com

Stress, exhaustion, and cynicism: Workplace burnout with Dr. Melanie Badali 23.04.2026 55min

We're all a little familiar with the concept of workplace burnout - when the workload exceeds our capacity, or when the office culture becomes untenable. Dr. Melanie Badali joins Mind Full to explain in greater detail the nuances as well as the signs, symptoms, and approaches to dealing with burnout on the job. Dr. Badali's bio: https://www.nssac.ca/professionals_Badali.html CPA "Psychology Works" fact sheet: Workplace Burnout https://cpa.ca/psychology-works-fact-sheet-workplace-burnout/ Workplace Standard - Mental Health Commission of Canada https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/workplace-standard/ Guarding Minds at Work https://www.guardingmindsatwork.ca/ Workplace Strategies for Mental Health https://www.workplacestrategiesformentalhealth.com/ Preventing burnout - Canada.ca https://www.canada.ca/en/government/publicservice/wellness-inclusion-diversity-public-service/health-wellness-public-servants/mental-health-workplace/preventing-burnout.html

A lifetime of advocacy: Supporting survivors of clergy sexual abuse with Gemma Hickey 09.04.2026 36min

Gemma Hickey was the recipient of the 2025 CPA Humanitarian Award, which is presented to outstanding individuals who are not psychologists whose commitment and persistent endeavors have significantly enhanced the psychological health and well-being of the people of Canada. Gemma is a longtime advocate for survivors of clergy sexual abuse, and for the visibility and inclusion of members of our 2SLGBTQ+ communities. Gemma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justbegemma/?hl=en Gemma's book 'Almost Feral' at Atlantic Books: https://atlanticbooks.ca/books/almost-feral Pathways Foundation Newfoundland: https://www.facebook.com/pathwaysfoundationnl/ Artforce: https://artforcenl.org/

Bipolar disorder and a new health information tool with Dr. Kelsey Collimore 26.03.2026 34min

Mood disorders are complex, which means that both the diagnosis and the treatment can be complex. Such is the case with bipolar disorder, a mood disorder characterized by manic highs and depressive lows. Getting accurate, evidence-based information about the condition is essential, which is what led The Royal, a specialized mental health centre in Ottawa, to create a virtual health information tool for people living with the condition. Dr. Kelsey Collimore, the clinical psychologist who led this initiative, joins Mind Full to talk about it. The Royal client and family resource hub: https://www.theroyal.ca/client-and-family-resource-hub/ Bipolar disorder education series videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuvIFrHQhXvkZr1SpiPpYY_jJ4AFJoCVg

Drayton Gilbert and the Native Friendship Centre of Montreal 13.03.2026 28min

Every year at the CPA’s convention, we sell orange T-shirts designed by Indigenous artist Betty Gilbert to raise money for a local charity. This year, if you attend our convention and purchase an orange T-shirt, that money will go to the Native Friendship Centre of Montreal. Drayton Gilbert has gone from being a youth who accessed the services they provided to being the centre’s manager of operations, and he joins the podcast to talk about the work the Centre does with Indigenous people in Montreal. Native Friendship Centre of Montreal: https://www.nfcm.org/en/about-us/ Support the NFCM: https://www.nfcm.org/en/support-us/

Jinn in the Family: Oral storytelling and cultural richness with Dr. Rehman Abdulrehman 12.03.2026 45min

Dr. Rehman Abdulrehman came back to the Mind Full podcast to talk about his new book - this time a work of fiction! Jinn in the Family tells the story of a family, originally from Zanzibar, and the Jinn that follows them throughout their lives as they move around the world - including to places like Winnipeg. The novel brings a psychological lens to the concepts of cultural resilience and family dynamics. Jinn in the Family: https://leadwithdiversity.com/jinn/ Lead With Diversity Press: https://leadwithdiversity.com/press/ Other books by Dr. Abdulrehman, including 'The Poetry of Angry Black and Brown People': https://leadwithdiversity.com/books/

This is Psychology: HIV, AIDS, and healthcare inequity with Dr. Sean Rourke 26.02.2026 38min

It’s psychology month! Throughout February, we’ve highlighted the ways psychology shapes our everyday lives, and helps us in ways we don’t always notice. Today we’re going to focus on one way psychology interacts with the healthcare system, specifically in the field of HIV and AIDS. Our guest, Dr. Sean Rourke, just won a major award for his life’s work, the inaugural Eric Jackman award from the Royal Society of Canada. From the days when an HIV diagnosis was seen as a death sentence to today, when early detection can result in a long and full life, he has been helping Canadians in a myriad of ways.

This is Psychology: Cancer care and psycho-oncology with Bob Wakeham and Dr. Sheila Garland 19.02.2026 31min

Psychology Month continues with a look at psychology's role in cancer care. A diagnosis of cancer will affect each person who receives one a little differently. But it will affect everyone. Not just the person with the diagnosis, but the people around them. Family, friends, and co-workers need help as well. Psychologists can play a central role at every stage, from diagnosis to treatment to end-of-life care. Our guests on Mind Full today are friends. Bob Wakeham met Dr. Sheila Garland when he joined her study on insomnia in people who had been diagnosed with cancer. Bob shares his story and experiences with us, and tells us how Sheila's involvement in his life made an enormous difference. Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology: https://www.capo.ca/

This is Psychology: Children, domestic violence, and the COVID carryover 12.02.2026 37min

Our Psychology Month series continues with a look at how the effects of COVID are still being felt by children in schools, particularly in rural settings where incidents of family violence remain elevated. Remember the COVID-19 pandemic? It wasn’t that long ago, but many of us have kind of memory-holed the entire traumatic experience. That said, just because we don’t think about it any more doesn’t mean that the effects aren’t still being felt today. For example, rates of gender-based violence, including femicide, remain elevated above pre-pandemic levels. This is particularly the case in rural communities, and is evident in the attitudes and behaviours of kids in schools. Strained Systems, Escalating Needs: Service Provider Perspectives on the Rural Landscape of Sexual- and Gender-based Violence in the Five-years post-COVID: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/394321057_Strained_Systems_Escalating_Needs_Service_Provider_Perspectives_on_the_Rural_Landscape_of_Sexual-_and_Gender-based_Violence_in_the_Five-years_post-COVID Space, place, and the politics of access: Service provider perspectives on health system responses to sexual- and gender-based violence in rural communities: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1353829225001625 Family Transition Place: https://familytransitionplace.ca/

This is Psychology: Pee, poop, and pre-teen problems with Dr. Jen Theule 05.02.2026 37min

Psychology Month is recognized throughout February. This episode kicks off our special Psychology Month series, highlighting the ways psychology contributes to our lives in ways we might not realize. Just about every little kid has accidents from time to time. But more than one poop accident in a month (encopresis) or more than two pee accidents per week (enuresis) might be cause for concern. Dr. Jen Theule helps explain what signs to look for, how best to potty-train kids, and how psychologists help resolve problems that might occur as children get a little bit older. "Psychology Works" fact sheet on enuresis and encopresis: https://cpa.ca/psychology-works-fact-sheet-enuresis-and-encopresis-in-children/ Enuresis and encopresis fact sheet video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5XlyIf1Nmo

Mental health care and the federal budget with Glenn Brimacombe 11.12.2025 47min

The Canadian federal budget has been released, and some changes to Canada's mental health landscape will happen as a result. Our resident economist, CPA Director of Policy and Public Affairs Glenn Brimacombe, joins Mind Full to look forward to what Canadians can expect over the next year.

Training standards for psychologists in Ontario with Dr. Lisa Votta-Bleeker 03.12.2025 35min

As the College of Psychologists and Behavioural Analysts of Ontario (CPBAO) has proposed a number of changes to their entry-to-practice standards for psychologists, the CPA and other psychology organizations around Canada are raising concerns about those changes. Dr. Lisa Votta-Bleeker, CPA CEO, joins Mind Full to lay out those concerns, and what she sees as the dangers inherent in reducing entry-to-practice standards. CPA's response to CPBAO: https://cpa.ca/docs/File/Press%20Release/CPA%20Response%20to%20CPBAO%20Consultation%20-%2025Nov2025_Final.pdf Share your thoughts with the CPBAO: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BZ5SB8Q The full text of the Psychology and Behaviour Analysis Act, 2021 and Ontario Regulation 193/23 Registration with the proposed amendments (in tracked changes), and a three-column chart which shows the proposed revisions to the Registration Regulation can be viewed here: https://cpbao.ca/wp-content/uploads/Consultation-Amendmenhttps://cpbao.ca/wp-content/uploads/Consultation-Amendments-to-Registration-Regulation-under-the-Psychology-and-Behaviour-Analysis-Act-2021-5.pdf

Why we need to stop gambling ads in Canada: Bruce Kidd and Dr. Steve Joordens 13.11.2025 37min

In the wake of the NBA gambling scandal, and with Canadians watching televised sports more often, now is the time to curtail the ads that normalize gambling - especially for children. Bruce Kidd and Dr. Steve Joordens from the University of Toronto return to the podcast to reiterate their warnings about the harms inherent in advertising gambling. Bruce is a Canadian Olympian and a recipient of the Lou Marsh award as Canada's top athlete. Steve is a psychologist and professor who has written about the "weaponization of psychology" in encouraging addictive gambling behaviour. Ban Ads For Gambling website: https://unbetgamblingads.com/about Senator Marty Deacon's Bill S-211: S-211 https://www.parl.ca/legisinfo/en/bill/45-1/s-211 Get involved: https://unbetgamblingads.com/send-a-letter-you-to-mp-mpp

Resilience, culture, and living with war - Tomas Vanderkam and Ukraine 30.10.2025 38min

The world is paying attention to the current war between Russia and Ukraine. While it is devastating and horrific for the Ukrainian people, it is just the latest in more than a century of war, occupation, oppression, and resilience. What makes a person resilient? What makes a people resilient? And how does that come through in a country where violence and threats from all sides have been ongoing for lifetimes? Tomas Vanderkam's research into resilience is informed by his Ukrainian heritage, and he joins the podcast to explore both. Tom's presentation from the CPA convention in June: https://youtu.be/YfiYZq44qF8?si=Ntl6XApWsmCeAAHa Free Ukrainian history lecture playlist from University of Toronto: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGDWF-S8Wt4XVNFMHOt1UvlMwg_HlP9Ov Link to Tomas' full paper: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/384562816_Voices_of_Resilience_in_Ukraine_Psychological_Predictors_of_Resilience_in_Survivor_Narratives Some Ukrainian resources: A Survey of Ukrainian Historiography by Dmytro Doroshenko: https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Ukraine/_Topics/history/_Texts/DORSUH/home.html The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine by Serhii Plokhy https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25255053-the-gates-of-europe Contemporary media: The Kyiv Independent: https://kyivindependent.com/ Zaborona: https://zaborona.com/en/ Donate to help Ukraine: https://u24.gov.ua/

Correspondence with killers - in conversation with Jeffrey Smalldon 10.10.2025 1t 2min

Forensic psychologist Jeffrey Smalldon spent decades corresponding, conversing, and probing the minds of some of America's most notorious killers, from John Wayne Gacy to the Manson family. Why are we, as a society, so fascinated with history's most violent and depraved acts and events? Are Canadians different from Americans in our fascination with such horror? Jeffrey Smalldon's book, 'That Beast Was Not Me: One Forensic Psychologist, Five Decades of Conversations With Killers': https://www.blacklyonpublishing.com/product-page/that-beast-was-not-me-one-forensic-psychologist-five-decades-of-convers Jeffrey Smalldon's website: https://jeffreysmalldon.com/ An additional note for today's episode. Early on, we discuss the difference between Canada's recollection of historic political assassinations and America's. That Americans (and Canadians, thanks to our proximity and our consumption of American culture) know locales like Ford's Theatre where Lincoln was assassinated, Dealey Plaza in Dallas where JFK was shot, or the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, the site of the killing of Martin Luther King. I suggested that Canadians were less likely to know that kind of detail about similar events, even though political assassinations are much rarer here. I wondered how many Canadians knew about events that had happened in their own city - the biggest political assassination in Canadian history was that of D'Arcy McGee, on of the Fathers of Confederation, on Sparks Street in Ottawa. Another was that of Pierre Laporte, murdered during the FLQ crisis in 1970. And a third was the assassination of Atilla Altıkat, a Turkish diplomat gunned down on Island Park Drive in Ottawa in 1982. Curious after discussing these things, I mentioned them to my boss later in the day after recording this episode. While she was sort of familiar with Laporte, the other two events came as a surprise. Then I went to dinner with my mom and asked her - she was also unfamiliar with D'Arcy McGee. But more surprisingly to me, she had almost no recollection of the murder of Altıkat. I would have been a baby or toddler, and the event took place about eight blocks from where we lived at the time.

Before the budget: Federal considerations with Glenn Brimacombe 02.10.2025 52min

The 2025 federal budget will be delivered November 4th. Glenn Brimacombe, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at the Canadian Psychological Association, joins Mind Full to discuss the advocacy approach to the budget process. We know many things that Canadians and mental health professionals want - parity between healthcare and mental health care, for example. How are we doing in advancing those priorities, and what can the rest of us do? CPA input on the federal budget: https://cpa.ca/cpa-provides-input-into-2025-federal-budget-august-2025/

Indigenous culture and community in St. John's - First Light with Stacey Howse 18.09.2025 25min

Every year at the CPA convention, we sell orange T-shirts designed by Betty Albert to raise money for an Indigenous-led charity. In 2025 the convention was held in St. John's, Newfoundland, and the recipient of the T-shirt proceeds is First Light, an organization that works with urban Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in the city. Stacey Howse is the Executive Director of First Light, and she joins Mind Full to tell us about the organization, their wraparound services, and the unique challenges facing urban Indigenous people in St. John's today. September 30th Rally for Reconciliation in St. John's: https://firstlightnl.ca/community-events/orange-shirt-day/ First Light website: https://firstlightnl.ca/our-organization/ Email: info@firstlightnl.ca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FirstLightNL/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstlightnl/ Mind Full episode with artist Betty Albert: https://soundcloud.com/user-389503679/podcast-betty-albert?si=1dceb9c0cf4a49d4bfb2e8b74aa599f3&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Criminal profiling on TV and in real life with Dr. Alexandra Zidenberg 04.09.2025 36min

Criminal profiling, in the sense that we see it on TV, has less than a 50% success rate. As a tool of law enforcement, it is the equivalent of a coin flip. But seeing law enforcement use it successfully on television gives us, the viewers, a sense that these methods yield tremendous results in real life. And, maybe, makes us believe that we would be successful should we be given a similar task. Dr. Alexandra Zidenberg from the University of Montreal joins Mind Full to talk about a recent study she did with undergraduate student Vivian Mullins in RMC's Department of Military Psychology and Leadership. How much does binge-watching Criminal Minds enhance our ability to profile a suspect? Do true-crime podcasts (which usually deal with crimes that have been solved) skew our beliefs about the effectiveness of law enforcement? Dr. Zidenberg's study with Vivian Mullins, written up in the CPA Criminal Justice Section’s Crime Scene newsletter: https://cpa.ca/docs/File/Sections/Criminal%20Justice%20Psychology/Crime%20Scene_SpringSummer2025_correction.pdf Other articles of note: Taking Stock of Criminal Profiling: A Narrative Review and Meta-Analysis https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0093854806296925 Do We Mistake Fiction for Fact? Investigating Whether the Consumption of Fictional Crime-Related Media May Help to Explain the Criminal Profiling Illusion https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/21582440221091243 Expertise in Psychological Profiling: A Comparative Assessment https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/088626000015003006 Media Effects and Criminal Profiling: How Fiction Influences Perception and Profile Accuracy https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1205&context=fse_etd/ The Hunting Warhead podcast (which really is VERY good): https://www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-podcasts/387-hunting-warhead

Thinking beyond academic achievement with Dr. Linda Iwenofu 21.08.2025 38min

A lot of the time, awards given out in school reflect academic achievement - marks and grades are quantifiable, and it's easy to determine which students are the top academic performers. But does this create too much pressure on those students who compete for those accolades? And where does it leave the students who excel in other, less quantifiable areas? Today's Mind Full guest, Dr. Linda Iwenofu, suggests a restructuring of our reward systems, from primary school to post-secondary institutions. Schools need to rethink graduation awards, child psychologists say: https://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/article/child-psychologists-say-school-awards-should-recognize-more-than-just-top-marks/ For information about Dr. Iwenofu's research and teaching: www.powerinyouthlab.com and https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/32066-linda-iwenofu Dr. Iwenofu's clinical private practice: www.powerinyouthpsychology.com For further reading on what leading psychologists have to say about re-imagining awards and similar recognition systems : -Kohn, A. (2018). Punished by rewards: Punished By Rewards: Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Edition: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A’s, Praise, and Other Bribes. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-36591-000 -Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Ballantine Books. https://adrvantage.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Mindset-The-New-Psychology-of-Success-Dweck.pdf -Robinson, C. D., Gallus, J., Lee, M. G., Rogers, T. (2019). The demotivating effect (and unintended message) of awards. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. doi: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2019.03.006. https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/todd_rogers/files/the_demotivating_effect_and_unintended_message_of_awards_vf.pdf See my dad's Grade 11 chemistry medal from Rivers high school in Manitoba: https://bsky.app/profile/ericbollman.bsky.social/post/3lul6l3jaws2f

Contingent work in Canada with Dr. Catherine Connelly 07.08.2025 38min

Contingent workers, a group which includes gig workers, contract workers, and temporary foreign workers, are a growing segment of Canada's workforce. This trend shows no signs of slowing, and as a result there is an increasing need to protect those workers, who are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Today's guest, Dr. Catherine Connelly, tells us about the current state of contingent work in Canada, and suggests some ways we can ensure the safety and security of Canadian contingent workers going forward. Dr. Connelly's 2023 book 'Enduring Work: Experiences with Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Program': https://www.amazon.ca/Enduring-Work-Experiences-Canadas-Temporary/dp/0228016681 McMaster Organizational Behaviour Laboratory: https://mobl.ca/ Dr. Connelly's McMaster bio: https://mcrew.ca/member/catherine-connelly-2/ Stompin' Tom's 'Tillsonburg': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YouShACK-H4