External Adjunct Professors

Jack Haggarty 

M.D. (McMaster University) 

Phone: 807-624-3400 

E-mail: haggartyj@tbh.net

Dr. Haggarty is a psychiatrist and former family physician working in Thunder Bay, Ontario. A graduate of McMaster Medical School, he completed his residency at the University of Ottawa (Family Medicine), and the University of Western Ontario (Psychiatry). He is the Medical Director of Community Mental Health Services Fort William Clinic in Thunder Bay, serving over 11 family physicians and 30,000 patients. As an Associate Professor (Northern Ontario Medical School) and Adjunct Professor (Lakehead University), he has presented internationally on collaborative mental health, health outcomes, as well as publishing scientific papers on trans-cultural epidemiological research of Canada’s Inuit and First Nations people. He is actively engaged with delivering mental health to First Nations people. He is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada, and a Diplomat of the Board of Neurology and Psychiatry. 

 

Mary Ann Mountain 

M.A. (Lakehead U.), Ph.D. (Victorial U.); C. Psych. (Ontario), ABPP/CN 
Phone: 807-343-4359 
E-mail: mountaim@tbh.net

Dr. Mountain is a Clinical Neuropsychologist in private practice, where she provides disability assessment and treatment services to adults and children who have suffered some type of neurological illness or injury. She is also the manager of Community Mental Health Services (CMHS), a large interdisciplinary outpatient program for clients with a serious and persistent mental illness operated by St. Joseph’s Care Group. The CMHS staff of 38 health care professionals includes 4 psychologists and 1 Psychological Associate. Practica and internship placements provide students with an opportunity to develop skills in interdisciplinary team work with disciplines including psychiatry, nursing, social work, occupational therapy, recreation therapists, vocational rehab and spiritual care staff. the basis of the experience. As well, there is opportunity for students to engage in program development and evaluation activities. 

 

Fred Schmidt 

M.A. (University of Guelph), Ph.D. (U. of Windsor); C. Psych. (Ontario) 

Phone: 807-343-5016
E-mail: fschmidt@childrenscentre.ca

Dr. Schmidt is a clinical psychologist with a sub-specialty in child-clinical and forensic psychology, practicing at the Children’s Centre Thunder Bay where he provides clinical services within the children’s mental health, youth justice, and child welfare systems. In addition, Dr. Schmidt teaches a variety of courses at Lakehead University and holds an adjunct position in the Psychology Department. He supervises graduate students during clinical placements at the Children’s Centre Thunder Bay and carries on an active program of research with graduate and undergraduate students. 

 

Alexandra Drawson 
M.A., Ph.D. (Lakehead University), C. Psych. (Supervised Practice)

E-mail: alex.drawson@lakeheadu.ca

Dr. Drawson completed her MA and PhD in Clinical Psychology at Lakehead University and her residency with the Northern Ontario Psychology Internship Consortium in 2018. She is currently employed as a psychologist with St. Joseph’s Care Group Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Services (CAPS). She works with children and adolescents, diagnosing and treating a wide range of presenting problems including anxiety, depression, behavioural difficulties, trauma, learning and attentional issues, and psychosis. Dr. Drawson primarily practices from a CBT orientation, but is integrative and incorporates a variety of evidence-based approaches (DBT, ACT, mindfulness). She also manages a program of applied research at CAPS. Her research interests include the impact of sleep and screen use on pediatric mental health, transdiagnostic approaches to the assessment and treatment of mental disorders, rural and northern community well being,  and measure development and validation. She has published in several peer-reviewed journals and presented her research at over 30 national and international conferences.

 

Taslim Alani-Verjee 
Ph.D, C. Psych.

E-mail: talani@lakeheadu.caDrtaslim@silmmentalhealth.com

Dr. Taslim Alani-Verjee is a Clinical Psychologist living and working in Toronto, Canada. She is the Founder and Director of Silm Centre for Mental Health, a community-based and social justice-oriented practice that seeks to make mental health awareness and services more accessible to the communities with whom she and her team work. 

Dr. Taslim has offered many trainings and workshops related to well-being, including self-care and burnout, noticing the signs and symptoms of mental illness, and diversity, inclusion and anti-oppression training. She also teaches regularly at Lakehead University, the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto, and Adler Graduate Professional School.

Dr. Taslim has her PhD and Masters in Clinical Psychology from Lakehead University, and her Masters in International Development Studies from Dalhousie University.

 

Elaine Toombs 
Ph.D, C. Psych.

E-mail: etoombs@lakeheadu.ca

Dr. Elaine Toombs is a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Banting postdoctoral fellow and an adjunct professor in the Department of Psychology at Lakehead University. Her research primarily focuses on First Nations mental health using community-based methods, including how eHealth interventions can be used with Indigenous people seeking treatment for substance use. As a co-investigator of a Canadian Institutes of Health Research project grant, she examines how adverse childhood experiences may affect psychological and physical health outcomes with First Nations people in residential treatment. In addition to her academic work, Dr. Toombs is a registered clinical psychologist at Dilico Anishinabek Family Care, and provides assessment, intervention, and consultation services for First Nations children, adolescents, and adults.

Steven Arnocky

Ph.D, Psych

E-mail: stevena@nipissingu.ca

Dr. Steven Arnocky is a Professor and founding director of the Human Evolution Laboratory at Nipissing University, Canada. His research is funded by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). His work examines the evolutionary underpinnings of human mating. It is indisputable that natural and sexual selection have shaped many aspects of human biology and behavior. His research seeks to understand how evolutionary pressures may have influenced various aspects of human mating. These include issues surrounding hormonal and immunological functioning, physiological characteristics, attractiveness and mate-value, physical appearance enhancement, signaling and mate acquisition, mate-poaching, as well as conflict strategies employed both within and between the sexes. For more information, please visit: http://evolutionlab.nipissingu.ca

 

Dr. Rebecca Schiff

P.h.D., Institute for Sustainability and Technology Policy, Murdoch University

Email: rebecca.schiff@unbc.ca

Dean, Faculty of Human and Health Sciences

University of Northern British Columbia

 

Dr. Kirsti Toivonen

Ph.D., C.Psych. 

Email: kitoivon@lakeheadu.ca

Dr. Kirsti Toivonen is a clinical and health psychologist who completed her PhD at the University of
Calgary in 2021. She currently works at the Chronic Pain Management Program as part of an
interprofessional team. Here, she provides psychoeducation as part of comprehensive group
programming, and treats mental health disorders including post-traumatic stress, anxiety, mood-
related, and adjustment disorders. She also addresses cross-cutting issues such as sleep,
communication, and identity.
Dr. Toivonen’s research interests have always aligned with improving quality of life among those with
chronic illness. She has published more than 20 peer-reviewed research articles and presented at
dozens of conferences. She is also interested in behavioural trial design and evaluation, and adherence
to health behaviour change. At the Chronic Pain Management Program, she is involved in ongoing
quality improvement initiatives and development of group programming.

 

Dr. Patricia Smith,

P.h.D. Social Psychology, University of Waterloo

Email: psmith@nosm.ca

Associate Professor

Co-Chair Social and Population Health

NOSM University

 

Professional Associates 

Jennifer Welsh

Ph.D, Psych

E-mail: jwelsh@childrenscentre.ca

Dr. Welsh completed her Bachelor of Science degree at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1999.  She moved to Thunder Bay, Ontario, in 2001 to complete her Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Clinical Psychology at Lakehead University.  In 2006, Dr. Welsh completed her internship with the Kingston Internship Consortium, affiliated with Queen’s University.  Dr. Welsh accepted a position working with children and adolescents in rural and northern communities in 2007 with Children’s Centre Thunder Bay.  Her work is based mainly in assessment and consultation, and she enjoys the variety and experience of being a generalist practitioner.  Establishing collaborative working practices with other disciplines and agencies who serve the north is an integral component to her work.  Dr. Welsh is an independent and registered psychologist with the College of Psychologists of Ontario.  She has been supervising graduate students in clinical placements since 2010. 

 

Mandy McMahan

PhD, C. Psych

E-mail: ahmcmaha@lakeheadu.ca

Mandy McMahan, PhD, C. Psych., is a Clinical, Health, and Counselling Psychologist registered in Ontario and Manitoba. Throughout her career, she has worked in the United Kingdom and Canada, holding leadership in not-for -profit, public, private and teaching healthcare settings. Her clinical experience includes working with individuals affected by psychological conditions, chronic health concerns, and workplace stress and injury. Dr. McMahan has held teaching positions for the Department of Psychology, serves as a Lecturer for the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and has provided over 4,500 hours of clinical supervision and consultation to those delivering mental health services. 

 

Monique Mercier

M.A, c. Psych. Assoc

Psychological Associate

Email: info@kindfulpsych.com

website: www.kindfulpsych.com 

 

Melanie Morrow

Psychological Associate, St. Joseph's Care Group

Email: morrowm@tbh.net