Dr. Lauren Campbell, R.Psych.
Dr. Lauren Campbell specializes in providing cognitive-behavioural therapy to treat anxiety and depression in children and teenagers. For anxiety challenges, Dr. Lauren helps children and teenagers struggling with separation anxiety, social anxiety, specific phobias (e.g., fear of needles, heights, dogs, etc.), and anxiety about going to school, among other areas. Dr. Lauren also specializes in supporting children and teens cope with challenges associated with chronic health conditions (i.e. coping with a new medical diagnosis, undergoing painful/stressful medical procedures, overcoming fear of needles, feeling “different” from their peers, etc.) For young children (ages 3-10 years) with behavioural challenges (e.g., “acting out” behaviours such as tantrums, aggression, non-compliance), Dr. Lauren works closely with parents to help them modify their current parenting strategies (e.g., use of discipline, rules and routines, effective limit setting, praise, emotion coaching), to strengthen parent-child relationships and improve children's behaviours.
Dr. Lauren uses evidence-based (scientifically supported) techniques, mainly cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based approaches, and integrates motivational interviewing (MI) when appropriate. Dr. Lauren recognizes that it can sometimes be hard for children and their parents to open up and share personal information with a therapist. As a result, she creates a safe, warm, and nonjudgmental space for children, teens, and their families to feel comfortable.
Dr. Lauren obtained a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Honours Psychology from McGill University and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Clinical Developmental Psychology from York University. Throughout her training, she was the recipient of several scholarships at the federal (i.e. CIHR Canada Graduate Scholarship) and provincial (i.e. Ontario Mental Health Foundation) level. She has published her research on parent-child interactions during medical settings extensively, in various scientific journals and book chapters, and has given research presentations at regional, national and international conferences. Her dissertation on children’s coping with painful procedures and the important role of parents was nominated for a university-wide award, findings from which have been disseminated in national media outlets (CBC, Today’s Parent, Radio Canada International).
Dr. Lauren completed her pre-doctoral residency in Toronto at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) where she worked with children and teenagers being treated for cancer. She then completed a post-doctoral fellowship at BC Children’s Hospital providing psychological interventions to survivors of childhood cancer. Dr. Lauren has previously trained at the largest psychiatric hospital in Canada (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), a mood and anxiety clinic at a community hospital (Markham Stouffville Hospital), and a university training clinic (York University Psychology Clinic).
