CALM Study Principal Investigators
Dr. Janet de Groot
Dr. Janet de Groot is a staff psychiatrist at Foothills Medical Centre and Tom Baker Cancer Centre and Professor of Psychiatry, Oncology and Community Health Sciences at the Cumming School of Medicine. She has been honoured with local and national awards for her roles in education leadership positions in Toronto and Calgary and as the former Associate Dean Equity and Professionalism (2008-2017) for the Cumming School of Medicine. She combines her education, research and clinical psychodynamic perspectives to the project on Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully.
Please find a listing of Dr. de Groot's publications on Google Scholar.
Dr. Kathleen Sitter
Kathleen Sitter, PhD, is the Canadian Research Chair in Multisensory Storytelling in Research and Knowledge Translation in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary and an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at Memorial University. Her research focuses on centering multi-sensory storytelling as embodied knowledge and the role of accessibility in research design, knowledge translation and community engagement. She has published in national and international journals and her knowledge translation efforts include over 200 arts-based works including short documentary films, theatre performances, photography, and cartoons with over 100 invited and juried screenings/referred exhibitions.
CALM Therapists
Dr. Konstantinos Chondros
Konstantinos (he/they) is a psychologist currently completing a clinical postdoctoral fellowship in psychosocial oncology - emphases in psychological trauma and palliative care - under the supervision of Drs. Feldstain and de Groot. Through his clinical work, Konstantinos supports patients and their significant others across tumour groups/cancer diagnoses, approaching his work with respect, kindness, compassion, and curiosity. As a clinician trained in CALM therapy, Konstantinos endeavours to help people with advanced cancer live more meaningfully by facilitating conversations about the following topics: a) symptom management and communication with one's healthcare providers; b) changes in one's personal relationships; c) spirituality, sense of meaning, and purpose; and d) the future, hope, and mortality. Konstantinos is always honoured to listen to people's stories, and to help them make a different sense of their experience living with cancer.
Dr. Fay Strohschein
Dr. Fay J. Strohschein, RN, PhD, is a General Associate with the Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary. She recently completed a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Health System Impact Postdoctoral Fellowship, in collaboration with the Cancer Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta Health Services. Prior to her postdoctoral studies, Dr. Strohschein completed her PhD in nursing at McGill University, with a joint focus on psychosocial oncology and aging. Dr. Strohschein’s research interests grew from clinical work with the Consultation Service for Senior Oncology Patients at the Jewish General Hospital. In her current program of research, she is working to better understand ways of aligning cancer and community services to address the needs and concerns of older adults with cancer and those close to them.
CALM Study Co-Investigators & Collaborators
Dr. Andrea Feldstain
Dr. Feldstain is an adjunct Assistant Professor with the Division of Psychosocial Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. This early-career psychologist who takes on a number of roles within Psychosocial Oncology. She is primarily a scientist-practitioner with the Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Rehabilitation at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre. Her clinical work focuses mainly on supporting patients, their loved ones, and interdisciplinary team members from hematology/stem-cell transplant tumour groups. She also has a special interest in palliative care, supporting those with advanced disease and/or complex psychosocial needs with any cancer diagnosis.
Dr. Feldstain is the Director of Clinical Training within the Department of Psychosocial Oncology, Tom Baker Cancer Centre. Clinical students under her mentorship develop strong skills in case conceptualization, application of clinical theory-driven intervention, and collaboration skills with interdisciplinary colleagues. Academic students she has mentored have used their work to bolster applications for grants, graduate studies, and medical school; presented at national and international conferences; and have successfully published manuscripts.
Dr. Feldstain’s research interests include program evaluation, interdisciplinary team integration, and psychosocial wellbeing for patients in palliative or end-of-life care. An area of particular interest is interdisciplinary collaboration, both clinically and academically. She works closely with her psychosocial and medical colleagues in hematology and stem cell transplant, clinical and academic colleagues in Psychosocial Oncology, and interdisciplinary colleagues in overall cancer care. She has been sought for her experience in interdisciplinary education, skill with complex patient needs, research leadership, and mentorship.
Selected Publications:
Lauren, B., Bultz, B., Sinnarajah, A., Abdul-Razzak, A., de Groot, J., … Feldstain, A. (July 14, 2020). Death, Taxes, and Health Disparities: Differences at end-of-life for women based on marital status [Conference session]. The 35th Annual Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology Conference, Virtual conference, Canada.
Robinson, M., Quereshi, M., Sinnarajah, A., Chary, C., de Groot, J., & Feldstain, A. (Sept 23, 2019). Psychosocial representation in Canadian Palliative Care [Conference session]. The 21st Annual Congress of the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS), Banff, Canada. doi: 10.1097/OR9.0000000000000010
Rutkowski, N., Lebel, S., Richardson, K., Mutsaers, B., Chasen, M., Feldstain, A. (2019). A little help from my friends: Social support in palliative rehabilitation. Current Oncology. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3747/co.25.4050
Feldstain, A., Bultz, B., de Groot, J., Abdul-Razzak, A., Herx, L., Galloway, L., … Sinnarajah, A. (2018). Outcomes from a Patient-Centered, Interprofessional, Palliative Consult Team in Oncology. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Doi: 10.6004/jnccn.2018.7014
Feldstain, A., MacDonald, N., Bhargava, R., & Chasen, M. (2017). Reported distress in patients living with advanced cancer: Changes pre-post interdisciplinary palliative rehabilitation. Supportive Care in Cancer, 25(10), 3191–3197. doi: 10.1007/s00520-017-3728-2
Dr. Amanda Roze des Ordons
Melissa Wilde
Melissa Wilde BSW, MSW, RSW is a Social Worker with the Southwest Alberta Palliative Care Program for Alberta Health Services. She is registered with the Alberta College of Social Workers. She graduated from the University of Calgary with her Master of Social Work with a Specialization in Clinical Practice in 2011 and has focused much of her work on oncology and palliative care. She is receiving training to become a CALM therapist and provides counselling to individuals and families facing life limiting illnesses receiving care from the Southwest Alberta Palliative Care program.
CALM Study Research Assistants
Jessame Gamboa
Jessame Gamboa completed her BSc Degree in Psychology with an embedded certificate in Mental Wellbeing and Resilience at the University of Calgary in 2022. She is currently leading the Sharing Your Story: Digital Storytelling Project, with Dr. Kathleen Sitter.
Carly Sears
Carly Sears is a research assistant with the CALM project and has worked as part of the Psychosocial Oncology Division since 2016. Since completing her undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of Calgary in 2017, she has helped to coordinate a number of psychosocial oncology projects, including a sexual health workshop for women diagnosed with cancer, an 8-week Mindfulness for Low Sexual Desire program for breast cancer survivors, and the LifeOnADT educational program for men undergoing prostate cancer treatment. Her research interests pertain to the development, provision, and assessment of psychosocial interventions that support individuals and families as they navigate cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Grace Liu
Grace (Chen) Liu is assisting with the CALM Study as an undergraduate research student. She is an Honours BHSc student majoring in Biomedical Sciences at the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. Grace is a recipient of the 2021 Diane LaFlamme-McCauley Summer Studentship award. Her summer studentship project will focus on qualitative analysis of stakeholder interviews as part of the CALM implementation study.
Travis Pederson
Travis Pederson is a medical student at University of Calgary with an interest in psychiatry and palliative care. He has a background in health and youth counselling, and completed his undergraduate degree in psychology at Athabasca University in 2019.
The CALM Implementation Study (Now Completed)
More information on the CALM Implementation Study for clinicians and academics.
The CALM Team
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Referrals
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