Dr. Doug Schmidt, PhD, C.Psych. Psychologist
Dr. Doug Schmidt is a senior-level psychologist, registered in the areas of clinical, rehabilitation, and school psychology. At Toronto Psychology Centre he provides individual therapy for adults and older adults, family therapy for parents and their teen and young adult children, and coaching for parents to support their children age 12 years old and younger.
He provides therapy for individuals with adjustment issues, anxiety, depression, behavioural difficulties, and family relationship issues. In addition, he has extensive experience assessing and treating individuals with Autism, ADHD, and Learning Disabilities, and individuals with brain injuries and physical injuries who are coping with mental health issues.
In his work, Dr. Schmidt conveys compassion and hopefulness to support clients with personal and family growth. He helps clients build on individual and family strengths, work through challenges, and achieve realistic goals. Applying a lifespan perspective, he facilitates healthy individual and family adjustment and developmental transitions, including in later life.
Treatment outcomes include alleviation of distressing symptoms, improved emotion regulation, better self-care, higher life satisfaction, and stronger relationships.
Dr. Schmidt’s therapeutic approach integrates Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). With families he also applies the attachment-oriented approach of Dr. Gordon Neufeld.
As part of his PhD training in Clinical Psychology at the University of Ottawa, his dissertation was focused on adjustment of teens and young adults returning to alternative high school programs. His graduate school clinical training included narrative play therapy with children, trauma therapy with children and adults, CBT family therapy, and EFT training for individuals and couples with the late Dr. Susan Johnson.
During his predoctoral internship in his hometown, at the Edmonton Consortium Clinical Psychology Residency, Dr. Schmidt completed rotations in Paediatrics, Adult Mental Health, and Rehabilitation. Following graduation and licensure in Alberta in 2000, he worked at Edmonton’s Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital with clients of all ages in a variety of hospital programs. In 2005, he began working in Toronto at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehab. He subsequently worked for Toronto District School Board as well as at South East Toronto Family Health Team where he had clients from the ages of 1 to 99.
In his formative years, Dr. Schmidt had enriching international volunteer, work, and educational experiences. He was first inspired to become a psychologist when volunteering with Canada World Youth as a young adult in rural Nova Scotia and rural Jamaica. He completed his Master’s Degree in Child Psychology at the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and worked as a research assistant at the University of London Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience.
Dr. Schmidt has varied experiences consulting, providing supervision, teaching, and presenting at conferences for organizations including TDSB, CADDAC, CADDRA, and AFHTO.
Online therapy available