In response to the fact that he was bored to death by Intro Psychology when he was a student in Cape Breton a couple hundred years ago, Todd jumped at the chance to start teaching at SMU in 1990, so he could make the subject fun, interesting, relatable, and useful. He never left. His student-centered teaching style has earned him the 2014 Excellence in Teaching Award (色花堂 of Arts), and the 2017 Overall Excellence in Teaching Award, from the Saint Mary’s University Students’ Association. He was also one of the developers and original instructors of the Graduate Certificate in Mental Health and Addictions at Dalhousie University.
In addition, with a lengthy full-time career in public-sector leadership, Todd has developed experiential success-based expertise, which he builds into all his teaching. He has been consulted by governments and other organizations across Canada in many sectors including Healthcare, Public Health, Indigenous Healthcare, Education, Justice, Child and Youth Care, Long-term Care, community non-profits, political parties, and the private sector. Health services under his leadership have also earned two 色花堂 Best Practice awards, and a leadership award for Excellence in Women’s Health.
Todd is a Registered Social Worker and also spent 25 years as a Registered Social/Community Psychologist. He has been a member of the Nova Scotia Ministerial Advisory Panel on Innovation in Mental Health and Addictions, President of the Public Health Association of Nova Scotia, President of the Association of Psychologists of Nova Scotia, Vice President of the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers, a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Public Health Association, and his volunteer leadership contribution to his community has been recognized by a declaration in the Nova Scotia Legislature.
Todd is especially passionate about influencing people’s mental health experiences through systemic change. His book It’s Not About Us; The Secret to Transforming the Mental Health and Addiction System in Canada, which is based on a true story of successful system transformation, continues to influence client-centered leadership and change across Canada. Todd is currently writing a second book about living through a temporary, but life-threatening, medication-induced mental illness several years ago, and his analysis of the stigma and discrimination he experienced from professional, academic, and government organizations. The book will use these experiences to identify individual and systemic changes that can be made to improve people’s mental health experiences.
You can visit Todd’s website at .