Headshot

Dr. Linda E. Carlson

PhD. R. Psych

PhD. R. Psych
McGill University, Montreal, Canada, 1998

Professor 
Department of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine  

Adjunct Professor 
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts

University of Calgary

Enbridge Research Chair in Psychosocial Oncology

CIHR SPOR Mentorship Chair in Innovative Clinical Trials (TRACTION Program)

Co-Editor-in-Chief 
Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research and Practice (official journal of the International Psycho-Oncology Society)

Past-President
Society of Integrative Oncology


Dr. rogers prize

Dr. Carlson Receiving the Dr. Roger's Prize of 2023

More about Dr. Carlson

  1. The Art and Science of Mindfulness

    Shauna L. Shapiro and Linda E. Carlson draw from Eastern wisdom and practices as well as Western psychological theory and science to explore why mindful awareness is integral to the therapeutic healing process and to show clinicians how to connect with this deeper awareness. Intention is fundamental to any project, endeavor, or journey. Related to intention is the concept of mindfulness—the awareness that arises through intentionally attending to oneself and others in an open, caring, and nonjudgmental way.

  2. Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery

    Research shows that if you mentally prepare yourself to handle cancer treatment by getting stress and anxiety under control, you can improve your quality of life and become an active participant in your own recovery. Created by leading psychologists specializing in oncology, the Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery program is based on mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), a therapeutic combination of mindfulness meditation and gentle yoga now offered to cancer survivors and their loved ones in hundreds of medical centers, hospitals, and clinics worldwide. Let this book be your guide as you let go of fear and focus on getting well. 

     

CBITN - Canadian Behavioural Interventions and Trials Network

MDSC

Honours & Clinical Psychology Graduates

Dr. Linda Carlson has held the Enbridge Research Chair in Psychosocial Oncology since 2007, is Full Professor in Psychosocial Oncology in the Department of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary, and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology. She is the Director of the Alberta Complementary Therapy and Integrative Oncology (ACTION) Centre (ACTION Centre | My Site (action-centre.ca), and is Director of Research and continues to work as a Clinical Psychologist at the Department of Psychosocial Resources at Cancer Care Alberta, where she has provided clinical service since 1997.

Dr. Carlson has received a long line of prestigious national and international research and teaching awards throughout her career, highlighted by the Kawano New Investigator Award from the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS) in 2006, the inaugural Research Excellence award from the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology in 2010, the Bernard Fox Memorial Award from IPOS in 2019, a Distinguished Scientist award from the Society of Behavioral Medicine in 2023, and the Dr. Rogers Prize in Complementary and Alternative Medicine in 2023. She was the President of the Society for Integrative Oncology from 2021-2023, and is Co-Editor-in-Chief for the official IPOS journal: The Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research and Practice.

Dr. Carlson's research in Psychosocial Oncology, Integrative Oncology and Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery has been published in many high-impact journals and book chapters, and she published a patient manual in 2011 with Michael Speca entitled: Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery: A step-by-step MBSR approach to help you cope with treatment and reclaim your life, in addition to a professional training manual in 2009 (2nd Edition 2017) with Shauna Shapiro entitled The Art and Science of Mindfulness: Integrating mindfulness into psychology and the helping professions. She has published over 250 peer-reviewed research papers and book chapters, holds several millions of dollars in grant funding and is regularly invited to present her work at international conferences. She presented a TEDx talk entitled Mindfulness for Personal and Collective Evolution in 2016, you can find the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgZd5GvZ5Qs

 

Click here to view a list of all her Publications.

  1. Dr. Rogers Prize in Complementary and Alternative Medicine Awardee, 2023.
  2. The Distinguished Scientist Award – Society of Behavioural Medicine Integrative Health and Spirituality Special Interest Group. Awarded April 29, 2023.
  3. Cumming School of Medicine Department of Oncology Award for Team Innovation, 2022.
  4. Award of Education Excellence, CAPO Award Winners, 2022.
  5. Alberta Cancer Research Excellence Award, 2021.
  6. Cumming School of Medicine Department of Oncology Luminary Award for Teaching, 2019-2020.
  7. Elected to Fellowship in the Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research, 2020
  8. International Psycho-Oncology Society Bernard Fox Memorial Award, 2019
  9. Dr. Rogers Prize in Complementary and Alternative Medicine Shortlist, 2013; 2015; 2017; 2019
  10. Arete Award for Top Researcher, Department of Oncology, University of Calgary, June 2012
  11. Elected to Fellowship in the Society of Behavioural Medicine, March 24, 2011
  12. Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology Award for Research Excellence, Presented at the IPOS 12th World Congress/CAPO 2010, May 2010
  13. Cochrane Distinguished Achievement Award for research Nomination, by Faculty of Medicine’s Promotions Committee, for outstanding research achievements in 2008-09, October 2009
  14. Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Health Scholar Award, $850,000, July 1, 2008-June 30, 2017
  15. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA), Health Division Early Career Award Winner, 2008
  16. William E. Rawls Prize, Canadian Cancer Society, $21,000, 2007
  17. Kawano New Investigator Award, International Psycho-Oncology Society, 2006
  18. Scientific Program Chair for the 6th World Congress of Psycho-Oncology, 2003
  19. University of Calgary Department of Oncology Research Excellence Award, 2003
  20. Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), New Investigator Award, Value of $50,000/year for five years towards salary support and $50,000/year research allowance, 2002-2007
  21. Alberta Cancer Board Annual Research Meeting, Post-Doctoral Oral Presentation Award, 2000
  22. Canadian Society for Clinical Investigation, Young Investigator Poster Presentation award, 2000
  23. Canadian Society for Clinical Investigation, Travel Award $500, 2000
  24. National Cancer Institute of Canada Terry Fox Post-PhD Research Fellowship, 1998-2001
  25. Society for Behavioural Neuroendocrinology, Graduate Student Research Excellence Award, $100 US, 1997
  26. McGill Alma Mater Fund Graduate Studies Travel Award, $250,1997
  27. Post-Graduate Students' Society of McGill University Travel Award, $300, 1996

James McConnell McGill Major Fellowship - $10,000/year.Awarded to PhD students at McGill

To view her presentations, click here.

Contact Information

Email: l.carlson@ucalgary.ca

Office Phone: 403-355-3207

Department of Psychosocial Oncology

Cancer Control Alberta – Holy Cross Site

2202 2nd St. SW

Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2S 3C1