OPA  President  Dr.  Jonathan  Douglas  Dr.  Jonathan  Douglas  has  practiced  in  clinical  psychology  since  1995,  and  is  currently  in  private  practice  in  Barrie,  ON.  His  practice  has  evolved  with  a  strong  focus  on  trauma,  particularly  in  veterans  and  first  responders,  but  also  including  childhood  trauma.  He  enjoys  introducing  innovative  techniques  while  guiding  the  treatment  with  the  consistent  measurement  of  outcomes  to  ensure  treatment  progress.  He  is  a  passionate  advocate  for  access  to  mental  health  services.      

 Colonel  Brock  Millman  Colonel  Brock  Millman  was  born  in  Brantford  Ontario.  He  joined  the  Army  Reserve  in  1981,  and  has  remained  an  active  member  ever  since.    He  is  currently  employed  as  Reserve  Advisor  at  4th  Canadian  Division  Headquarters.  In  2010,  he  deployed  to  Afghanistan  to  serve  as  a  Senior  Advisor  in  the  Afghan  Ministry  of  Defence  in  the  rank  of  Colonel.  While  there  he  was  Advisor  to  the  Vice  Chief  of  General  Staff  and  at  times  to  the  Chief  of  General  Staff.  During  the  last  three  months  of  his  tour  he  was  Chief  of  Advisors,  Afghan  National  Army  Development.  Before  taking  up  his  current  employment,  he  was  Commander  31  Canadian  Brigade  Group.  

In  civilian  life,  he  is  a  Professor  of  History  at  the  University  of  Western  Ontario.  He  is  the  author  of  several  books,  and  many  articles  concerning  aspects  of  diplomatic  history.  He  lives  in  St.  Thomas  with  his  partner  Dayna,  and  far  too  many  dogs  and  cats.    Dr.  Susan  T  Dowler  Dr.  Dowler  graduated  from  Brock  University  with  her  Bachelor’s  degree  in  psychology  and  went  on  to  study  at  York  University  where  she  earned  her  Master’s  degree  and  her  doctorate  in  Clinical-­‐Developmental  Psychology.  She  spent  the  first  part  of  her  career  working  as  a  forensic  psychologist,  specializing  in  the  assessment  and  treatment  of  sex  offenders.    In  2006,  she  accepted  a  position  with  the  Department  of  National  Defense  (DND)  and  began  working  with  military  members.    In  2008,  she  transferred  to  the  Operational  Trauma  and  Stress  Support  Centre  (OTSSC)  in  Ottawa  as  a  front-­‐line  psychologist.  She  became  Practice  Leader  for  Psychology  at  the  military  hospital  and  the  Regional  Advisor  (ONT)  in  Psychology  for  DND  in  2009  and,  in  2010,  Program  Manager  for  the  OTSSC.    In  2014,  she  began  working  in  her  current  position  as  Acting  Chief  Clinical  Psychologist  for  the  Directorate  of  Mental  Health,  Canadian  Forces  Health  Services.          

Mike  Blais  Mike  Blais  is  a  veteran  who  joined  the  Canadian  Forces  in  1977.  Mike  served  most  of  his  military  career  with  The  Royal  Canadian  Regiment  (RCR),  1st  and  3rd  Battalions.   1984,  Mike  sustained  a  serious  lower  back  injury  while  in  Cyprus  on  a  UN  Peacekeeping  Operation.  He  was  air  evacuated  to  NDMC  and,  after  surgery,  was  medically  reassigned  to  the  Canadian  Forces  Dental  Services.  Mike  underwent  a  second  lower  back  operation  in  Germany  while  on  his  second  NATO  tour  at  CFB  Baden  Soellingen.  In  1993  Mike  was  medically  released  from  the  CF.      

On  August  17,  2010,  Mike  became  a  reluctant  veterans  advocate  after  watching  an  extraordinary  press  conference  given  by  the  former  PPCLI  Commanding  Officer,  and  Canada's  first  veterans  ombudsman,  Col  Patrick  B.  Stogran.  After  watching  Col  Stogran,  Mike  was  convinced  that  he  had  a  duty  to  stand  up  for  all  veterans  who  are  struggling  to  get  the  care  and  support  they  need  from  the  Canadian  Government.  

   Dr.  Dee  Rajska  Dr.  Dee  Rajska  is  a  co-­‐founder  and  co-­‐director  of  Niagara  Psychological  Wellness.  Her  practice  focuses  on  assessment  and  treatment  of  trauma  in  veterans,  currently  serving  members  of  the  military,  as  well  as  law  enforcement  and  first  responders.

In  addition  to  her  clinical  work,  Dr.  Rajska  is  also  recognized  for  her  outreach  to  the  military  and  veterans’  communities:  she  writes  Coming  Back  Home,  a  blog  about  military  mental  health  that  boasts  over  60,000  visitors  since  its  inception  in  May  2013.  Her  outreach  work  has  garnered  awards  from  the  Ontario  

Psychological  Association,  as  well  as  from  the  Surgeon  General  of  the  Canadian  Armed  Forces,  and  from  her  local  brigade.    

   

   Lieutenant  Commander  Lyn  Kingsley    LCdr  Kingsley  has  been  a  member  of  the  Canadian  Armed  Forces  for  26  years,  beginning  her  career  as  an  Army  reservist  then  transferring  to  the  Regular  Force  in  1991  to  become  an  operational  Naval  Officer.  After  thirteen  years  in  the  Navy,  she  went  on  to  complete  her  post-­‐graduate  education  in  2004  to  become  a  Social  Work  Officer.    After  doing  clinical  work  on  military  bases  from  coast  to  coast  as  well  as  serving  in  Afghanistan,  she  was  employed  in  the  Directorate  of  Mental  Health  as  the  Social  Work  Program  Development  Officer.    In  July  2015  LCdr  Kingsley  was  appointed  Section  Head  of  Clinical  Programs  within  the  Directorate  of  Mental  Health.        

 David  F.  Ross,  Ph.D.  David  received  his  PhD  in  clinical  psychology  in  1987  from  McGill  University.    He  currently  serves  as  Manager  (Acting)  and  National  Clinical  Coordinator  of  VACs  national  network  of  11  Operational  Stress  Injury  clinics  (OSICs).  specializing  in  the  assessment  and  treatment  of  Veterans  ,  RCMP  and  DND    members    suffering  from  operational  stress  injuries.  He  specializes  in  mental  health  outcomes  management  and  the  dissemination  of  evidence-­‐informed  mental  health  interventions.  He  has  lead  the  development  and  implementation  of  VACs  Client-­‐Reported  outcomes  Management  Information  System  since  its  inception  in  2008.  

 

   Dr.  Maya  Roth,  OSI  Clinic  Network  Dr.  Maya  Roth  is  a  psychologist  at  the  Parkwood  Operational  Stress  Injury  Clinic,  where  she  provides  assessment,  treatment  and  consultation  services  to  Canadian  Forces  members,  veterans,  and  eligible  members  of  the  RCMP  in  the  Greater  Toronto  Area.  Dr.  Roth  is  an  adjunct  member  of  the  Yeates  School  of  Graduate  Studies  at  Ryerson  University  and  an  Allied  Scientist  of  the  Lawson  Health  Research  Institute  in  London,  Ontario.  Dr.  Roth  is  certified  as  a  Prolonged  Exposure  Therapy  Trainer,  Supervisor,  and  therapist,  and  a  Cognitive  Processing  Therapy  Therapist.    

       Mike  Newcombe,  OISISS  Co-­‐Ordinator  Mike  Newcombe  joined  the  Canadian  Armed  Forces  in  February  1981  as  an  Infanteer,  with  the  Royal  Canadian  Regiment.  During  his  career,  he  served  8.5  years  in  Baden  Baden,  Germany,  which  he  considers  to  be  the  highlight  of  his  career.      While  serving  in  Germany,  Mike  was  deployed  with  his  unit  to  the  Gulf  War  to  “Operation  Desert  Storm”.    Later,  Mike  was  also  deployed  to  the  war  in  the  former  Yugoslavia,  where  he  was  part  of  the  first  Battle  Group,  whose  mission  included  re-­‐opening  the  Sarajevo  Airport,  while  under  heavy  fire.    Following  the  deployment  to  Yugoslavia,  his  Battle  Group  was  awarded  the  Commander-­‐in-­‐Chief  Unit  Commendation  for  “having  opened  the  airport  in  the  besieged  city  of  Sarajevo  in  July  1992”.    Further,  “while  surrounded  and  being  

shot  at  by  belligerents  on  all  sides,  the  BG  steadfastly  executed  its  mission,  securing  the  Sarajevo  airport  for  humanitarian  and  relief  flights  and  escorting  thse  relief  convoys  into  the  city”.      

After  25  years  of  service,  Mike  Newcombe  took  a  voluntary  release  from  the  Canadian  Armed  Forces.    Shortly  after  his  release,  Mike  suffered  a  number  of  heart  attacks,  which  were  later  attributed  to  a  toxic  build  up  of  stress,  as  a  result  of  his  military  service.    Subsequently,  Mike  was  diagnosed  with  Post  Traumatic  Stress  Disorder  (PTSD),  also  as  a  result  of  his  military  service.  Mike  is  now  the  Peer  Support  Coordinator  with  the  Operational  Stress  Injury  Social  Support  (OSISS)  Program  for  Southwestern  Ontario.    The  OSISS  Program  is  a  partnership  program  between  the  Department  of  National  Defence  and  Veterans  Affairs  Canada,  whose  vision  is  “to  be  an  exemplary  model  of  standardized  peer  support  to  Canadian  Armed  Forces  personnel,  Veterans  and  their  families”.    The  professional  peer  support  that  is  provided  by  the  OSISS  Program  is  a  critical  non-­‐clinical  addition  to  the  mental  health  services  of  both  Departments.  

In  his  role  as  an  OSISS  Peer  Support  Coordinator,  Mike  is  able  to  assist  other  Veterans  and  still  serving  Canadian  Armed  Forces  members  who  have  also  been  impacted  with  operational  stress  injuries,  such  as  PTSD,  resulting  from  their  military  service.    This  work  is  a  way  for  Mike  to  ‘pay  it  forward’  after  receiving  similar  assistance  when  he  needed  it.    In  2012,  Mike  was  awarded  the  Queen's  Diamond  Jubliee  Medal,  for  his  work  with  Veterans  and  military  members  with  PTSD.    Most  recently,  Mike  has  been  assisting  homeless  Veterans  in  the  London,  ON,  area,  as  they  deal  with  their  PTSD,  and  as  they  re-­‐integrate  into  society.