

Sean Lindsay
Positions
Research Coordinator
Contact information
Phone number
PEAK Champions for Kids Pain: (403) 210-7846
Background
Educational Background
Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Psychology, University of Calgary, 2024
Master of Arts Film Studies, Concordia University, Montreal, 2002
Bachelor of Arts (Honours) English, University of Calgary, 1998
Certificate in Principles of Emergency Management and the Fundamentals of Recovery, Mount Royal University, 2015
Biography
During his tenure as Coordinator of the Calgary Institute for the Humanities, Sean completed a BA (Honours) in Psychology at the University of Calgary to work towards a transition into a counselling career. Sean's diverse educational background, including a BA in English and an MA in Film Studies, enriched his psychology honours project. Under the guidance of Dr. Melanie Noel, he explored how popular media informs the identities of neurodiverse youth. Before returning to academia, Sean honed his skills in visual communications and video production, working in the film industry, running an independent video production company, and serving as the Digital Learning Content Producer and Director at the Alberta College of Art and Design (now Alberta University of the Arts).
Projects
All children experience acute pain (e.g., from injury, illness, medical procedures), with one in five also experiencing chronic pain (i.e., pain lasting or recurring for at least 3 months or longer). Unfortunately, current healthcare approaches have not reduced this number. Children from marginalized and minoritized backgrounds, especially those with neurodevelopmental disabilities, face even greater challenges in accessing proper pain care. Chronic pain in youth is also closely linked to mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, which often go untreated due to fragmented healthcare systems. To address this growing crisis, pain must be recognized early, measured accurately in all children, and treated effectively within both community and healthcare settings.
Healing Children’s Pain Together: Community Priorities for Alberta’s Path Forward is a priority setting partnership that brings together youth with lived experience of pain, caregivers, health workers and community organizations to prioritize research questions that are most relevant to those directly affected.
We are focusing on three key areas to improve access to care and fair treatment:
- Children and teens with pain and neurodevelopmental disorders (such as autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder).
- Children and teens with pain and mental health challenges (such as depression, or anxiety, suicidality, PTSD, substance use).
- Pain care in primary and community care settings (such as doctor visits or support workers).
Community participation will help us make sure the right issues get the attention they deserve. Together, we are working to make pain care better for kids and teens in Alberta.
Awards
- Outstanding Staff Recognition Award, Individual Staff Member Award, Faculty of Arts, University of Calgary. 2022
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