Research

Jann’s research focuses on barriers to accessing mental health care and limitations of care, with particular interest in improving mental health care provision for underserved communities.

PUBLICATIONS

Journal Articles (Peer-Reviewed)

Mianji, F., Tomaro, J., & Kirmayer, L. J. (2020). Linguistic and cultural barriers to access and utilization of mental health care for Farsi-speaking newcomers in Québec. International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMHSC-08-2019-0074 

Wada, K., McGroarty, E. J., Tomaro, J., & Amundsen-Dainow, E. (2019). Affirmative career counselling with transgender and gender non-conforming clients: A social justice perspective. Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy 53(3), 255-275.

Knoll, M., Ionita, G., Tomaro, J., Chen, V., & Fitzpatrick, M. (2016). Progress Monitoring measures: The interaction of initial motivation with selection and maintenance issues. Psychology, 7(3), 444-458. https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2016.73046

Ionita, G., Fitzpatrick, M., Tomaro, J., Chen, V., & Loverington, L. (2016). Challenges of using progress monitoring measures: Insight from practicing clinicians. Journal of Counselling Psychology, 63(2), 173-182. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000122

Scientific Presentations (Peer-Reviewed) – Paper Presentations

Tomaro, J. & Sinacore, A. L. (2022, June). Mental Health Care with 2SLGBTQIA+ Clients during COVID-19. Paper presentation at the Canadian Psychological Association’s 83rd Convention. Calgary, AB.

Tomaro, J. & Glick, Y., Blackbourn, V., Amaro, L. (2020, October). Transgender, gender nonconformity and psychoanalysis: Needs and mutuality. Paper presentation at the Quebec-English branch of the Canadian Psychoanalytic Association. Montreal, QC

Tomaro, J. & Sinacore, A. L. (2020, July). Community-based participatory research, mental health and

LGBTQ+ communities. Paper presentation at the Preaching to the Choir Conference. Prague, CR.

Tomaro, J. & Sinacore, A. L. (2020, July). Challenges in mental health knowledge mobilization for sexual

minorities. Paper presentation at the Preaching to the Choir Conference. Prague, CR

Tomaro, J., Prud’homme, J. & Gaspar, M. (2019, June). Overcoming challenges in knowledge translation: An example from sexual minority mental health work. Paper presentation at the Action Research Network of the Americas Conference. Montréal, QC.

Tomaro, J. (2019, June). Network model of care for sexual and gender diverse clients.  Paper presentation at the Canadian Psychological Association’s 80th Convention. Halifax, NS.

Sinacore, A. L., & Tomaro, J. (2019, June). Experiences of Canadian student sex workers. Paper presentation at the Canadian Psychological Association’s 80th Convention. Halifax, NS.

Tomaro, J., & Sinacore, A. L. (2019, June). Community-based practices for wellbeing within sexual and gender diverse communities in Canada. Paper presentation at the Canadian Psychological Association’s 80th Convention. Halifax, NS.

Tomaro, J., Durrani, S., & Gescher, S. (2018, October). Considerations in recruitment and compensation when doing research with vulnerable populations. Paper presentation at the Canadian Counselling Psychology Conference. Calgary, AB.

Tomaro, J. (2018, July). Psychoanalysis in Canada. Paper presentation at Psychoanalysis on Ice, Reykjavík, Iceland.

Tomaro, J., Ho, J., & Sinacore, A. (2018, June). Institutional influence on mental health care services for LGBT communities. Paper presentation at the International Congress of Applied Psychology. Montréal, QC.

Tomaro, J., Mianji, F., & Kirmayer, L. J. (2018, April). Cultural safety in working with refugees and immigrants: The case of Farsi-speaking newcomers in Quebec. Paper presentation at the Society for the Study of Psychiatry and Culture Annual Meeting. San Diego, CA.

Tomaro, J., McGroaty, E., Dainow, E., & Wada, K. (2016, June). Career counselling with Trans* individuals: Multicultural and social justice analysis of career theories and assessment tools. Paper presentation at the Canadian Psychological Association’s 77th Convention. Victoria, BC.

Ionita, G., Tomaro, J., Chen, V., Kowalyk, T., & Fitzpatrick, M. (2015, June). Usage of progress monitoring measures among Canadian psychologists. Paper presentation at the Canadian Psychological Association’s 76th Convention. Ottawa, ON.

Knoll, M., Ionita, G., Tomaro, J., Chen, V., & Fitzpatrick, M. (2015, June). Progress Monitoring measures: The interaction of initial motivation with selection and maintenance issues. Paper presentation at the Canadian Psychological Association’s 76th Convention. Ottawa, ON.

Scientific Presentations (Peer-Reviewed) – Workshops and Discussion Forums

Tomaro, J., & Sinacore, A. L. (2019, June). Participatory action research with underserved populations: Benefits and challenges. Discussion at the Canadian Psychological Association’s 80th Convention. Halifax, NS.

Copeland, L., Ho, J., Tomaro, J., Sinacore, A. (2018, June). Understanding gender diversity: Implications for training and supervision. Round table discussion at the International LGBTQ Pre-Conference of the International Congress of Applied Psychology. Montréal, QC.

Copeland, L., Tomaro, J., Sinacore, A. (2018, June). Providing services for marginalized populations. Discussion forum at the International Congress of Applied Psychology. Montréal, QC.

Tomaro, J., Copeland, L., Sinacore, A. (2018, June). LGBTQ affirmative assessment and therapy. Workshop at the International Council of Psychologists Conference. Montréal, QC.

Scientific Presentations (Peer-Reviewed) – Poster Presentations

Marcus, N. & Tomaro, J. (2022, September). Evaluation of a 13-week dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT)  Skills group for transgender clients at a gender identity clinic in a large mental health hospital. Poster presentation at the World Professional Association for Transgender Health Annual Meeting. Montreal, QC.

Tomaro, J., Rodak, T. & Brisland, B. (2022, September). Mental health implications associated with BMI  cut offs in gender affirming care: What do we know? Poster presentation at the World Professional Association for Transgender Health Annual Meeting. Montreal, QC. 

Tomaro, J. (2018, April). The complexity of culture: A case study of mental health services for LGBTQ*  communities. Poster presentation at the Society for the Study of Psychiatry and Culture Annual Meeting. San Diego, CA.

Quintana Zunino, G.E., Jackson, M., Nasr, M., Guizar, A., Tomaro, J., & Argento, A. (2014, November). Conditioned ejaculatory preference by a male rat for a somatosensory cue on a female rat. Poster presentation at the Society for Neuroscience Conference. Washington, D.C.

Tomaro, J., Chen, V., Ionita, G., & Fitzpatrick, M. (2014, June). Theoretical orientations that guide practice: By province. Poster presentation at the Canadian Psychological Association’s 75th Convention. Vancouver, BC. 

Chen, V., Tomaro, J., Ionita, G., & Fitzpatrick, M. (2014, June). Demographic characteristics and practice of Canadian psychologists across provinces. Poster presentation at the Canadian Psychological Association’s 75th Convention. Vancouver, BC. 

Tomaro, J., Chen, V., Ionita, G., & Fitzpatrick, M. (2014, February). Theoretical orientations guiding practice in Ontario. Poster presentation at the Ontario Psychological Association’s 67th annual Convention. Toronto, ON.

Chen, V., Tomaro, J., Ionita, G., & Fitzpatrick, M. (2014, February). Demographic characteristics and  practice of Ontario psychologists. Poster presentation accepted at the Ontario Psychological Association’s 67th annual Convention. Toronto, ON.             

Tomaro, J., Chen, V., Ionita, G., & Fitzpatrick, M. (2013, June). Theoretical orientations influencing psychologists’ practice in Canada. Poster presentation at the Canadian Psychological Association’s 74th Convention. Québec, QC. 

Chen, V., Tomaro, J., Ionita, G., & Fitzpatrick, M. (2013, June). A survey of Canadian psychologists: Demographic characteristics and practice. Poster presentation at the Canadian Psychological Association’s 74th Convention. Québec, QC.

FELLOWSHIPS

Psychoanalytic Fellowship, Montréal, QC                                              September 2018 – July 2021

This program offers readings, group discussions, clinical casework, individual mentors and access to monthly scientific meetings and the library. Each year focuses on a topic, and we have covered perversion, hysteria, gender diversity, dissociation, and psychosis.

COMMUNITY SERVICE AND ARTS

Pride Therapy Network of Montreal, Montréal, QC                                  September 2016 – present    

Clinical Member, Training Team Coordinator, Website Developer

Member of specialized mental health care team for LGBTQ2IA+ populations in Montréal. This team offers community care, outreach, advocacy, and public training. Volunteers are required to attend 20 hours of training annually, regular meetings, case presentations, and ongoing workshops, as well as participate in outreach and advocacy.

Practice, Never Apart, Montréal, QC                                                      May 2016 – September 2021

Practice is a mindfulness initiative to provide community-based and accessible meditation. It is an interdisciplinary project situated between practice-based research, sound art, mental health, community building, diversity, inclusion, and meditation. As founder and facilitator, I began this project to explore the intersection of sound and meditation, while attending to group practices and belonging. Practice is hosted at an art space committed to social progress, diversity and inclusion, called Never Apart.

POP Montreal, Piccolo Rialto                                                                                September 2019 

Moderator of the panel: What’s All That Noise? ASMR for the Uninitiated

Panelists: Erin Gee, Philippe Batthika

It Billows Up, Sontag Shogun                                                                                             May 2019

Contributing artist to It Billows Up, an art book by Sontag Shogun, the experimental electronic music project.

Immersed, Phi Centre                                                                                                 October 2018 

Moderator of the panel: Can there be healing through sound? Theories, practice and perspectives

Panelists: Dr. Alexandre Lehmann, Dr. Shelley Snow, Be Heinzman Hope

Canadian Counselling Psychology Conference, Calgary, AB         September 2017 – October 2018 

Student Co-Chair, Technical Support, Co-organizer of student volunteers in the CCPC 2018 conference. Volunteered as technical support role.

Mutek, Virage stage                                                                                                    August 2018 

Red Bull Music Circuit

Performing artist with Mikael Tobias

Keychange ::Amplify, Mutek                                                                                      August 2018 

Panelist in: Breaking the Binary: Sound/Noise, Wanted/Unwanted, Masculine/Feminine

Moderators: Julia Dyck, Amanda Harvey 

International Council of Psychologists, Montréal, QC                                                     June 2018 

     Volunteer Chair, Coordination of all conference volunteers

LGBTQ Mental Health Outreach, Vanier College, Montréal, QC                               February 2018

Showcased mental health resources for LGBTQ communities and engaged student population in mental health awareness, to promote better self-care in college student populations.

Mental Health First Aid, Crisis Management, Marianopolis College, Montréal, QC        May 2018

Presentation on mental health crisis management and mental health resources for the Montréal LGBTQ college student populations.

Support Groups Facilitator, AMI-Québec                                            February 2016 – May 2017

Facilitator for depression support group in community centre. This community volunteer position required 40 hours of training and continued development through facilitation.

SACOMSS, McGill University                                                   September 2013 – September 2015

Volunteer-run collective – As a volunteer at the Sexual Assault Centre of the McGill Students’ Society (SACOMSS), I completed two 40-hour trainings including extensive practice of non-directive facilitation, empathetic support, validation, and active listening. I attended workshops on gender, sexual orientation, disabilities, diversity, intersectionality, racism, and inclusion. I was an active participant in the non-hierarchical process of running the centre.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Canadian Psychological Association

Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association

Canadian Psychoanalytic Society, Quebec English Branch

World Professional Association of Transgender Health

Canadian Professional Association of Transgender Health

Pride Therapy Network of Montreal

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

Trauma Themes, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute                          Winter 2020 – Spring 2021

An 8-month long training course about sensorimotor psychotherapy models for trauma and attachment issues. Training includes curriculum, teachings, role plays, supervision, and therapy.

Collaborative Model for Transgender Health, Institute for Sexual Minority Health      Winter 2020

A 4-week training to assess the needs of trans clients and support through different stages of transition

Clinical Suicidology, Canadian Register of Health Service Psychologists                            Fall 2020

A three-part series and certificate program for doctoral students to identify suicidal patients and deliver specific interventions based on the Collaborative Assessment Model of Suicidality framework

Somatic Therapy with Queer and Trans Clients, Kull Initiative for Psychotherapy           Fall 2020

A workshop about the effects of trauma on the nervous system and corresponding somatic processing techniques, specific to queer and trans clients

Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans, McGill University                        Summer 2020

Tri-Council Research Ethics Course (TCPS 2: CORE)

Best Practices in Remote Therapy, American Psychological Association                     Spring 2020

Clinical training in remote/online therapy including the following topics: clinical evaluation, treatment, cultural competencies, documentation, technology, legalities, regulatory bodies, ethics, and payment

It Takes Us All, McGill University                                                                           November 2019

Sexual Violence Education Program- participated in curriculum for instructors as well as students. 

Gender and Sexual Diversity Training, INSPQ                                                      September 2019

Institut national de santé publique du Québec

Training focused on the therapeutic interventions for sex, gender, and sexual orientation diversity

 Interventions with Sexual and Gender Diversity, INSPQ                                           October 2019

Institut national de santé publique du Québec

Training focused on adapting therapeutic interventions to the realities of sexual and gender minority individuals, their partners, and their families

 Affirmative Therapy Training, Montréal Pride Therapy Network                              October 2019

Integrating an LGBTQ+ affirmative approach into the therapeutic practice.

Shifting Directions & Paradigms, CPA, Halifax, NS                                                        June 2019

A pre-convention workshop at the 2019 Canadian Psychological Association’s Annual Convention in Halifax, Nova Scotia, entitled Shifting Directions & Paradigms: Psychology in Action as a Decolonizing and Empowering Force. Received training in decolonizing psychotherapy interventions.

Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, Sex and Couples Therapy                                March 2019

Full-day workshop on Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy

HIV 101, Aids Community Care Montreal                                                                   August 2018 

Community-based workshop to increase knowledge and awareness of HIV, including infection, prevention and social, socioeconomic, emotional impact.

Competency Module for Sex and Gender Data Collection, CIHR                              October 2017

Canadian Institute of Health Research and Institue of Gender and Health, Dr. Cara Tannenbaum (Scientific Director)

Workshop offered by the CIHR Institute of Gender and Health entitled “Core Competency Module for Sex and Gender in Primary Data Collection with Humans”

Working with Culture, McGill University                                                                       May 2017

Dr. Cécile Rousseau and Dr. Jaswant Gudzer (Workshop Directors)

One-month intensive workshop for mental health practitioners on clinical models and methods in cultural psychiatry. Topics included: working with translators and culture brokers; attending to culture, ethnicity, racism and power in individual and family interventions with migrants and ethnocultural minorities; how cultural work transforms the therapist; ethical issues in intercultural work; strategies for working in different settings including schools, community organizations and refugee immigration boards.

Advocacy and Leadership Conference, CPA, Ottawa, ON                                          January 2016

Canadian Psychological Association

This two-day working conference brought together all professionals in psychology (g. students, practitioners, researchers, policy-makers) to work on advocacy issues and routes to leadership.

Working with Families in Transition, The Argyle Institute                              November 2016

 Dr. Dominic D’Abate, Julie Kidd, Maria Luisa Alejos (Presenters)

The Practice and Legal Aspects in Working with Families in Transition was a 6-hour OPQ-accredited seminar addressing the needs of psychotherapists working with parents and their children experiencing family transition such as separation, divorced, and re-marriage. Focus on the legal and clinical aspects of family law and code of civil procedure that frame our work with these families.

MBTVL Training, MindSpace Clinic                                                          April 2016 – June 2016

Dr. Sarah Roberts and Dr. Julien Lacaille (Training Directors)

Mindfulness Based Tools for Valued Living is a 6-week training on mindfulness tools based on Acceptance Commitment Therapy.

Self-Care Workshop, McGill University                                                                    January 2016

Dr. Shawna Atkins, Dr. Marilyn Fitzpatrick, Dr. Jack DeStefano (Facilitators)

Coordinator and attendee of self-care workshop for counselling psychology graduate students 

MBSR Training, MindSpace Clinic                                                      January 2015 – August 2015

Dr. Sarah Roberts (training director)

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MSBR) Training is an 8-week evidence-based training on mindfulness for stress reduction developed by Dr. Jon Kabat Zinn.