John Laing

John is a registered psychologist who has worked in the education system for the past 9 years. Prior to this John provided family-based mental assessment and intervention to children, adolescents, and parents experiencing a variety of challenges including mental illness, addictions and domestic violence as counsellor with a local community-based mental health organization.

Through his experiences, John fully understands and appreciates the importance of a team-based collaborative approach when working with students and parents in support of their own goals. John understands the complexities of education systems, today’s classroom, as well as the difficulties teachers often face in supporting all learners in their classrooms which makes him a perfect fit for Kaizen! He understands the difficulties parents often face in navigating education systems and the barriers they face. John believes it is vital to a student’s success to engage all key stakeholders in a student’s life and utilizes a “wraparound” consultation process to identify strengths and areas for support across multiple environments, when appropriate.

Through this perspective and respect John has for an individual’s autonomy, John is well known for his ability to engage and build rapport with “difficult” teens and children, as well as parents and teachers who often have a variety of different perspectives and experiences. John is honored to support Kaizen families in navigating the challenges their children face in this complex world. He feels fortunate to join them in their journey toward new understandings and direction.

John’s expertise includes helping students and families navigate the complexities of:

• ADHD and Learning Difficulties
• Anxiety & Depression
• Understanding your child’s learning profile
• Relationship building and social skills development

John is particularly gifted in working with youth and their families to navigate the ins and outs of ADHD and other learning challenges which makes him a perfect fit for our Kaizen family! After working extensively within school systems, he deeply empathizes with how issues with impulsivity and/or inattention impact children’s abilities to manage their environment.

He has an astute understanding of how ADHD impacts Executive Functioning and how it relates to managing everyday tasks and meeting daily expectations at home and at school, including social, emotional, behavioral and academic demands. He also believes in the importance of addressing all components of the family’s system if a change is to be actualized and sustained.

John has extensive experience working with children, youth and adults to see acceptance, pursue happiness and support them in removing barriers in their lives, empowering them with the tools and skills to make their own journey more successful. He is thrilled to support both Kaizen families and the Kaizen superhero team, continuing their journey toward progressive and continuous improvement.