Christopher MacKinnon

Faculty Lecturer, Department of Oncology, McGill University
Executive Director, Psychologie Monkland

Practicum Faculty, Portland Institute for Loss and Transition

Chris presently holds appointments in the Department of Oncology at McGill and the Portland Institute for Loss and Transition in Oregon. He is also director of a private psychology clinic in Montreal, Monkland Psychology. A practicing psychologist for 14 years specializing in the broad areas of loss and life transition, he is a Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement Coach as well as a Psychosocial Content Specialist with the Canadian Virtual Hospice. Dr. MacKinnon is a teacher in the Palliative Care McGill Post-Graduate Medical fellowship program. He regularly publishes and presents on psychological themes related to palliative care and psychology. He serves on the executive of the International Congress on Palliative Care and the advisory board for the Montreal Palliative Care Institute. Dr. MacKinnon also offers expert ethical/inquest consultations for mental health professionals.

Recent Publications

1. Cory, S., Chochinov, H., & MacKinnon, C. J. (in press). MyGrief.ca and KidsGrief.ca: New approaches to online bereavement education and support. In R.A. Neimeyer (Ed.), Techniques in grief therapy: Bereavement and Beyond. New York, NY: Routledge.
    
2. Kalocsai, C., Roze des Ordons, A., Sinuff, T., Koo, E., Smith, O., Cook, C., Golan, E., Hales, S., Tomlinson, G., Strachan, D., MacKinnon, C. J., & Downar, J. (2020). Critical care providers’ support of families in bereavement: A mixed-methods study. Canadian Journal of Anesthesia. doi: 10.1007/s12630-020-01645-0.
    
3. MacKinnon, C. J., Ummel, D., Vinit, F., & Srinivasan, E. (in press). Suffering a death wish: The psychology of medical aid in dying. In R.A. Neimeyer (Ed.), Techniques in grief therapy (Volume 3). New York, NY: Routledge.
    
4. MacKinnon, C. J., Szynkarski, D., & Stephens, L. (in press). The personal constellation exercise. In R.A. Neimeyer (Ed.), Techniques in grief therapy (Volume 3). New York, NY: Routledge.
    
5. Milman, E., Neimeyer, R. A., Fitzpatrick, M., MacKinnon, C.J., & Muis, K. R., & Cohen, S. R. (2019). Prolonged grief and the disruption of meaning: Establishing a mediation model. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 66(6), 714-725.
    
6. Milman, E., Neimeyer, R. A., Fitzpatrick, M., MacKinnon, C.J., & Muis, K. R., & Cohen, S. R. (2018). Rumination moderates the role of meaning in the development of prolonged grief symptomology. Journal of Clinical Psychology. 1-19.
    
7. Milman, E., Neimeyer, R. A., Fitzpatrick, M., MacKinnon, C. J., Muis, K. R. & Cohen, S. R. (2018). Prolonged grief symptomatology following violent loss: the mediating role of meaning. Journal of Psychotraumatology. 8 (sup6), 1503522.
    
8. Downar, J., Roze des Ordons, A. Koo, E., Smith, O., Cook, D., Golan, E., Hales, S., Tomlinson, G., Kalocsai, C., Strachan, D., MacKinnon, C. J., Sinuff, T. (2018). Prevalence and predictors of severe grief reactions and desire for support following a death in the intensive care unit: A multicentre observational study. Intensive care medicine 44 (4), 521-522.
    
9. Ummel, D., & MacKinnon, C.J. (2020). Impacts positifs et négatifs de travailler en soins palliatifs : Des pistes pour croître tout en étant confronté à la perte. Bulletin de l’Association Quebecois des Soins Palliatifs, 28(1), 4-6.
    

Recent Presentations

1. Gingras, S., & MacKinnon, C.J. (2019, May). Enhanced psychosocial training for palliative care fellow physicians. Poster presented at the Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians Advanced Learned in Palliative Medicine Conference, Calgary, AL.
    
2. Lunn, T., & MacKinnon, C.J. (2019, September). Grief 101 for paramedics. Presentation at the Paramedicine Across Canada Expo Conference, Winnipeg, MB.
    
3. MacKinnon. C. J. (2020, February). In the shadow of grief: Constructive approaches to the troubling sides of bereavement. Jung Society of Montreal, Montreal, QC.
    
4. MacKinnon, C.J. (2019, November). Grief and its complications: Meaning-Enhancing Strategies for Bereavement Support. 1-day presentations accredited by the l’Ordre des travailleurs sociaux et des thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec. Department of Social Work, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC.
    
5. MacKinnon, C.J. (2019, September). In the shadows of dying and bereavement: Two-part webinar. Invited presentation. Association of Death Education and Counseling Webinar Series.
    
6. MacKinnon, C.J. (2019, October). Addressing existential distress at end of life: The paradox of rescuing joy from heartbreak. Presentation certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Quebec Chapter (Collège Québecois des Médecins de Famille). Montreal Palliative Care Institute, Dorval QC.
    
7. MacKinnon, C.J. (2019, March). Loss and life Transitions: Meaning-based approaches to support. 2-day presentation accredited by the l’Ordre des travailleurs sociaux et des thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec. CIUSSS West Island, Pierrefonds, QC.
    
8. MacKinnon, C.J. (2019, April). The psychology of medical aid in dying. Presentation at the ALS Society of Quebec, Montreal, QC.
    
9. Milman, E., Neimeyer, R. A., Fitzpatrick, M., MacKinnon, C. J., Muis, K. R. & Cohen, S. R. (2018, November). Prolonged grief disorder following violent loss: The role of rumination and meaning making. In Milman, E. (Chair), Mental health impairment following violent bereavement: Etiology and intervention. Paper to be presented at 34th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Washington, D.C.
    
10. Milman, E., Neimeyer, R.A., Fitzpatrick, M., MacKinnon, C. J., Muis, K., & Cohen, S.R. S. (2018, April). Complicated grief following violent bereavement: Meaning mediates the detrimental impact of violent loss. Association for Death Education and Counseling, Pittsburgh, PA.