Dr. Patrick Keelan, Registered Psychologist

09/29/2025

In this article, I discuss threats to mental health posed by social media use and how to address them. On a recent episode of The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge podcast, the host read listener responses to the provocative question: Is social media a cancer? Many responses pointed to threats to mental health posed by social media. In the following sections, I will discuss these threats and how to address them...[more]...

09/15/2025

In this article, I discuss how focusing on processes rather than outcomes facilitates a good night’s sleep and fulfilling s*xual relationships. A good night’s sleep and fulfilling s*xual relationships play pivotal roles in people’s emotional well-being. An obvious connection between these two goals is that they share the location where the activity occurs. ... However, there is another thing they have in common. What it takes to be successful in each area is remarkably similar. I will discuss this common factor in the following sections...[more]...

Estimated reading time: . A good night’s sleep and fulfilling s*xual relationships play pivotal roles in people’s emotional well-being. An obvious connection between these two goals is that they share the location where the activity occurs. However, there is another thing they have in common. Wh...

09/01/2025

In this article, I discuss how artificial intelligence may reduce people’s engagement in one kind of activity which is fundamental to good mental health. I often have clients with issues involving low self-esteem. One of my go-to strategies to help these clients is to have them incorporate mastery activities into their lives. Mastery activities are those in which a person accomplishes something and uses their talents and skills. Mastery activities can include occupational activities, exercise, sports and a wide array of hobbies and interests. Unfortunately, it appears that people’s continuing engagement in mastery activities may be threatened by the most recent revolutionary development in technology—artificial intelligence or, as it is commonly called, AI. In the following sections, I will discuss how AI poses a threat to mastery activities and steps which can be taken to stave off the threat—such as my writing this article...[more]...

Estimated reading time: . I often have clients with issues involving low self-esteem. One of my go-to strategies to help these clients is to have them incorporate mastery activities into their lives. Mastery activities are those in which a person accomplishes something and uses their talents and ski...

08/18/2025

In this article, I discuss how to make deposits to your relationship’s emotional bank account quickly and easily. A key to success in any close relationship is having a strong relationship friendship. The entails the couple setting aside time regularly to engage in activities which build fondness, connection and intimacy. Relationship expert Dr. John Gottman says that regular friendship activities lead the couples to make deposits of positivity into their relationship’s ‘emotional bank account’. Doing so brings with it a positive perspective on each other and on the relationship. It has the additional benefit of the two partners bringing that positive mindset to discussions of issues in the form of ‘positive sentiment override’. This leads to them having success in managing conflict during those discussions. Unfortunately, various factors can arise which make it challenging for the parties to engage in relationship friendship activities consistently. This leads to fewer deposits being made to the emotional bank account which leads to a negative perspective on each other and the relationship. In turn, it produces the additional side-effect of a negative mindset when discussing issues which leads to less success in managing conflict. Fortunately, there are efficient and convenient friendship activities in which the couple can engage when these factors arise. I will discuss these activities in the following sections...[more]...

Estimated reading time: . A key to success in any close relationship is having a strong relationship friendship. The entails the couple setting aside time regularly to engage in activities which build fondness, connection and intimacy. Relationship expert Dr. John Gottman says that regular friendshi...

08/15/2025

Dr. Patrick Keelan joins CBC's Fresh Air to discuss the psychological impact of speed cameras on driver behavior. Listen to insights on how speed cameras are actually working....

Dr. Patrick Keelan recently joined CBC's "Fresh Air with Ismaila Alfa" to discuss speed cameras and their impact on driving behavior. The segment, titled "Do speed cameras actually change the way we drive?", aired on August 9, 2025. Despite ongoing criticism

08/04/2025

In this article, I discuss insightful comments made recently by the world’s number one golfer. As a life-long avid sports fan, I have appreciated the talents of great athletes in a multitude of sports over the years. I have admired athletes at the top of their fields such as Wayne Gretzky in hockey, Michael Jordan in basketball, Tom Brady in football and Tiger Woods in golf. As entertaining as these Hall of Famers were when performing in their respective sports, they were not very exciting to to listen to in interviews. To be fair to the icons who I mentioned, with a few exceptions interviews with athletes are consistently comprised of cliches and banalities and are sorely lacking in insights and honesty. I was therefore pleasantly surprised to hear several thoughtful and candid comments in a recent news conference by no less than the top golfer on the planet. Even better for the purposes of this blog, his comments spoke to fundamental issues related to mental health. I will focus on Scottie Scheffler’s unusual interview in the following sections...[more]...

Estimated reading time: . As a life-long avid sports fan, I have appreciated the talents of great athletes in a multitude of sports over the years. I have admired athletes at the top of their fields such as Wayne Gretzky in hockey, Michael Jordan in basketball, Tom Brady in football

07/29/2025

Following a Calgary road rage incident, Dr. Patrick Keelan offers practical advice on emotional control while driving. Discover mental rehearsal techniques to prevent dangerous escalations....

  Following a recent Calgary road rage incident that resulted in hospitalization, registered psychologist Dr. Patrick Keelan shared valuable insights with CTV News on how drivers can better manage their emotions and stay safe. The Key to Emotional Control Dr. Keelan explains that the secret to

07/20/2025

In this article, I discuss strategies you can use to overcome challenges to changing beliefs which drive procrastination. In my last two articles, I discussed how you can address procrastination by changing the beliefs which lead you to procrastinate. I indicated that this entailed identifying the beliefs driving each of four types of procrastination and changing these to beliefs which help each type to overcome procrastination. The four types, as described in 'A teen’s guide to getting stuff done' by Jennifer Shannon, were referred to as the perfectionist, the warrior, the pleaser and the rebel. In my most recent article, I discussed how to gather evidence to challenge beliefs which drive procrastination by conducting behavioural experiments in which you act opposite to your default behaviour of procrastination. I closed this article by indicating that challenges often arise when conducting such experiments. In the following sections, I will discuss these challenges and how to overcome them....

07/07/2025

In this article, I discuss steps you can take to challenge beliefs which drive your type of procrastination. In my last article, I discussed how you can address procrastination by changing the beliefs which lead you to procrastinate. I indicated that this entailed identifying the beliefs driving each of four types of procrastination and changing these to beliefs which help each type to overcome procrastination. The four types, as described in 'A teen’s guide to getting stuff done' by Jennifer Shannon, were referred to as the perfectionist, the warrior, the pleaser and the rebel. As I concluded in my last article, changing beliefs entails gathering evidence which challenges the beliefs driving each type of procrastination when these beliefs are activated. Gathering evidence to challenge beliefs which drive procrastination entails a set of steps. I will focus on this topic in the following sections...[more]...

Estimated reading time: . In my last article, I discussed how you can address procrastination by changing the beliefs which lead you to procrastinate. I indicated that this entailed identifying the beliefs driving each of four types of procrastination and changing these to beliefs which help each ty...

06/23/2025

In this article, I discuss how you can address procrastination by changing the beliefs which lead you to procrastinate. In my last article, I discussed the first step in addressing procrastination--identifying which type of procrastinator you are. The four types, as described in 'A teen’s guide to getting stuff done' by Jennifer Shannon, were referred to as the perfectionist, the warrior, the pleaser and the rebel. I indicated that each of the four types procrastinate for markedly different reasons. These reasons were said to be rooted in beliefs regarding the consequences of getting tasks done and procrastinating. In the following sections, I will discuss the second step in addressing procrastination. This entails targeting for change the beliefs of each type which drive their procrastination...[more]...

Estimated reading time: . In my last article, I discussed the first step in addressing procrastination--identifying which type of procrastinator you are. The four types, as described in A teen’s guide to getting stuff done by Jennifer Shannon, were referred to as the perfectionist, the warrior, th...

06/11/2025

Sports psychologist Dr. Patrick Keelan discusses the mental challenges of athletic performance on The Naz and Wally Sports Hour....

Sports psychologist Dr. Patrick Keelan was recently interviewed on The Naz and Wally Sports Hour, discussing the mental challenges of athletic performance. Dr. Pat's segment begins at the 46-minute mark of the show, where he shares his expertise on the psychological aspects

06/09/2025

In this article, I discuss four types of procrastinators who avoid tasks for markedly different reasons. Procrastination is an issue for many people, including myself, at times. Among those who procrastinate regularly, the reasons for doing so are often rooted in unhelpful beliefs which interfere with starting, continuing and completing tasks. Identifying and gradually changing these beliefs is fundamental for these people to address their procrastination issue. In 'The teen’s guide to getting things done', Dr. Jennifer Shannon discusses four types of procrastinators who differ in their reasons for not getting things done. I will focus on them in the following sections...[more]...