SABI Mind - Calgary

Mental Health Lead & Psychiatrist

Dr. Lauren Zanussi was born in Houston, Texas but has lived in Calgary almost all of his life. He is a graduate of the University of Calgary and has degrees in Biochemistry and Medicine. He went on to be trained in Psychiatry and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, where he focussed on Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry.

He is an Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary where he has chaired courses in Psychiatry and Medical Skills. He has received awards for his work in education at the local, provincial and national level, including honours for innovation and mentorship. He has special expertise in communication skills training and has shared his knowledge with other departments to help train their residents as communicators.

As a psychiatrist, he has received training in psychiatric complications of medical conditions. He has worked with the Canadian Mental Health Commission and the University of Calgary in reducing stigma of mental health in the public and amongst medical practitioners. As a member of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Calgary, he has presided in the offices of Medical Director of ER services, Section Chief for Inpatients and Consultation-Liaison psychiatry, and as Site Chief of the FMC.

He has a full and active clinical practice where he works on the inpatient units of the FMC and with the outpatients of the Southern Alberta Transplant Program. He has worked with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta to create educational programs for it’s members and is an examiner for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. He is an active educator and is an Assistant Professor at the Cummings School of Medicine and is the Chair of the Psychiatric Test Committee at the Medical Counsel of Canada.