Cheryl van Daalen-Smith

Faculty & School/Dept.

Faculty of Health - School of Nursing
Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studie

Degrees

BScN (Child and Family Specialty) -
Ryerson
Toronto

PhD -
University of Toronto (OISE)
Toronto

MA -
University of Toronto (OISE)
Toronto

Biography

Dr. Cheryl van Daalen-Smith is a feminist  researcher, professor and long-time community health nurse.
Her interests lay in the health and quality of life of girls and women, with a particular interest in the role of oppression on well-being. Inclusion as a key variable in all she explores, van Daalen-Smith's goal is always emancipatory. Her work calls nurses and others to call into question assumed truths that create distance between people and which create grief and misery. Her recent work explored the lived experiences of electroshock for women in Canada. Other inquiries include  feminist analyses of girls anger; lived ableism for girls living with Spina Bifida, and Women's Self Esteem. On her rescue farm, she quietly observes the gentle  beauty of the animal-human bond and the myriad lessons in 'her little brown barn'.
She is currently exploring women's experiences with psychiatric hospitalization, and calls upon her beloved profession to join her in asking 'tough questions' and in listening to the voices of those who are otherwise unheard.  

Selected Publications

Dosani, A., Etowa, J. & van Daalen-Smith, C.  Eds. (2019). Community Health Nursing: A Canadian Perspective, 5th Edition.  Pearson Canada.

van Daalen-Smith, C., LeFrancois, B. & MacPherson-Mayor, D.  (2018). Promising Policies, Ambiguous Practices: An exploration of the status of children in health care settings in Canada.   In T. Waldock (Ed.), The Status of Children in Canada: A Children’s Right’s Analysis Toronto: Canadian Scholars Press.

Poole, N., Bernier, J., van Daalen-Smith, C., Fraser, T., Talbot, C. & Vissandjee, B. (2015) Wthout these Groups, Girls Get Lost: A Study of Girls’ Perspectives on Girls’ Groups and Health Living. In Armstrong, P. & Pederson, A. (Eds.). Women’s health: Intersections of research, policy and practice. Second edition. Toronto: Women’s Press. 

van Daalen-Smith, C., Hagen, B. and Breggin, P.  (2015). diminished: Canadian Women’s Experiences of Electroshock.  Atlantis: Critical Studies in Gender, Culture and Social Justice.

van Daalen-Smith, C.  Adam, S., Breggin, P. & LeFrancois, B. (2014). The Utmost Discretion: How Presumed Prudence Leaves Children Susceptible to Electroshock. Commissioned Manuscript for Special Issue of Children and Society “Psychiatrised Children and their Rights: Global Perspectives.” Vol 28: 205-217.

van Daalen-Smith, C. & Thakur, S. (2014). You Find Yourself Here: Racialized Girls’ Experiences of Empowerment Groups in Ontario. Journal of Promising Practices on Diversity and Equity.

Wojitowicz, B., Hagen, B., & van Daalen-Smith, C. (2013). No place to turn: Nursing students’ experiences of moral distress in mental health settings. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing.

A WORLD OF INDIFFERENCE: Canadian Women's Experiences of Psychiatric Hospitalization - AFILM - www.yorku.ca/indiff 

van Daalen-Smith, C. (2011). Waiting for Oblivion: Women's Experiences of Electroshock. Issues in Mental Health Nursing.

van Daalen-Smith, C. (2010). Electroshock: A Discerning Review of the Nursing Literature. Issues in Mental Health Nursing

Other Research Outputs

Film on Canadian Women's Experiences of Psychiatric Hospitalization can be found at:   http://www.yorku.ca/indiff

Report on the impact of groups for girls "I love it because you can be yourself"  can be found at http://bccewh.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/BCCEWH_girls_perspectives_final_report.pdf

 

Affiliations

Community Health Nurses of Canada
Member, Standards of Practice Committee

Child Rights Academic Network
Only RN member, Researcher, Gender Advisor

Coalition Against Psychiatric Assault
Nursing Member, Activist

Pediatric Nurses Association of Ontario
Founder

Canadian Association of Pediatric Nurses
Founder, Member

Sigma Theta Tau - Lambda Pi
Inductee

Canadian Nurses for Health and the Environment

Partnerships

National Coordinating Centre for Determinants of Health
member

Service/Community Activities

Action Autonomie: Le Collectif pour la defense des droits et sante mental de Montreal
RN Consultant, Humble Listener

Canadian Association of Pediatric Nurses
Founder, Member

Journal of Gender and Women's Studies
Member, Editorial Board

Lucy Maud Montgomery Society of Ontario
Member

Pediatric Nurses Association of Ontario
Founder

St. Mikes Knowledge Synthesis/Translation Unit
Gender Expert Co-Pi

Toronto Strong Neighbourhood Strategy 2020 - City of Toronto
York Faculty, Community Development, Gender-Based Mental health, Catalyst Grant co-applicant

Awards

OISE - Outstanding 100 ALUMNI

Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honour Society Toronto Chapter, Lambda Pi

Supervision

Currently available to supervise graduate students: Yes

Currently taking on work-study students, Graduate Assistants or Volunteers: Yes

Available to supervise undergraduate thesis projects: Yes

Current Research

 Men's Experiences of Psychiatric Hospitalization in Canada

Implementation of Complexity Pedagogy Using a DAAGU platform

Women's Experiences of Psychiatric Hospitalization in Canada

Women's Experiences of Electroshock in Canada

The Mental Health Impact of the Animal-Human Bond

Research Projects

Women, Self Esteem and Mental Health
Role: Principal Investigator
Funded by: Other...

Look at that Cow Over There: Girls’ experiences in physical education: Competition, evaluation, and degradation.
Role: Principal Investigator
Funded by: Other...

A Home in the Hills: Homelessness & Precarious Housing in Caledon
Role: Principal Investigator
Funded by: Other...

Girls, Anger and Mental Health
Role: Principal Investigator
Funded by: York University

You Find Yourself Here: Racialized Girls’ Experiences of Empowerment Groups in Ontario.
With Shevy Thakur-Nebot, RN, MScN
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Funded by: Networks of Centres of Excellence

At both ends of the leash: An ethical analysis of service dogs for persons living with ‘dis’ability in Canada.
Role: Collaborator
Funded by: York University

Wthout these Groups, Girls Get Lost: A Study of Girls’ Perspectives on Girls’ Groups and Health Living.
Role: CoInvestigator
Funded by: Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation

ECT, Feminism and Nursing’s Responsibilities: Women Survivors Speak Out
Role: Principal Investigator
Funded by: York University

Anybody's Couch: A youth participatory action research project exploring the lives and service needs of York Region Street-involved Youth
Role: Principal Investigator
Funded by: York University

My mom was my left arm: The lived experience of ableism for girls with Spina Bifida.
Role: Principal Investigator
Funded by: York University