Dr. Caroline Buzanko

Dr. Caroline Buzanko is Alberta’s 2024 Psychologist of the Year with over twenty years of clinical experience supporting children, teenagers, and their families. She integrates evidence-based research with practical, actionable strategies applicable to real-world contexts. She collaborates closely with teachers and families to unlock the potential of every child, foster strong connections, and strengthen confidence, courage, and emotional resilience.

Dr. Buzanko’s research interests focus on positive child and youth development, emotional well-being, and resiliency. All her research directly informs clinical practice. Moreover, she has developed training programs and workshops for parents, educators, and allied mental health professionals, on topics related to anxiety, neurodivergence, behaviour management, and learning difficulties.

Dr. Buzanko’s teaching philosophy centres on translating rigorous neuroscience into accessible, emotionally intelligent education. She brings extensive front-line clinical experience directly into her teaching, ensuring that learners can connect theoretical foundations to the real complexities of working with children, youth, and families.

Areas of expertise

• Childhood and adolescent anxiety
• Emotion regulation and resilience
• ADHD and autism
• Differential assessment and diagnosis
• Behaviour management and learning difficulties
• Knowledge translation, bridging research and real-world application

Personal passions

Dr. Buzanko is herself neurodivergent and is a parent of neurodivergent children. This lived experience shapes her research, teaching, and clinical practice reducing stigma, fostering belonging, and helping every child be seen, understood, and supported.

Outside of her professional roles, Dr. Buzanko hosts two podcasts: Overpowering Emotions, offering practical science-based strategies for those supporting anxious and dysregulated children, and Parents of the Year, discussing all topics related to parenting.

Discover my research

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Research interests

Dr. Buzanko’s research is applied and translational, directly informing clinical practice and professional training. Current and ongoing areas of scholarly focus include:

• Positive child and youth development
• Emotional well-being and emotion regulation
• Resiliency and anxiety prevention
• Neurodivergence, including ADHD and autism spectrum presentations
• Whole Circle Resilience — program development, scoping review, and focus groups across Canadian schools
• Differential diagnosis of autism and ADHD in assessment contexts

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Educational credentials

• PhD - School and Applied Child Psychology, University of Calgary
• MC - Master of Counselling, CAAP
• BA - Psychology, University of Calgary

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Professional affiliations

• College of Alberta Psychologists
• British Columbia Psychologists Association
• Psychological Association of Alberta
• Canadian Psychological Association
• National Association of School Psychologists

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