Carmine Malfitano

CARMINE MALFITANO, PH.D., M.S.W., R.S.W. (He/Him)

Carmine Malfitano is a registered social worker with over 10 years of experience in clinical practice and education, and 15 years of experience in research. He currently serves as Director of Research and Education at the Centre for Psychology and Emotional Health. Additionally, he holds the position of Clinical Social Work Specialist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and is a trainer in community counseling at the HIV Prevention Lab, Toronto Metropolitan University. He earned his Master’s degree in Social Work from the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work and completed his doctoral studies focused on traumatic stress in primary caregivers of individuals facing a diagnosis of advanced cancer.

At the Centre for Psychology and Emotional Health, Carmine leads educational programs and research projects, while also providing psychotherapy to individuals and couples. His integrative approach combines Emotion Focused Therapy with principles and interventions from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Mindfulness. At the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, he has contributed to numerous grants and research projects, including large multi-centre randomized controlled trials, and has provided therapy to individuals and families coping with advanced cancer and the end of life. He also has extensive experience supporting gay men through clinical practice, advocacy, and research.

As an educator, Carmine has trained and mentored students, trainees, and mental health professionals from various training backgrounds and across various stages of their careers. Since 2016, he has developed and led a specialized two-year training program for MSW students at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. This program offers students a unique opportunity to learn foundational psychotherapeutic principles and interventions, particularly from an Emotion Focused Perspective, integrating clinical, research, and training components. He also has extensive experience mentoring research trainees, with a focus on integrating research-informed practice and practice-informed research.

As an educator, Carmine has extensive experience in training and mentoring students, trainees, and mental health professionals across various training backgrounds. Since 2016, he has developed and led a specialized two-year practicum for MSW students at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. This comprehensive training program offers students a unique opportunity to learn foundational psychotherapeutic principles and interventions, particularly from an EFT tradition, integrating clinical, research, and training components into a cohesive learning experience. Additionally, Carmine has extensive experience mentoring research trainees. A key focus of his work is the integration of research-informed practice with practice-informed research.