About Me
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Hello, Im Dr. Ruben Gagarin, MD FRCPSC DABPN, and my journey from Russia to the front lines of Canadian community mental health care has shaped my unique and multifaceted perspective on child and adolescent psychiatry.
My Calling
I never imagined psychiatry would become my life's work. Growing up, mental health carried a heavy stigma, and I was set on a completely different path in medical school. Everything changed the day I met my first psychiatric patient—a young woman who believed part of her brain had been abducted by aliens. She was experiencing psychosis, and as surreal as it sounded, I couldn’t help but feel deeply compelled to understand and help. That encounter opened my eyes to the profound complexities of the human mind, and just like that, I knew I had found my calling.
When I immigrated to Canada in 2002 and completed my residency at SUNY Buffalo, I discovered a new perspective that inspired me even further. Working with children and adolescents didn’t just mean helping them—it meant understanding their families, their histories, and the unspoken struggles passed down through generations. It dawned on me that to truly make a difference, I had to connect with both kids and their parents, uncovering the intricate dynamics that shape their lives. This deeper connection has been at the heart of my approach ever since.
Real-World Psychiatry
What sets my perspective apart is that my work is entirely grounded in real-world practice. At SHN, I spend all my time treating patients, not conducting research or teaching in academic settings. In a single day, I often encounter more cases than many academic psychiatrists might see in a week. Many of them don’t come to me by choice—they arrive through emergency rooms, are referred by the police, or find their way to me during family crises.
This has given me a raw and unfiltered look at the realities of mental health, spanning every imaginable cultural, religious, and socioeconomic background. It’s psychiatry in its purest form—not shaped by controlled studies, but by the intense, unvarnished experiences of everyday life.
Three Kids, Three Different Dads
Becoming a father at three very different points in my life—during medical school at 23, residency at 35, and as a seasoned psychiatrist at 39—was like wearing three distinct hats. With each child, I found myself navigating parenthood in a completely unique way, shaped by who I was at the time. These experiences have given me a deeper empathy for the families I work with, as I’ve walked in their shoes and faced many of the same challenges firsthand.
Challenging the "Normal" vs. "Sick" Myth
One of my passions is challenging the way we view mental illness. Society often divides it into rigid categories—you're either "normal" or "sick." But what I've learned from working with so many patients is that we're all navigating the same journey; some of us are just carrying heavier loads than others.
Another concern I have is how we focus so much on brain chemistry while overlooking the mind's psychology. Many issues we label as biochemical are often rooted in deeper psychological struggles, and understanding this intertwined relationship can completely shift how we address mental health.
Why I Share My Story
For too long, the voices that guide our understanding of psychiatry have mainly come from academic circles. And while research has its rightful place, there's been a missing piece—real-world insights from those of us working in community settings, facing the complexities of mental health issues day in and day out.
Thankfully, modern technology is breaking down those barriers. Through my YouTube channel, my writing, and my clinical practice, I’ve found ways to share the raw and genuine experiences of community psychiatry with families who crave real, practical advice—not just theories from textbooks.
My Mission
Whether I'm working with a teenager in crisis, creating content for parents, or training future mental health professionals, my goal is simple: help people see the patterns that connect psychology, philosophy, and human experience. Mental health isn't just about fixing what's broken—it's about understanding what makes us all beautifully, complexly human.
Whether I’m supporting a teenager in the midst of a crisis, creating content to guide parents, or mentoring future mental health professionals, my aim remains the same: to help people uncover the threads that tie our psychology, philosophy, and shared human experiences together. Mental health isn’t just about repairing what’s broken—it’s about appreciating the intricate beauty of what makes us human.
Thanks for letting me share this journey with you. I'm glad you're here.
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