Kara Fletcher, BA, MSW, PhD, RSW

Contact Info

Kara Fletcher is an Associate Professor at the Saskatoon Campus and the Director of the Social Work Research Centre. Dr. Fletcher is an AAMFT accredited couple and family therapist (500 hour post-graduate diploma). Dr. Fletcher’s research programme focuses on couple and family therapy, and community-based approaches to treating and understanding mental health and substance use issues. She is currently writing a book on the impact of hustle culture on love relationships. Dr. Fletcher also researches the role of social workers in Medical Assistance in Dying.

Current Funded Projects

Principal Investigator RBC Research Fellowship: Developing a Saskatchewan-wide Virtual Support Group for Loved Ones Affected by Substance Use and Misuse.

Principal Investigator SSHRC IDG: Stories to Tell: A Pilot Podcast Project for Youth with Lived Experience of Crystal Meth Use in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. You can view the project website here: https://glassgateway.wixsite.com/podcast 

Co-Investigator SSHRC IDG: Supporting Workers to Build Resilience in Trauma-Impacted Children: A Saskatchewan Pilot Study in a Residential Program (PI: Lise Milne)

Principal Investigator Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation Establishment Grant:

Project: Mental health and substance abuse treatment in a Saskatchewan context: Who accesses and benefits from treatment? Who is missing?

Peer Reviewed Publications

King, J., Tupper, S.M., Fletcher, K., Brose, K., Goodridge, D. (2021). The current practice of social work in pain management: A scoping review on chronic disease, Social Work in Health Care. https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2021.1878318

King, J., Fletcher, K., Tupper, S.M., Brose, K., Goodridge, D. (2020). Pain management in bleeding disorders care: perspective of Canadian Social Workers in Hemophilia Care, Journal of Hemophilia Practice. 7(1). doi: 10.17225/jhp00163.

Fletcher, K. (2020). A systematic review of the relationship between child sexual abuse and substance use issues Journal of Child Sexual Abuse. https://doi.org/10.1080/10538712.2020.1801937

MacIntosh, H., Fletcher, K. & Ainsworth, L. (2019) Measuring mentalizing in Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples with childhood sexual abuse survivors and their partners, Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy.

Fletcher, K. & MacIntosh, H (2018). Emotionally Focused Therapy in the context of addictions: A replicative case study. The Family Journal. 26:3, 330-340.

Fletcher, K., & MacIntosh, H. (2018). “It’s about us, you know?” Relapses in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy for addictions. Social Work Practice in the Addictions. 18:4, 364-388.  

MacIntosh, H., Fletcher, K., & Collin-Vézina, D. (2016). “I was like damaged, used goods”: Thematic analysis of disclosures of childhood sexual abuse to romantic partners. Marriage and Family Review. DOI: 10.1080/01494929.2016.1157117

MacIntosh, H., Fletcher, K. & Collin-Vézina, D. (2016). “As time went on, I just forgot about it”: Thematic analysis of spontaneous disclosures of recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 25(1) 56-72.

Fletcher, K., Nutton, J., & Brend, D. (2015). Attachment, a matter of substance: The potential of attachment theory in the treatment of addictions, Clinical Social Work Journal, 43, 109-117.

Fletcher, K. (2014). Couple therapy treatments for substance use disorders: A systematic review. Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 13(4).

Brend, D., Fletcher, K. & Nutton, J. (2013). With Laura: Attachment and the healing potential of substitute caregivers within cross-cultural child welfare practice. First Peoples Child & Family Review Journal, 7(2), 43-59.

Publications: Book Chapter

Fletcher, K. (2023). Trauma issues and substance use: Considerations for social work practice. In R. Csiernik, W. S. Rowe, & G. Novotna (Eds.). Responding to the oppression of addiction, fourth edition. pp. 418-432. Canadian Scholars Press. 

Publications (Other)

Fletcher, K. (2022). I’m an addiction researcher and therapist. Here’s why promoting sober ‘dry months’ bothers me, The Conversation Canada. https://theconversation.com/im-an-addiction-researcher-and-therapist-heres-why-promoting-sober-dry-months-bothers-me-176657

Fletcher, K. (2021). Five tips for the tired heart to make connections this Valentine’s Day, University of Regina homepage. https://www.uregina.ca/external/communications/feature-stories/current/2021/02-12.html

Fletcher, K. (2021). The need to say it nicer: The language we choose when we talk about substance use matters, The Conversation Canada. https://theconversation.com/the-need-to-say-it-nicer-the-language-we-choose-when-we-talk-about-substance-use-matters-151055

Fletcher, K., Brown, J., Shaw, J., Goodridge, D., (2020) Research Report: Acute Advance Requests: A Pilot Study. Final Report Prepared for Dying with Dignity Canada. Unpublished, 29pp.

Fletcher, K., Milne, L. (2020). Research Report: Experiences of Students in University of Regina Faculty of Social Work and Justice Studies Field Practicum Seminars. Final Report for University of Regina Distance and Distributed Learning Committee: Unpublished. 51pp.

Fletcher, K. (2020). “What’s wrong with reproductive healthcare in Saskatchewan?” Op ed. Women for Saskatchewan. https://womenforsaskatchewan.ca/kara-fletcher-whats-wrong-with-reproductive-health-care-in-saskatchewan/

Fletcher, K. (2020). “Love in the time of coronavirus: 5 tips for communicating with your partner while stuck at home.” The Conversation Canada. https://theconversation.com/love-in-the-time-of-coronavirus-5-tips-for-communicating-with-your-partner-while-stuck-at-home-135638

MacIntosh, H., Fletcher, K., Gabriel, W. (2019). Reducing the harms of parental alcohol and substance use. Final report for the Department of Health and Social Development of the Nunatsiavut Government.

Fletcher, K. (2017). “I was having an affair with drugs”. Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy in the context of substance addictions, Psychologica. Ontario Association of Mental Health Professionals.