Laura MacGregor

In 2019, I successfully defended my PhD dissertation in Human Relations at Martin Luther University College-Wilfrid Laurier University. I also completed an MA at Luther, in 2011, when it was known as Waterloo Lutheran Seminary.

I started my professional life as an occupational therapist, completing a BSc(OT) at the University of Toronto in 1990 and a MSc at Western University in 1995.

I am a qualitative researcher at heart. I believe our lived experiences often form the core of some of our most profound questions.

My research focuses on the lived experiences of extreme caregivers: specifically mothers and parents of complex-care children. My MA work explored the spiritual journeys of parents of medically fragile children, with a particular emphasis on the theological challenges and parental need for pastoral care.

My doctoral work explored the interconnection between mothers and children and how this interrelationship informed maternal caregiving decisions. My work is interdisciplinary in nature, often engaging theology, phenomenology, and health sciences.

• 2016 – Western University Keynote Address, School of Occupational Therapy Professional Pinning Ceremony
• 2012-2013 – Ontario Graduate Scholarship
• 2011 – Charlotte and Otto W. Heick Memorial Award in Systematic Theology
• 2011 – Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, Academic Excellence Award
• 2011 – Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, Gold Medallist

• MacGregor, Laura, "Blurred lines: A phenomenological study of maternal-child interconnection." (2019). Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive). 2217. https://scholars.wlu.ca/etd/2217
• MacGregor, L. (Summer, 2019). A chaos story: How faith communities can support overwhelmed caregivers. The United Church of Canada: Mandate.
• MacGregor, L & Martin, J. (April, 2018). Hello from the other side: Parental reflections on the patient-parent, family physician triadic relationship. Canadian Journey of Family Physicians

• Caregiving
• Disability and theology
• Qualitative research