Todd Hayen, PhD, RP is a Canadian registered psychotherapist, author, former Hollywood film composer, and cultural critic known for his sharp, psychologically grounded writing on the human condition in an age of confusion, conformity, and control.
Todd spent most of his early years in Middletown, VA, and grew up in a highly artistic family. His mother and stepfather were successful actors, and his two sisters became talented artists. This creative environment profoundly shaped his early life and instilled in him a deep appreciation for the arts, the psyche, and the search for meaning.
For over twenty years, Todd built a successful career in Hollywood as a composer for motion pictures and television. He uprooted from his small hometown to pursue music in California, eventually providing scores for numerous films and TV shows. He lived in Pasadena with his two Siberian Huskies, Neli and Bobo, and was an active member of the Society of Composers and Lyricists, the American Federation of Musicians, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
A profound family tragedy became the catalyst for a major life transition. Seeking deeper purpose, Todd left the entertainment industry and devoted himself to helping others navigate life’s challenges. He pursued extensive academic and clinical training.
He also holds numerous certifications, including Certified Hypnotherapist, Certified Guided Imagery Facilitator, Certified Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner, Licensed Practitioner with the Church of Religious Science, Certified Past Life Regression Therapist, and a Diploma in Parapsychology and Psychical Research.
Today, Todd maintains a private psychotherapy practice in Aurora, Ontario (in the Greater Toronto Area). He practices primarily from a depth psychology / Jungian archetypal and transpersonal perspective, integrating psychodynamic work, cognitive behavioural therapy when appropriate, and a humanistic approach rooted in unconditional regard for the client. He views every person as essentially benevolent and capable of accessing the sacred through their own being. His work emphasizes soul, meaning, gratitude, empathy, and the transformative power of psychotherapy. He and his wife, fellow psychotherapist Cindy Hayen, operate a joint practice together.
Todd is deeply interested in spirituality without dogma, metaphysics, spiritual quantum physics, alternative history, and parapsychology. He believes these fields help restore “soul” to the modern worldview and foster a more loving, peaceful existence.
In 2021–2022, amid the cultural upheaval of the COVID era, Todd launched his widely read Substack Shrew Views (shrewviews.com). Writing under the banner of the “shrew” (the tiny but fiercely independent and sharp-toothed animal that refuses to be herded), he critiques mainstream narratives, globalist agendas, loss of personal freedom, psychological manipulation, and the erosion of critical thinking. His essays blend Jungian insight, cultural analysis, dark humour, and neighbourly anecdote. The newsletter now has thousands of subscribers and has become a gathering place for independent thinkers.
In 2025, Todd published his anthology The View of the Shrew: Unmasking the Truth in a Confused World (2022–2024) (Auraboros Publishing, edited by his sister Charla Hayen). The book compiles his sharpest Substack essays into a powerful collection that documents the psychological and social toll of recent years while offering a path toward clarity and integrity. It quickly became a #1 bestseller in International Relations on Amazon and has received strong endorsements from figures such as James Corbett, Mark McDonald MD, Kit Knightly, Scott McRae, and Edward Curtin.
He is also the author of several other works, including Ancient Egypt and Modern Psychotherapy: Sacred Science and the Search for Soul, and has contributed to podcasts, interviews, and publications exploring the intersection of psyche, culture, and truth.
Todd lives in Ontario with his wife Cindy. He continues to write, practice psychotherapy, and speak out as a “shrew” — small in stature perhaps, but relentless in the pursuit of what is real. Whether through music, therapy, or the written word, his life’s work centres on helping people reclaim their souls, their sovereignty, and their ability to see clearly in a world that often prefers them blind.
Todd Hayen is a practicing psychotherapist in the Toronto, Ontario area. Before settling in Canada with his wife and two dogs, he lived in Hollywood writing music for film and television.