Research Keywords
- mental health
- youth
- families
- coping
- resilience
Research Summary
I aim to conduct research with practical applications for supporting the mental health of youth and healthy functioning of their families. My research interests complement my experiences as a licensed clinical psychologist and explore youth mental health, family dynamics, child development, attachment, coping strategies and emotion regulation strategies. A secondary interest of mine is the dissemination and integration of research findings into practice, so that our research may ultimately have a powerful and clinically significant impact on people. Specifically, I hope that applications of my research will help foster resilience in youth and their families.
Courses Taught
- Counselling Psychology I
- Counselling Psychology II
- Advanced Psychological Assessment
- Child Psychology
- Introduction to Psychology, Part I
Teaching Summary
I view a teaching relationship as developing through a collaborative and iterative process; one in which both the learner and the educator are continuously evolving, and wherein each has their own set of responsibilities. While I consider the instructor to be the expert on the course material, the student is the expert on their own learning needs and goals. My favourite part of teaching is the opportunity to get to know my students, learn from their diverse perspectives, and develop mentorship relationships with them. I attempt to communicate an explicit belief in my students' abilities and ultimate success, recognize their current level of skill and provide them with appropriately-tailored challenges, and demonstrate a genuine desire to hear their views. I have found the most exhilarating teaching moments arise when students are encouraged to think independently and express creative positions, rather than just the "correct answer." I believe that my role as a professor extends beyond merely presenting information to fostering learners’ critical and flexible thinking, open-mindedness, and self-reflection. Moreover, I truly enjoy stimulating students’ interest in the fascinating and multifaceted field that is psychology.
Service Activities
- Faculty of Science Representative, Strategic Planning Committee - I aim to be an advocate for proposals that support the mental health of our student population.
- Mental Health on the Prairies (MHoP) 2024 Conference Steering Committee Member - I hope to contribute to the integration of mental health research and practice in the prairies.
- Huddle Brandon Lead Committee - I aim to contribute my perspective as a clinical psychologist and youth mental health researcher to support effective mental health programming for young people via Huddle Brandon.
- Career Development Meetings with Undergraduate Psychology Students - I regularly meet with students individually to help develop their understanding of various career opportunities in psychology. I aim to illuminate and clarify possibilities for students, based on their individual interests, and help them to develop their own unique career path.