Dr. Chloe Hamza (she/her) is a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Stress and Coping in Post-Secondary Contexts. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development at OISE, and is cross-appointed in the Developmental Psychology and Education program and School and Clinical Child Psychology program. Dr. Hamza utilizes a lifespan development perspective to study the onset and maintenance of mental health concerns among school-aged youth and young adults, and she has strong expertise in the area of self-injurious behaviors (e.g., nonsuicidal self-injury, suicidal behavior). She is the Chair of the International Consortium on Self-Injury in Educational Settings (ICSES), which is a group of leading researchers committed to developing and disseminating evidence-informed guidelines to support students who self-injure. She also recently served as a member of the University of Toronto’s Presidential and Provostial Task Force on Student Mental Health, and the Institutional Steering Committee on Student and Youth Mental Health at the University of Toronto. As an instructor at OISE, she teaches graduate courses in mental health in the classroom, and adolescent and emerging adult mental health.

Holly is a PhD Candidate in her final year of the School and Clinical Child Psychology (SCCP) program. She is interested in the longitudinal intrapersonal risk factors for nonsuicidal self-injury engagement and suicidal behaviour, and the lived experiences of individuals who engage in these behaviours. Her doctoral thesis research focuses on the link between altered pain sensitivity and nonsuicidal self-injury. Holly is currently completing her predoctoral internship at the Garry Hurvitz Centre for Community Mental Health at SickKids (previously the SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health), where she works with children, adolescents, and families in the assessment and intervention of mental health difficulties. As a clinician-in-training, Holly is interested in supporting the holistic wellbeing in children, adolescents, and emerging adults by providing skills and fostering insight into early life experiences and current relationships.

Rya is a second-year PhD student in the School and Clinical Child Psychology (SCCP) program. Her research interests include understanding and improving the experiences of racialized, queer, and disabled students seeking mental health services in educational contexts. As a clinician-in-training, Rya is interested in community approaches to improving mental health and well-being among children, adolescents, and emerging adults. She has completed a practicum placement at the Toronto District School Board and is currently completing a practicum at Sageview Health.

A first year MA student with the Leadership, Higher and Adult Education department in the Adult Education and Community Development program, Irum’s research interrogates the relationship between students, labor, and political action through cooperative models of organization. After graduating from the University of Toronto in 2020 with a Classics degree, Irum managed communications in non-profit education settings and worked in archaeology in Ontario. Most recently, Irum has been developing a free food community newspaper with friends in a youth farming co-operative and managing policy and research for the Organic Council of Ontario. As they continue to change their relationship to learning and the land, Irum looks forward to contributing to the CARE lab’s work on student mental health and well-being. Irum’s writing on gender and desire has been published with Herizons, The Capilano Review, and Silverfish Magazine.

Brooke is a first year doctoral student in the School and Clinical Child Psychology (SCCP) program. She recently completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience with a minor in Psychology at the University of Guelph. Her research interests involve understanding NSSI recovery and how it can be fostered. Brooke is passionate about contributing to research that takes a person-centered approach with a goal to understand individuals’ unique recovery experiences. As a clinician-in-training, Brooke is interested in the application of positive psychology and interventions that foster resilience in youth and emerging adults with lived NSSI experience.

Megan is a first-year MEd student in the Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE) program. She has just graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Western University, where her honours thesis project focused on the long-term effects of adverse childhood experiences. She brings a variety of experience as a research assistant in several areas of psychology, including neuro, clinical and cognitive psychology. Megan is excited to continue exploring the field of childhood mental health by supporting various research initiatives in the lab.

Janet is a first-year MEd student in the Developmental Psychology and Education program at OISE. Following her Honours Bachelor of Science with a Specialist in Mental Health Studies and a Minor in Sociology at UTSC, her passion for student well-being continues to shine through. During her undergraduate years, she actively participated in Mental Health clubs and volunteered at the Health & Wellness Centre. She also aimed to make an impact on society by being a part of the Students of Sociology student association and co-founding an online well-being platform with a U of T alumna, The UVoice Project. After completing her undergrad, she had the opportunity to work as a Live-In Residence Counsellor at a boarding school with students in grades seven through twelve. Her Live-In experience not only provided her with the opportunity to spend quality time with students but also observe them in various settings and situations. Hence, given the opportunity to expand on her passion with her graduate studies and through the CARE Lab's ongoing research projects, Janet aims to learn more about the student population and how she can have a positive impact on society while diving deep into examining the types of coping mechanisms for various stressors.

Maria is a PhD student in the School and Clinical Child Psychology (SCCP) program. She is interested in examining risk and protective factors for NSSI longitudinally. Her research focuses on the impact of traumatic experiences on NSSI engagement, and the pathways through which experiences of trauma may lead to NSSI engagement (e.g. post-traumatic stress symptoms and cognitions). Maria is a clinician-in-training interested in ways to facilitate positive mental health and well-being among children, adolescents, and emerging adults navigating stressful life experiences. Maria has completed a practicum placement at the Toronto Catholic District School Board, the Garry Hurvitz Centre for Community Mental Health, and the Red Oak Centre. She recently completed her pre-doctoral residency through the Toronto Area Research Consortium at the Toronto District School Board and the Family Psychology Centre.

William is a PhD student in the School and Clinical Child Psychology (SCCP) program. His research broadly focuses on the intersection of personality characteristics and psychological well-being, with a specific interest in the relations between the dimensions of perfectionism and NSSI among emerging adults. As a clinician-in-training, William is interested in person-centered and collaborative approaches to psychoeducational and psychological assessment and fostering positive psychological well-being among children, adolescents, and emerging adults. William recently completed a practicum placement at the Toronto District School Board.

Sarah Kuburi is a second year PhD student in the Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE) program at OISE and is the current Lab Manager of the CARE Lab. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from York University and a Master of Arts degree in Developmental Psychology and Education from the University of Toronto. Her research in the lab focuses on examining the impact of stressors on university students and the coping strategies students utilize to manage various stressors.

Dahlia is a first-year MEd student in the Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE) program. She recently graduated with a dual degree in Bachelor of Psychology (BA) and Bachelor of Commerce (BCOMM) from Queen's University. Dahlia is currently working on a project in the lab examining stress and coping among post-secondary students. Having witnessed the various stressors students face during their transition to university, she is passionate about promoting well-being during this critical stage.

Prameshta Prasath (she/her) is a first-year MA student in the Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE) program. She graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Human Biology at the University of Toronto. She is dedicated to advancing research that employs a trauma-informed, interdisciplinary approach to investigating mental health and resilience, particularly among individuals who have experienced non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). She has a strong commitment to exploring these issues within marginalized and underrepresented communities including BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth and emerging adults.

Shannen is a third year PhD student in the Clinical and Counselling Psychology (CCP) program at the University of Toronto. Her research focuses broadly on critical suicidology, Indigenous suicide, suicide prevention and life promotion. Her dissertation aims to examine suicide prevention policies in Canada and explore the intersections of sociocultural dimensions of suicide, social justice, and well-being. As a clinician-in-training, Shannen adopts an integrative approach focused on non-judgemental, collaborative and client-centered care. She prioritizes creating a safe and affirming space for her clients to work towards their therapeutic goals.

Talia is a first year MA student in the School and Clinical Child Psychology (SCCP) program. She recently graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, and spent the past year coordinating a study on reward processing in binge-type eating disorders. At the CARE Lab, she is interested in studying how aspects of self-concept impact risk for engagement in self-damaging behaviours such as NSSI and disordered eating. She also aims to use EMA methodology to research state- and trait-level factors that influence mental health outcomes.

BingSen is a first year Med student in Developmental Psychology and Education program at the University of Toronto, continuing his education earning his Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Research Specialist concentration at Wilfrid Laurier University. During his undergraduate years, he was passionate about the social belonging of international students and their transition from their homes to new places, and how this would impact their academic success, mental well-being and cultural adaptation. And in the lab, he can’t wait to start the new project with the team and is eager to learn more in the CARE lab!

Cheryl is a first-year MEd student in the Counselling Psychology program. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of British Columbia. Her time volunteering in mental health settings and as a behavioural interventionist led to her becoming an advocate for mental health treatments and assessments that consider multiculturalism and diversity. Currently, Cheryl is working on a project focusing on stress and coping during the transition to university.