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 (she/her) is a PhD candidate in the School and Clinical Child Psychology (SCCP) program. She is interested in examining longitudinal intrapersonal risk factors for nonsuicidal self-injury engagement and suicidal behaviour. Her doctoral thesis research focuses on the link between altered pain sensitivity and nonsuicidal self-injury. As a clinician-in-training, Holly is interested in supporting holistic wellbeing in children, adolescents, and emerging adults by providing skills and fostering insight into early life experiences and current relationships. She has completed practicum placements within the Toronto District School Board, the Garry Hurvitz Centre for Community Mental Health at SickKids (previously the SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health), and Kinark Child and Family Services.

Rya is a first-year PhD student in the School and Clinical Child Psychology (SCCP) program, having recently completed a MA in the SCCP program. Her research interests include understanding and improving the experiences of marginalized 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.

Nikhita 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 Global Health at the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on the barriers that student-athletes face in accessing wellbeing and mental health resources offered across university levels. Her other research interests include coping strategies for stressors experienced by post-secondary students. In the lab Nikhita is currently involved in a project examining LGBTQ+ students experiences of support seeking on post-secondary campuses.

Brooke is a second year MA 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.

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 is currently completing her pre-doctoral residency through the Toronto Area Research Consortium at the Toronto District School Board and the Family Psychology Centre.

William is a fourth year 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 first 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.

Lola is a second year MA student in the Counselling and Clinical Psychology (CCP) program. Her research objectives include outlining mechanisms of change in psychotherapy and further understanding the role of wellness behaviours and emotion coping strategies. Focusing on emotion, she is keen on examining the individual differences in emotion regulation that allow healthy integration in post-secondary students during the transitional period to adulthood. Lola is currently working on a project on alexithymia and nonsuicidal self-injury in the lab.

Nancy is a first-year MA student in the Educational Leadership and Policy program specializing in Comparative, International, and Development Education. Before this, she earned an Honours Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Toronto's St. George campus, specializing in Psychology and minoring in Education and Society. Throughout her academic journey, Nancy has actively participated in various research projects such as university leave policies concerning mental health challenges, students’ bicultural blendedness and its associated outcomes (e.g., impact on academic performance, motivation, mental health, and parenting style), stigma transfer, and estrogen and cognition. Additionally, she has delved into research on Transnational Chinese communities in the Greater Toronto Area. Currently, Nancy's research interests are evolving and involve the intersection of international and comparative education, mental health, sustainable development, and policy analysis. Nancy is currently working on a project in the lab focused on LGBT+ students experiences of help-seeking on post-secondary campuses.

Teresa is a first year PhD candidate in the Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE) program. Her research focuses on mental health of neurodiverse children, adolescents, and their families. Teresa has 8 years of experience working with autistic individuals in different capacities at: Geneva Centre for Autism, ErinoakKids Centre for Treatment and Development, and the ADD Centre. She is passionate about mental health advocacy, and the importance of family dynamics. In the lab Teresa is currently working on a project examining sleep in relation to self-injurious behaviors.

Zoé is a first-year MEd student in the Counselling Psychology program at the University of Toronto, continuing her education after earning her HBSc in Psychology at the same university. Deeply committed to research, she focuses on dismantling societal stigmas associated with mental health. Zoé's interest in this field is both personal and professional, driving her to constantly seek ways to translate her research findings into practical treatments and interventions. Aspiring to become a mental health practitioner, she envisions a career where she can have a substantial, lasting impact on mental health awareness and care. In the lab, Zoe is currently working on a project examining sleep in relation to self-injurious behaviors. Zoé values a balanced life and understands the importance of self-care, especially in a field as demanding as mental health. In her downtime, she cherishes the calming presence of her two beloved cats, who offer her moments of tranquility amid her busy academic life.