Welcome to the Healthy Relationships Lab
We acknowledge and respect the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples on whose traditional territories the University of Victoria stands and the Songhees, Esquimalt and the WSÁNEĆ peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.
See pronunciation guides for lək̓ʷəŋən and WSÁNEĆ.
We are a clinical psychology research lab led by Dr. Erica Woodin in the Department of Psychology at the University of Victoria. We are dedicated to the mission of helping people build strong and healthy relationships. We seek to understand the ways in which relationships are developed and maintained.
Our lab was formally known as the Couples and Families lab. However, as our research scope broadened in recent years we realized a lab name change was necessary to reflect our intentions and our interests. Our research focuses on prevention, strengths, communication, internal and external stressors of relationships, and how to improve personal and relational outcomes. We are also interested in how close relationships affect partner’s well-being and the well-being of their children.
Our mission is to provide information and support for families, couples, and other community members when navigating relationships in their lives. The ultimate goal of our research is to develop ways to help people make progress towards building stronger and more fulfilling relationships.