Lab Director
Erica Woodin, PhD
Dr. Woodin is the Director of the Healthy Relationships Lab, an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology and the Director of Clinical Training (DCT) at the University of Victoria. Dr. Woodin obtained a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, New York, and completed a Pre-Doctoral Clinical Internship at Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, New York. She joined the Department of Psychology at the University of Victoria in 2007.
See Dr. Woodin’s CV here
Contact: ewoodin@uvic.ca
Postdoctoral Researcher
Lea Waldis, PhD
Lea is a postdoctoral researcher in the Healthy Relationships Lab. She obtained her doctorate in Personality and Differential Psychology from University of Bern, Switzerland. Her current research centers around gender and cultural differences in parental burnout. She has formerly researched the interplay between gender role orientation, sexual orientation, sociosexuality, and sexual aggression.
Contact: leawaldis@uvic.ca
Graduate Students
Fanie Collardeau, MA
Fanie is a doctoral student in the Clinical Lifespan Psychology program. Her current research centers around the beliefs about, expression and regulation of shame in diverse cultural and social contexts. Fanie completed her predoctoral internship at the Edmonton Consortium.
Contact: faniecol@uvic.ca
Kari Duerksen, MSc
Kari is a doctoral student in the Clinical Lifespan Psychology Program. Her research focuses on mental health stigma and bolstering community and social support for individuals diagnosed with mental illness. She has formerly researched intimate partner violence and abuse through technology.
Contact: kariduerksen@uvic.ca
Pauline Song-Choi, MSc
Pauline is a doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program in the Lifespan stream. She is a second generation Korean immigrant and has completed practicum placements at the University of Victoria Psychology Clinic, Child and Youth Mental Health, and Queen Alexandra Centre for Children’s Health. Her research and clinical interests revolve around trauma and the family system, intergenerational family dynamics, cultural considerations in both family dynamics and mental health services, and how systems intersect to impact the lived experience of clients. Her current dissertation research is focused on centering youth voices and improving mental health services for racialized youth in Victoria, BC.
Pauline has been/is currently involved with a number of community-based research projects, including partnerships with the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society (VIRCS), the Victoria Migrant Mental Health Network, the Island Sexual Health Community Clinic, local Assertive Community Treatment Teams, and the Victoria Police Department.
Contact: psong@uvic.ca
Lauren Matheson, MSc
Lauren is a PhD student in Clinical Psychology at the University of Victoria. She is passionate about sexuality research, particularly research examining sexual identity and sexual orientation. Currently she is working on two projects examining plurisexuality (i.e., attraction to more than one gender) and how plurisexual individuals understand their sexual identity. Lauren also engages in psychotherapy with clients at the University of Victoria Student Wellness Centre.
Contact: laurenmatheson@uvic.ca
Lorna Breen, MSc
Lorna is a doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program (Lifespan stream). Her research interests include trauma and resilience in the context of interpersonal relationships, intimate partner and domestic violence prevention, and the adaptive function of shared play and leisure in fostering healthy relationships. Her previous master’s thesis research involved developing and pilot testing an original tabletop role-playing game module with families (“The Family Tabletop Adventure”). She aims to expand upon these findings in her future doctoral dissertation research to examine the effects of tabletop role-playing games on family processes.
Contact: lbreen@uvic.ca
Pat Nicoll, MSc
Pat is a doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program (lifespan stream). His research interests broadly relate to resilience and transformational coping in the context of extreme and unusual environments (EUEs). For his master’s thesis, Pat ran a mixed-methods study on a group of Antarctic expeditioners, examining the phenomenon of post-expedition psychological growth in the aftermath of experiences in isolated, confined, and extreme (ICE) environments. Lately, Pat has been interested in exploring the role of healthy relationships in small group/team functioning on missions to ICE environments, such as Antarctica and outer space.
Contact: patricknicoll@uvic.ca
Sean Morgan, BSc
Sean is a Clinical Psychology master’s student in the Lifespan Stream. He is interested in exploring romantic relationships and their association with health outcomes. In addition, he intends to explore the dynamics of couples during the transition to parenthood, focusing on prevention approaches more specifically.
Contact: seanmorgan@uvic.ca
Quinn Storey, BA
Quinn is a Clinical Psychology master’s student in the Lifespan Stream. His research interests include men’s mental health, the transition to fatherhood, and underlying mechanisms in intimate partner violence. He hopes to explore the ways in which men experience parenthood and the influence this carries on health behaviours, emotional wellbeing, relationship quality, and situational violence.
Contact: qstorey@uvic.ca
Honours Student
Ellie Curry
Ellie is a BSc. Psychology student in the social psychology stream completing her Honours project under Dr. Erica Woodin and co-supervised by Sean Morgan. Ellie’s research is focused on identifying specific conditions which foster greater attachment security in individuals over time. Past research includes studying the relationship between discrimination and shame on behavioural outcomes under doctoral candidate Fanie Collardeau. She is the recipient of the Jamie Cassels Undergraduate Research Award. Ellie plans to continue her studies into graduate school with hopes of pursuing a career in psychological research.
Lab Coordinator
Rachel Mallinson, BSc(Hons)
Rachel recently completed her BSc(Hons) in Psychology with a minor in Applied Ethics. Her thesis, under the supervision of Dr. Woodin and funded by the Jamie Cassels Undergraduate Research Award, examined the mechanisms that contribute to relationship discord for young women with ADHD. More generally, Rachel’s research interests include the social impacts of neurodevelopmental disorders and gender nuances in psychopathology. Rachel hopes to attend graduate school in the future and build a career as a clinical psychologist.
Contact: ewoodinlab@gmail.com
Social Media Coordinator
Sam Bottrill
Born and raised in North Vancouver, Sam loves to do anything outdoors. They are in their final year of undergraduate hoping to obtain a Master’s in counselling. Sam’s research interests include intersectionality and queer relationships and they hope to work with youth and young adults. Sam is also the Co-Director of the Psychology Undergraduate Student Union (PUGS) podcast here at UVic.
Research Assistants
Sam Bottrill
Shalyn Boyer
Francesca Cumberbirch
Ellie Curry
Sydney Foreman
Mitchell Gaudry
Fatima Herrera-Montalvo
Michela Kroker
Tristan Rendell
Jessica Silverman
Aria Stewart
Bianca Thomas
Natasha Unruh
Former Lab Members
Emily Spargo, BSc(Hons), completed her undergraduate honours thesis under the supervision of Dr. Woodin in 2022, studying empathy during relationship conflict in new parents. She was a research assistant in 2020 followed by Lab Coordinator from 2021-2023. She is currently a graduate student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program at the University of Utah under the supervision of Dr. Brian Baucom.
Yuning (Ariel) Zhang, BA(Hons), was a research assistant for the Healthy Relationships Lab from 2020-2023. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology (and Economics) with distinction at UVic in 2022 while contributing to a variety of lab projects. Her research interests include social psychology, behavioral economics, and decision-making. She is currently pursuing her MA in Behavioral and Decision Science at the University of Pennsylvania.
Rebecca Louw, BA (Hons), is a graduate of the UVic psychology honours program and was the Lab Coordinator for the Healthy Relationships Lab from 2020-2021. She is currently affiliated with the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR).
Hannah Dupuis, MA, completed her Honours psychology Bachelor’s degree in 2021 supervised by Dr. Danu Anthony Stinson. Her thesis focused on women’s domestic labour engagement during COVID-19. As a member of the Healthy Relationships Lab she worked as a research assistant for Fanie Collardeau and Dr. Woodin, where she co-authored the theoretical manuscript The Role of Culture and Social Threats in Constructing Shame: Moving Beyond a Western Lens. Hannah is now a graduate student in Social Psychology at Simon Fraser University under the supervision of Dr. Yuthika Girme. She is interested in gender differences in the stereotypes of single people.
Bella Pope, BA, completed her psychology degree in 2019 and was also the Lab Coordinator for the Healthy Relationships Lab until 2020. She has worked as a research assistant for Kari Duerksen, as well as conducted research alongside Veronica Plihal examining the relationship of coercive control and intimate partner violence in university-aged couples. Bella’s interests lie at the intersection of mental health, psychology, and social justice. Bella completed a Master’s in Occupational Therapy at the University of British Columbia in 2021.
Patricia Tibrea, BSc (Hons), is a graduate of the psychology honours program, which she completed under the supervision of Dr. Woodin. Her thesis explored the associations between both self and partner marijuana usage and communication during conflict resolution during the emerging adulthood stage of development.
Rashmini Shunmugam, BSc (Hons), graduated from UVic with an honours degree in combined biology and psychology, supervised by Dr. Woodin. Her thesis focused on mental health outreach teams, specifically if police involvement in Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams reduce incarceration rates for visible minority clients.
Graham Berlin, BA(Hons), is a graduate of the UVic psychology honours program supervised by Dr. Woodin. His thesis examined the effects of early family environment, specifically aspects of structural sexual stigma (e.g., heterosexism, heteronormativity), on current psychological wellbeing and experiences of unjustified shame in gay and bisexual men. Graham also worked as the Lab Manager for Dr. John Sakaluk’s Methodology and Relationship Sexual Science (MaRSS) Lab and as a research assistant for Dr. Nathan Lachowsky in the School of Public Health. Graham is currently a doctoral student in the clinical psychology Ph.D. program at Toronto Metropolitan University.
Laura Glover, BA, completed her psychology degree and was the Lab Coordinator for the Couples and Families Lab. She worked as a research assistant for Lisa Gou and Kari Duerksen and also conducted research alongside Graham Berlin examining the relationship between social media usage and mental health outcomes. Laura’s interests lie at the intersection of mental health, psychology, and law. Laura graduated from law school at the University of Calgary in 2022.
Lisa Gou, Ph.D., is a graduate of the UVic doctoral program in clinical psychology supervised by Dr. Woodin. Her research focused on daily moderators of the link between adult romantic attachment and intimate partner violence. Lisa completed her predoctoral internship at the Edmonton Consortium and is now a registered clinical psychologist.
Tara Galaugher, Ph.D., is a graduate of the UVic doctoral program in clinical psychology supervised by Dr. Woodin. Her research focused on the links between parental relationship functioning, co-parenting, and early child development. Tara completed her predoctoral internship at the Saskatoon Health Region and is currently a clinical psychologist for the Saskatchewan Health Authority.
Robyn Kilshaw, BSc(Hons), is a graduate of the UVic psychology honours program under the supervision of Dr. Woodin, and previous Lab Coordinator for the Couples and Families Lab. Her research focused on the retrospective measurement of childhood maltreatment, and the long-term outcomes that are associated with childhood abuse and neglect. Robyn is presently a doctoral student in the clinical psychology Ph.D. program at the University of Utah.
Veronica Plihal, BA(Hons), is a graduate of the UVic psychology honours program under the supervision of Dr. Woodin. For her honours thesis, she tested the psychometric properties of the newly designed Readiness to Change Relationship Behaviours Scale. Veronica graduated from Peter. A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia in 2022.
Scott Beaumont, BSc(Hons), is a graduate of the UVic psychology honours program under the supervision of Dr. Woodin. His research focused on family and peer influences on substance use patterns in emerging adulthood. Scott is currently a Master’s student in the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia.
Sarah Matheson, BA(Hons), is a graduate of the UVic psychology honours program under the supervision of Dr. Woodin. Her thesis focused on the association between prenatal depression and anxiety of parents and child adjustment.
Matthew Ashton, BA(Hons), is a graduate of the UVic psychology honours program, and was the former Lab Coordinator for the Couples and Families Lab. His honours thesis focused on the effects of repeated minor traumatic brain injuries on the brain.
Alina Sotskova, Ph.D., is a graduate of the UVic doctoral program in clinical psychology. Her research focused on group processes in peer support programs for drug and alcohol problems. Dr. Sotskova is currently a registered psychologist in Vancouver, BC.
Valerie Caldeira, Ph.D., is a graduate of the UVic doctoral program in clinical psychology. Her research focused on understanding the intergenerational transmission of family violence. Dr. Caldeira is currently a registered psychologist in Vancouver, BC.