Ella Roger
Ella graduated from VIU in 2023 with a major in psychology, and spent her final year in the lab as a research assistant. With an interest in pursuing higher education in counselling psychology, she was drawn to the Resilience Research Lab with a curiosity of the research process and an eagerness to expand her knowledge of resilience across a variety of settings. Her current interests include, but are not limited to, intimate relationships, human sexuality, and adaptability and coping in child immigrants. Her time working in the lab and collaborating with her peers has inspired and prepared her for grad school as she works towards her career as a clinical counsellor.
Anissa Jahromi
Anissa graduated in 2023, majoring in psychology and minoring in Indigenous Studies. She presented her honours project entitled: Resilience and Faith: Exploring Baha'i Mulitracial and Emerging Adults' Experiences of Resilience, Identity, and Belong at VIU's 2024 CREATE Conference, a project supervised by Caroline Burnley and Ruth Kirson. Anissa has experience working with children and youth running community based programs in Nanaimo and Burnaby. Through this, she has first hand observed resilience in the lives of many children and their families which has sparked her interest in researching such an important topic. She plans to pursue higher education in clinical psychology or counselling.
Alec Kuss
Alec is currently working towards a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Psychology at VIU with plans to graduate summer of 2024. After which, he plans to attend a project-based Master of Counselling program and begin working with military and first responder populations while specializing in trauma and substance abuse. Alec hopes his work in the Resilience Lab will keep possibilities open to pursue a PhD program in future.
Destiny Dendewicz
Destiny graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology, with a minor in Indigenous Studies. Throughout the completion of her degree, she has supported a number projects of Resilience Lab members. Destiny’s next steps are to pursue a Masters degree in clinical psychology.
Jordyn Monaghan
Jordyn Monaghan obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Criminology as well as an Addiction Studies Certificate from Vancouver Island University. She completed an Honours Research Thesis on “Resilience in Those Who Are Homeless” which was supervised by Caroline Burnley and Ruth Kirson in 2021. Currently, Jordyn is pursuing a Master of Science in Forensic Psychology at Saint Mary’s University.
Emmerson Pollard
Emmerson graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Honours Psychology and her Addiction Studies Certificate as Valedictorian. She completed her honours thesis, A Love-Heat Relationship: An Analysis of Relationship Satisfaction, Stress, and Resilience in Firefighters, with the Resilience Research Lab in 2022. This research was funded with the REACH award. Upon graduation, Emmerson pursued her Master’s degree in Public Health at the University of Victoria.
Ashley Therrien
Ashley completed her honours thesis, Investigating Resilience in University Students From Separated/Divorced Families, in 2020 with the Resilience Research Lab in 2020. Ashley plans to pursue a Masters degree in Psychology.
Chihori Tsukura
Chihori completed her honours thesis, Comparison of Resilience in Spouses and Adult Children Caregiving for Individuals with Dementia, with the Resilience Research Lab in 2019. This research was funded with a REACH award. Her interests include neurodegenerative disorders, palliative care, and behavioural therapies. Chihori pursued her Master's degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of British Columbia.
Tarryn Robinson
Tarryn completed her honours thesis, Investigating Resilience of Adult Children of Alcoholics, with the Resilience Research Lab in 2019. This research was funded with a REACH Award. Tarryn plans to pursue a Master's degree in Public Health. Her interests include mental health and addiction with a focus on addiction treatment and harm reduction.
Tom McKinnon
Tom joined the Resilience lab in January 2018. He attained his first degree from the University of Alberta and is now completing a second in Psychology at Vancouver Island University with the intent of pursuing a PhD in clinical psychology or applying to medical school. Having experience as a first responder, as well as structural and aircraft firefighter, the Resilience Research Lab offered knowledge and insight into an emerging field of study important and relevant to both his past and future interests.
Bronwyn Wydeman
Bronwyn completed her honours thesis, Understanding the Connection Between Green Spaces and Resilience Through the Study of Optimism, Community Attachment and Social Support within Communities, with the Resilience Research Lab in 2018. Bronwyn pursued her MA in Community Planning at Vancouver Island University.
Katie Eicher
Katie completed her honours thesis, The Relationship Between Resilience, Gratitude and Spirituality in Older Adults, with the Resilience Research Lab in 2018. This research was funded with a REACH award. Katie pursued her Master's degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of British Columbia.
Spencer Pratt
Spencer’s competitive sports background as a 400m hurdler led to his research interest on improving performance in elite athletes and proposing a unique running regimen. With a perspective stemming from separate disciplines, he is interested in a physical application to reduce the effects of anxiety in elite athletes. With respect to resilience, he is interested in the relationship between relative resilience patterns of elite athletes and their willingness to seek a form of mental training. Spencer is working on an undergraduate degree in Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of British Columbia.
Jean King
Jean completed a senior project, Adolescent Mothers II: An Investigation of the Experience of Adolescent Mothers in Nanaimo, B.C., with the Resilience Research Lab. This research was funded by a BC Student Lead Research Grant. Jean pursued an MA in Counselling at the University of Victoria.
Amy Moyer
Amy completed a senior project, Adults living with Celiac Disease, and worked on a study, Resilience in Family Physician Residents, with the Resilience Research Lab.
Pheona Cessford
Pheona worked on a directed studies project, Football Coaches' Motivations, Philosophies and Perspectives on Player Resilience, with the Resilience Research Lab. Pheona pursued her Master's degree in Counselling.
Daniel Elleker
Daniel's conducted his senior research project, Internalized Homophobia Resolution in Young Gay and Bisexual Men: A Mixed Methods Study of Resilience, which investigated developmental resilience in young gay and bisexual men, with the Resilience Research Lab. Daniel pursued a Master's degree in Counselling at the University of Calgary under a SSHRC research grant.
Melanie Digney
Melanie worked on a lab project, Resilience in Family Physician Residents, and was a primary organizer of the Western Resilience Network Conference hosted by the Resilience Research Lab. Melanie pursued a Master's degree at City University.
Patrick Allen
Patrick conducted his senior research project, Why Do Nanaimo Families Homeschool? Investigating Parental Motivations, Experiences and Family Circumstances, with the Resilience Research Lab. The research focused on how parental motivations, experiences and family circumstances influenced the initial decisions to homeschool and why the families continued to homeschool.
Courtenay Crucil
Courtenay conducted her senior project, Adolescent Mothers II: An Investigation of the Experience of Adolescent Mothers in Nanaimo, B.C., with the Resilience Research Lab. This research was funded by a BC Student Lead Research Grant. After obtaining her Master's degree in Counselling at the University of British Columbia, she has been working as a clinician for Aboriginal Child and Youth Mental Health with the Ministry of Children and Family Development in Nanaimo, and also runs a small private practice.
Darby Eakins
Darby completed a directed study, Risk and Resilience in Youth Living with Diabetes: A Community Study with the Resilience Research Lab. Darby completed her Masters in Disability Management at the University of Northern British Columbia and works as Manager of Health and Wellness at Island Health.
Jackie Moffatt Robinson
Jackie worked on the International Resilience Project while in the Resilience Research Lab. She completed her MA in Counselling Psychology at the Adler School of Professional Psychology. Her Master's thesis explored the enhanced critical incident technique to investigate helping and hindering factors related to coping and family resilience in families with children with autism.
Tara Semple
Tara's directed study, Imposed Intelligence Beliefs and Subsequent Learning Motivation in College Students: An Examination of Longitudinal Effects was conducted while in the Resilience Research Lab. Tara also worked on a directed study, Fostering Resilience Through Prenatal Education Programs in the City of Nanaimo: A Needs Assessment for Teen Mothers. Tara's PhD dissertation explored resilience profiles of children belonging to a range of clinical populations such as Behaviour Disorders, Specific Learning Disabilities, and Mood Disorders. Tara was the holder of a SSHRC research grant for her graduate research.
Tania Smethurst
Tania worked to help develop the Community Advisory board, and support the ongoing research projects in the lab at the time. Tania's honours project, Cultivating Resilience: An Evaluation of a Youth Wilderness Program, had her hiking through the west coast to collect her data. Tania completed her Master's degree at the University of Victoria. She was awarded a NAMHR research grant and a CIHR research grant for her graduate work.
Colleen Stinson
Colleen conducted her senior project, A Needs Assessment of Perinatal Programs for Adolescent Mothers in the City of Nanaimo, B.C., in the Resilience Research Lab. She graduated with a MSc degree in School and Applied Child Psychology at the University of Calgary under a SSHRC research grant. Her thesis looked at attachment and resilience in children with ADHD.
Kristy Tymos
Kristy worked on a project, Resilience in Paralympians. This research was funded by Centennial Flame Research. Kristy went on to graduate from the faculty of law at the University of British Columbia.
Marilyn Woodruff
Marilyn worked on the International Resilience Project with the Resilience Research Lab. Marilyn completed a Masters degree in Counselling from the University of Victoria.
We have been very fortunate to have worked with some very talented and bright students and research associates over the years. We thank the following for the contributions to the lab:
Jeremy Williams, Jason Bains, Braeden Pinder, Spencer Louwers, Lisa Vu, Becky Wagner, Chelsea McLean, Ferron Bourdin, Tanya Davis, Yana Stratemeyer-Trinczek, Jen Seagris, Sarah Engemoen, Dr Karen Kurytnik and Professor Ron Apland.