The Desrocher Laboratory

Sabine Johnson

Sabine is a senior doctoral student who recently completed her Clinical Psychology Residency at The Ottawa Hospital. She holds an M.A. in Clinical Psychology and an M.Sc. in Kinesiology and Health Science (specialized in Epidemiology). Her research pursuits reflect the intersection between her interests in program evaluation, health, and psychological adjustment; spanning topics including injury prevention (identifying gaps in parental water safety knowledge and parental supervision practices) and health promotion (evaluating the psychological needs of individuals living with atrial fibrillation). She is completing her dissertation, which employs structural equation modelling to test a modified model of stress and coping in a Canadian sample of informal caregivers of individuals living with chronic illness. 

Sara Oczak-Arsic

Sara is completing her Ph.D. in Clinical-Developmental Psychology, with an additional specialized diploma in Neuropsychology. Sara’s doctoral dissertation is investigating suicide risk factors in adults with Epilepsy, specifically examining the fit of the Three-Step Theory of Suicide in Epilepsy as compared to individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury. Sara is clinically trained in both comprehensive assessment and evidence-based intervention. She has completed practica at the Toronto District School Board, Kindercare Pediatrics, and McMaster Children’s Hospital. At her pre-doctoral residency at the Family Psychology Centre, she works with children, teens, parents and families with a variety of mental health concerns. In her spare time, Sara enjoys playing with her two small children, doing Pilates.

Leila Kahnami

Leila is a PhD student in Clinical Developmental Psychology specializing in Neuropsychology. Leila’s research focuses on the role of inflammation in neuropsychological outcome in pediatric survivors of ischemic stroke. Leila’s research is conducted at the Hospital for Sick Children. She has completed her assessment practicum at the Hospital of Sick Children and is currently completing her intervention practicum at the RedOak Center. When she’s not in the lab, she loves to go camping, to travel, and to try new foods.






 

Samantha Feldman

Samantha is a PhD student in Clinical Developmental Psychology within the Neuropsychology stream at York University. Her research is conducted at the Hospital for Sick Children and is focused around evaluating potential neuroimaging biomarkers to assist in understanding cognitive outcomes following pediatric stroke. This research will hopefully aid in identifying subgroups of children who may benefit from cognitive remediation. Outside of the academic sphere, Samantha enjoys spending time running, watching films, and finding great coffee shops.

Tamara Tavares

Tamara is completing her PhD in Clinical-Developmental Psychology with specialization in neuropsychology. Broadly, her research focuses on investigating social cognitive processing in healthy and clinical populations including Frontotemporal Dementia, youth with behavioural disorders and pediatric epilepsy. She holds a PhD in Neuroscience from Western University (London, ON), where she investigated the early behavioural and neural risk factors associated with Frontotemporal Dementia. Currently, her research is delineating emotion recognition and empathic responding in adolescents with epilepsy.

Kaitlyn Butterfield

Kaitlyn is pursuing her Ph.D. in Clinical Developmental Psychology with a specialization in Clinical Neuropsychology. Her doctoral dissertation examines recovery trajectories and predictors of neurocognitive outcomes in pediatric stroke patients at The Hospital for Sick Children. She has received several awards for her clinical research from institutions including March of Dimes and SSHRC. Kaitlyn has previously earned two Masters degrees in Clinical Developmental Neuropsychology and in Child Psychology. Her formal training and experience conducting clinical neuropsychological assessments and providing psychotherapeutic treatment services takes place in private practice, University clinics, and hospital rotations in pediatric stroke, neurosurgery, and transplant and regenerative medicine. She is deeply committed to conducting research and providing clinical care in an equitable and accessible manner. In her spare time, Kaitlyn enjoys gardening and weightlifting.

Jenna Barnhardt

Jenna is an Indigenous Ph.D. student from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory in the Clinical Developmental Neuropsychology program. She received her Bachelors degree (B.Sc. Hon.) from Toronto Metropolitan University in Biomedical Science with a minor in Psychology and a certificate in Mental Health & Addictions from TMU's Chang School of Continuing Education. She is focused on neuroscience and Indigenous mental health working to provide relevant and culturally significant intervention/assessment services to Canada’s Indigenous people using her experience with traditional Indigenous knowledge and knowledge mobilization to community. Her research aims to learn more about the Indigenous brain and focusses on measures that explore development of executive functioning (impulsivity and emotion regulation), paediatric oncology (namely brain cancer), and intergenerational trauma of Indigenous children and families.

Danielle DuPlessis

Danielle is pursuing her PhD in Clinical Developmental Psychology with a specialization in Clinical Neuropsychology. Her work focuses on helping children with acquired brain injuries return-to-learn and return-to-sport, and is carried out in collaboration with scientists at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. Currently, her dissertation is focused on understanding the experiences of disabled athletes who have sustained concussion and developing an equitable, accessible return-to-sport assessment. Outside of school, Danielle is a wheelchair basketball player and Paralympian who competed with team Canada for five years. She has a previous Masters in Cognitive Rehabilitation from the University of Toronto, where she first began to  merge her interests in sport and neuroscience. In her spare time, Danielle loves riding her bike, making pottery, and making trips to her home province of New Brunswick.

Tamiko Isaacs

Tamiko is pursuing her PhD in Clinical Developmental Psychology, specializing in Clinical Neuropsychology, at York University. Her research interests involve examining the neuropsychological and mental health outcomes of pediatric stroke survivors. Tamiko is currently completing her assessment practicum placement at the Hospital for Sick Children. Outside of the lab, Tamiko enjoys spending time with family and friends, eating good food, dancing, and travelling.

Paul De Luca

Paul is a doctoral student in the Clinical Developmental Psychology program with a specialization in Clinical Neuropsychology. Prior to beginning graduate studies at York, he obtained an undergraduate degree (BA) in Psychology and Behavioural Science from McGill University and a graduate degree (MA) in Child Studies from Concordia University. Paul’s research interests include evidence-based practices to promote well-being in families (e.g., intervention for parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders, brief couples interventions for parents of young children), and employing an intersectional lens to understand the determinants of maternal and pediatric mental health. His doctoral dissertation focuses on the impact of chronic stress on neural plasticity, as well as identifying risk/protective factors that shape how families respond to and recover from daily stressors. In addition to providing psychoeducational/neuropsychological assessments at the York University Psychology Clinic, he is also a neuropsychology practicum student at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).