News - Mental Health and Well-being Research and Training Hub

Thursday, March 10, 2022

What is Self-Compassion, and can it help University Students? A Blog by Joshua Remedios

What is Self-Compassion, and can it help University Students? By Joshua Remedios Self-compassion could be a wellness tool for students It is no secret that university presents multiple stressors, such as academic demands, homesickness, and burnout. Students can be self-critical and harsh towards themselves in times of stress and uncertainty. Not... More

Thursday, February 17, 2022

Turning Pain Into Power: A Guide to Enhancing Resilience by Alicia McVarnock

Turning Pain into Power: A Guide to Enhancing Resilience By Alicia McVarnock (Ph.D Candidate in Psychology) What does the road to resilience look like? Many people think of resilience as an individual trait. Something we either have, or we don’t. That’s why we give so much credit to people who have bounced back... More

Monday, December 20, 2021

Psychology Grad Student Research Reviews: Anna Stone

The Benefits of Happiness: Research Suggests Positive Emotions Can Reduce the Likelihood of Developing Anxiety and Depressive Disorders By Anna Stone Edited by Dr. Johanna Peetz and Dr. Marina Milyavskaya I am a graduate student studying Psychology, and a researcher at the Mental Health and Well-Being Training Hub (MeWeRTH) at Carleton University.... More

Friday, October 8, 2021

Ottawa’s Elizabeth Manley recognized for her voice for mental health by Carleton University

Olympic silver medalist and advocate for mental health Elizabeth Manley has received an award for her openness about mental health. During a virtual presentation on Psychology Mental Health Day on Thursday, Manley was awarded the "Courage to Speak Award" from Carleton University, in partnership with the Mental Health and Well-Being Research and... More

Friday, September 3, 2021

MeWeRTH Newsletter: Issue 1

A Message from the Director, Dr. Joanna Pozzulo: Hello everyone! I hope that you have been staying well. As many of you may recall, the Mental Health and Well-Being Research and Training Hub (MeWeRTH) launched last Dec. (2020). We celebrated virtually with a Hub Showcase featuring a series of presentations from MeWeRTH members. The... More

Thursday, May 27, 2021

Psychology Grad Student Research Reviews: Lindsay Healey

When mental illness kills By Lindsay Healey In 2020, a Nova Scotian man, Richard Maidment, was awarded his wife’s life insurance money after she was murdered. Outrage ensued nation-wide, because Richard was the one who killed his wife. However, Richard was found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder, NCR for short, for... More

Wednesday, May 19, 2021

Psychology Grad Student Research Reviews: Christine Tulk

Mental Health Stigma in the Workplace By Christine Tulk For many individuals struggling with mental health problems, maintaining employment and prospering in their careers is an important concern. In recent years, there has been a lot of media attention regarding the negative impact of mental health stigma, which can be a devastating form of... More

Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Being a Grad Student During a Pandemic Blog Series: Sarah Enouy and Kimia Fardfini

This year has been challenging for everyone, including our graduate students. What were some of the challenges faced by our graduate students during the COVID pandemic? What kind of mental health, physical, or logistic trials did they experience? Conversely, what were some of their positive, humorous, or encouraging experiences? In this series of... More

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Being a Grad Student During a Pandemic Blog Series: Isabella Bossom

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Carleton Researcher Explores Links Between Solitude and Wellness During the Pandemic

Spending time alone is like exposure to direct sunlight. We all need some of it, but too much can be unhealthy — and everybody’s threshold is different. Researchers call this the paradox of solitude, and it has become a key part of the conversation about mental health throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, when people are experiencing... More

Monday, May 3, 2021

Students to Provide Psychology Wellness Clinic to Promote Mental Health

Carleton University graduate students will soon be applying what they learn in class by supporting their fellow students at an online Psychology Wellness Clinic. As part of a new mental health and well-being course, the clinic will offer hands-on experience dealing with mental health issues. Department of Psychology Chair Joanna Pozzulo Psychology... More

Friday, April 30, 2021

Carleton to Launch Mental Health Evaluation Framework with Support from Bell Let’s Talk

A $25,000 grant from Bell Let’s Talk will officially launch Carleton’s newest initiative in support of mental health and wellness—a comprehensive evaluation framework to better address the needs of the Carleton community and effective ongoing implementation efforts. Led through the Office of Student Affairs and Department of Psychology, this... More

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Being a Grad Student During a Pandemic Blog Series: Ramona Charbel

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Being a Grad Student During a Pandemic Blog Series: Natasha Maltais

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Finding Hope for Patients with Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are difficult to treat and often have a protracted course with less than 50% of adults achieving recovery from anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. These conclusions are based on longitudinal research that examined outcomes over a decade. Recent longitudinal research by Dr. Nassim Tabri (from the Department of Psychology) and... More

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Witnessing Workplace Aggression

Witnessing Workplace Aggression Research findings indicate that employees who endure aggression at work often experience detrimental outcomes, but are the effects even more widespread than current evidence suggests? Dr. Kathryne Dupré and her colleagues explored this question and found that those who are not direct targets of aggression,... More

Wednesday, March 17, 2021

Can pets be good for romantic relationships?

Can pets be good for romantic relationships? Carleton grad Anika Cloutier (now at Queen’s University) and Psychology faculty member Johanna Peetz conducted several studies showing that pet ownership was associated with relationship benefits (greater overall relationship quality, partner responsiveness, adjustment and relational investment) among... More

Wednesday, March 10, 2021

Friendship, Dating and Cyberbullying in University Students

Friendship, Dating & Cyberbullying in University Students Tina Daniels & Alyssa Bonneville, Psychology Dept., Carleton University Did you know that adolescents and young adults are most at risk of becoming a target of cyberbullying and/or excessive monitoring perpetrated by their friends and dating partners? The rates of such... More

Tuesday, March 9, 2021

Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon Announced as the CPA Honorary President

Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon Announced as the CPA Honorary President The CPA is excited to announce the selection of the 2020-2021 Honorary President. Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon, President & Vice-Chancellor of Carleton University, has graciously accepted the invitation from CPA President Dr. Kim Corace. Says Dr. Corace, “Dr. Bacon has demonstrated... More

Wednesday, March 3, 2021

The benefits of play in established romantic relationships

Play is not just for children. Research suggests the importance of play (i.e., fun, discovery, exploration) in shaping adults’ romantic relationships. Recent research by Dr. Cheryl Harasymchuk (faculty member from the Department of Psychology) and her colleagues tracked established couples over time and found that engaging in exciting play... More

Monday, March 1, 2021

Carleton President Receives Transformational Leader Award for Championing Mental Health

On March 4, Carleton President Benoit-Antoine Bacon will join a list of illustrious Canadians, including retired general Roméo Dallaire, author and advocate Margaret Trudeau, former Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson and Olympic figure skater Elizabeth Manley, when he receives a Transformational Leader award at the Royal Ottawa... More

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

The Benefits of Sensory Environments

Today's Wellness Wednesday research and tip comes from Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon, President and Vice-Chancellor of Carleton University and MeWeRTH Hub Research Member: My field of research is sensory perception - how our brain processes signals from neurons in our eyes and ears to build our perception of what we call ‘reality’. What we see... More

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

CPA Psychology Month Profile: Dr. Joanna Pozzulo

The Canadian Psychological Association recently profiled our Director, Dr. Joanna Pozzulo, as part of their Psychology Month celebrations. Dr. Pozzulo's profile is below, and the original can be read here. Joanna Pozzulo “You’re going to come out of this pandemic either a contestant on the Great Canadian Baking Show, or a really good... More

Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Seeking more solitude: Conceptualization, assessment, and implications of aloneliness

Solitude can be experienced as unpleasant and even painful – particularly when it is unwelcome. In this regard, spending too much time alone can lead to feelings of loneliness and depression, and is generally seen as damaging to our wellbeing. However, when solitude is chosen and even sought after, it can also be experienced... More

Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Why You Should Talk to Strangers

You’re an adult now, so it is OK—good even—to talk to strangers. Humans are a social species, yet some people are dispositionally more social than others; think of the introversion-extraversion dimension. Dr. John Zelenski and colleagues have found that asking people—even introverted people—to act like extraverts for a few minutes... More

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

First year university student and stressed? Self-compassion might help!

First year university student and stressed? Self-compassion might help! Self-compassion is useful during difficult times such as transitions to university, setbacks in school, or failures. It involves being kind to yourself, understanding that failure and setbacks are common to everyone, and keeping thoughts in balance. A study by Hub Research... More

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

A special message from the staff and faculty at Carleton University

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Friday, January 22, 2021

Tackling Gender Disparity in Working Hours and Professional Advancement

Carleton’s Department of Psychology is holding its second annual Psychology Let’s Talk Lecture to coincide with the country’s 11th annual Bell Let’s Talk Day on January 28, 2021. Titled Men, Women and the Time-Control Gap, the lecture will explore how women do not advance as quickly as men or climb as far in professional areas like... More

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Members in the News – Dr. Cheryl Harasymchuk, CBC Radio’s Ottawa Morning

Associate professor of Psychology and Hub Research Member Dr. Cheryl Harasymchuk is looking into the psychological effects of physical distancing while single, and how single people are coping in the pandemic. Dr. Harasymchuk was recently interviewed twice by the CBC to discuss her research. In both interviews, Dr. Harasymchuk discusses her... More

Monday, December 14, 2020

Members in the News – Dr. Robert Coplan, CBC Radio’s Ottawa Morning

Psychology professor and Hub Research Member Dr. Robert Coplan has been taking a closer look at how isolation in this pandemic can have a negative impact on our well-being. This morning, Dr. Coplan joined CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning host Robyn Bresnahan to discuss this research. The interview segment is available to listen to at... More

Monday, December 14, 2020

MeWeRTH Launch Event – Thank you!

Last week, MeWeRTH officially launched, hosting its first event, the Hub Showcase. Titled Translating mental health and well-being research: Being well amid COVID-19, attendees listened to 7 insightful and intriguing presentations on wellness research conducted by our Hub Members. Most importantly, the panelists were able to share some take-home... More

Monday, September 28, 2020

Members in the News: Dr. Michael J. A. Wohl Discusses COVID-19 Fatigue

Recently, Management Board Member Dr. Michael J. A. Wohl was in the news on three separate occasions to discuss what he calls 'COVID-19 fatigue'. Dr. Michael J.A, Wohl on 'The Start', September 25th, 2020 (from 23:52) Dr. Michael J. A. Wohl on Global News, September 28th, 2020... More

Monday, August 31, 2020

Launching MeWeRTH, Fall 2020

MeWeRTH will be officially launching in Fall 2020! Check back at this site for more details as they become available. In the meantime, please read about the newest supports and services at Carleton for the 2020-21 academic year here: https://newsroom.carleton.ca/story/new-academic-year/?utm_source=Homepage&utm_medium=Banner... More