Past Event

Research has shown that regularly practicing mindfulness can help to improve our well-being, increase our self-awareness and can also be an effective way of managing academic stress. However, incorporating mindfulness into a busy life can feel like a daunting task. The fact is that mindfulness can easily be integrated into any student’s lifestyle and this workshop will introduce some effective techniques to help you become more mindful and to develop the ability to deal skillfully with the stressors of university (and beyond).

Michelle Baulch is a Registered Psychotherapist with over 15 years of experience supporting the mental health and well-being of students. After working for 5 years as a counsellor in Health and Counselling Services at Carleton, Michelle has been overseeing and implementing Carleton’s Student Mental Health Framework 2.0 through the Office of the Vice-President, Students and Enrolment. Michelle is a certified Koru Mindfulness Teacher and is passionate about introducing students to the benefits that both mindfulness meditation and positive psychology can have on their well-being.  

Participants of this workshop will be able to identify the underlying mechanisms contributing to the onset and maintenance of anxiety disorders, describe various coping strategies that are useful for managing symptoms of anxiety, and examine empirically supported treatments for anxiety disorders.

Clinical Psychologist and Associate, Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Clinical Professor, University of Ottawa

Dr. Elliott specializes in cognitive behavioural treatments for anxiety, traumatic stress, insomnia and obsessive-compulsive disorders. She completed her Pre-doctoral internship and Postdoctoral Fellowship training at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Dr. Elliott has published articles and chapters on the treatment of anxiety disorders.

Why do we procrastinate? How does it affect us? What can we do about it? Dr. Pychyl will draw on decades of research to answer these questions and provide practical strategies to move students past “I don’t feel like it. I don’t want to.”

Tim is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Director of the Centre for Initiatives in Education. In addition to his scholarly publications and books such as Solving the Procrastination Puzzle (2013, Penguin) and Procrastination, Health and Well-Being (Elsevier, 2016; co-edited with Fuschia Sirois, University of Sheffield), he produces the iProcrastinate podcast and writes the Don’t Delay blog (see procrastination.ca for more information). Tim’s research is complemented by his passion for teaching for which he has won numerous awards. He has been an invited speaker across the country working with professors in universities and colleges to enhance teaching and learning.

This presentation will highlight useful developments in the science of happiness such as:  how social scientists define and measure happiness, the conditions and personalities that seem to foster happiness, and some exercises that can boost happiness—including some examples from Carleton’s own Happiness Laboratory.

John Zelenski is a Professor of Psychology and directs the Carleton University Happiness Laboratory (CUHL) in Ottawa, Canada. He studies individual differences in happiness and how these unfold as momentary thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Much of this work has focused on the trait of introversion-extraversion or how people connect with nature. His research is published in top academic psychology journals and has been featured popular media outlets. He has taught university courses on personality and positive psychology to rave reviews at Carleton, Washington University, and around the world (literally) with Semester at Sea.

When you are running late for a meeting, or when you are asked to speak in front of an audience how do you react? Each of us has a unique personality and personality type and this can be a direct contributor to our mental health. We will discuss these personality types, and learn how they can shape your mental state.

TARRY AHUJA, PhD (Neuroscience) is currently the Manager of Program Development (Drug) at CADTH, the leading HTA agency for Canada. Prior to this he was a senior medical real-world evidence scientist for Eli Lilly for Europe and Canada and is a lecturer at Carleton University teaching “Biological Foundations of Addictions” and “Health Psychology”.

From participating in groups discussions to giving oral presentations, the classroom represents a unique challenge for students who tend to be shy. In this workshop, we will discuss the development and implication of shyness, as well as strategies for coping with the social stresses of school.

Robert J Coplan (https://robertcoplan.com/) is a Full Professor in the Department of Psychology at Carleton University and Director of the Pickering Centre for Research in Human Development. His research interests are in the areas of children’s socio-emotional functioning and developmental psychopathology. In particular, Dr. Coplan has extensively examined the development of shyness, social withdrawal, and social anxiety in childhood, adolescence, and emerging adulthood. His most recent book (Quiet at School: An Educator’s Guide to Shy Children, Teachers College Press, 2016) explores the unique challenges faced by shy students at school.

Cannabis use is common in North America, especially among young people, and will be legalized in Canada on October 17, 2018. This workshop will highlight theory and research on the development and consequences of addiction (with a focus on cannabis), and highlight Canada’s Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines. 

Dr. Nassim Tabri is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and is the Director of the Mental Health & Addictions Laboratory in Ottawa, Canada. His research examines how different transdiagnostic factors (e.g., overvalued ideation, perfectionism, and impulsivity) may function together to proliferate and maintain engagement in various health compromising behaviors (e.g., disordered eating and gambling)

Many studies have shown that stress affects our heath negatively. However, this is not the whole story. In this workshop, we will go on a little journey to visit our daily stressful events and how we see them. Can a new mindset change the game?

Ayca Guler-Edwards is a contract instructor in the Psychology Department at Carleton University. After completing her B.S. degree in Business Administration, Ayca continued with her studies in social psychology. She completed her master’s degree and Ph.D. at Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey. Her main interests have been future time orientation, goal management, and personality. During her doctoral studies, she collaborated with Dr. Carsten Wrosch and completed her fellowship in the Personality, Aging, and Health Lab at Concordia University, Montreal, Canada. Since 2008, she has been mainly teaching Stress, Coping, and Well-Being Seminar to first year students at Carleton.

Depression is a prevalent health concern across all age groups and occupations, affecting students, faculty and staff. This workshop defines depression, how to recognize it and support colleagues and students who may be suffering from both a debilitating disorder and the stigma that too often accompanies it.

Term Faculty, Carleton University

Dr. Lassiter earned her Honours BA in psychology at Carleton University followed by her MSc and PhD degrees in clinical psychology at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. She completed her clinical training at the Albany Psychology Internship Consortium in Albany, New York.

Although gambling is a common form of entertainment, play carries significant risk of adverse psychological, social, and physical health consequences. We will discuss the pathways to problem gambling and means to cultivate positive (i.e., responsible) play.

Dr. Michael Wohl (Professor, Carleton University) focuses his research attention on, among other things, factors that 1) facilitate responsible gambling, 2) predict problem gambling, and 3) help overcome barriers to behavioural change. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers and is the receipt of two Carleton University Research Achievement Awards and a Carleton University Teaching Excellence Award.

Healthy behaviours often contribute to wellbeing. However, despite our intentions, we often fail to engage in healthy behaviours. During this workshop, participants will practice strategies that facilitate engagement in healthy behaviours. Some healthy behaviours that can be incorporated into daily life will also be demonstrated.

Dr. Rachel Burns

Rachel Burns is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology. She obtained her PhD (Social Psychology) from the University of Minnesota and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at McGill University that was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Her research examines health behaviour change, mental wellbeing and diabetes.

Together we will discuss the role and forms bullying/cyberbullying can take in close friendship and intimate partner relationships. Our goal will be to learn to recognize when behaviours cross the line to become bullying, to generate effective strategies for dealing with them and to explore ideas for enjoying close relationships without fear or dread for what tomorrow might bring. This workshop defines (cyber)bullying, how to recognize it, where to seek help and how to support colleagues and students who may be suffering from the harmful effects.

Tina Daniels is an Associate Professor of Psychology and studies bullying and aggression. Currently she is focusing on changing our social milieu by building skills that are incompatible with bullying, both face-to-face and on-line, as well as empowering those targeted by bully behaviours, and building a social climate that is unaccepting of such behavior. She addressed the Standing Senate Committee on Children’s Human Rights regarding cyber-bullying issues in Canada and is an active member of PREVNet, a national network of researchers  working to stop bullying in Canada. Each year she gives many workshops for teachers, parents and children regarding anti-bullying strategies.

What is a healthy and happy relationship? Dr. Harasymchuk will provide an overview of how relationship scientists have tried to answer that question over the last 50 years and discuss evidence-based tips for promoting flourishing friendships and romantic relationships (e.g., gratitude, sharing good news, novel and exciting activities).

Cheryl Harasymchuk is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and is the director of the Positive Activities in Intimate Relationships (PAIR) lab in Ottawa, Canada. She studies how people maintain happy relationships (e.g., dating, marital, friendship), particularly how couples promote growth and personal development (e.g., through novel couple activities, partner support for individual goal pursuits). She is the recipient of the Carleton University Faculty Graduate Mentor Award and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Excellence in Teaching Award.

Incivility is growing feature of our society. Unlike intentional bullying, harassment, and discrimination, uncivil behaviours are typically mild, disrespectful behaviours that accumulate over time to create a toxic environment. This session focuses on identifying and addressing incivility using models of empathy, interpersonal respect, and decision-making.

Dr. Jordan Richard Schoenherr is an adjunct research professor at Carleton University. His primary areas of interest are judgment, decision-making, and learning with application in the monitoring and regulation of behaviour in individuals, groups, and organizations. More recently, Dr. Schoenherr is developing applications of these research topics in the area of medical education, simulation training, ethical judgments and incivility.