{"id":45508,"date":"2026-06-23T13:50:23","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T17:50:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/psychology\/?post_type=cu_people&p=45508"},"modified":"2026-07-02T15:09:55","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T19:09:55","slug":"miriam-sedarous","status":"publish","type":"cu_people","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/psychology\/people\/miriam-sedarous\/","title":{"rendered":"Miriam Sedarous"},"content":{"rendered":"
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After completing her Bachelor of Arts in Health Psychology, Miriam is now pursuing further studies in Art Therapy<\/strong>. Alongside her academic journey, she volunteers with the Ottawa Public Library <\/strong>and serves as an Ambassador <\/strong>with Radio-Canada<\/strong>.
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“As a student, I wish I had learned earlier the importance of communicating with professors and academic advisors, as they can provide valuable guidance and support. I would also encourage students to take full advantage of all available opportunities, such as practicum experiences, seminar classes, and other hands-on learning activities. Being actively involved in school events and campus life is also important, as it helps build connections, skills, and confidence. Overall, I would say: explore as much as you can, stay engaged, and truly enjoy your undergraduate years.<\/strong>“<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Brief description of what I do!<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I am a determined and resilient student who overcame many barriers throughout my education, including ADHD, autism, language challenges, and family responsibilities after my mother\u2019s stroke. Through dedication and support from PWC (People, Words, and Change), I was able to strengthen my learning skills and return to complete my education in just one year. I am passionate about personal growth, communication, and helping build supportive communities through volunteering and learning experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What inspired your career path after graduation?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I found that different modalities can affect individuals who have been through stressful circumstances, which is something I have personally experienced through using art therapy in my own life. Art therapy has been a helpful way for me to reduce my anxiety and regulate my emotions. As someone who has studied as an art therapy practitioner, I have found that creating art is a powerful coping tool for managing stress. I also had the opportunity to explore this further at the Ottawa Public Library last year, and I found the experience fascinating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did your experience in the psychology program shape your journey?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

My experience in the psychology program has shaped my journey by teaching me many valuable lessons about self-awareness and personal growth. It helped me better understand myself, including how I respond to different situations and emotions. It also showed me how to interact with others in a more thoughtful, empathetic, and effective way, strengthening my communication and interpersonal skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What skills or experiences were most valuable after graduation?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The most valuable skills and experiences after graduation were self-awareness, communication, and practical learning through research and practicum opportunities. My experience in the psychology program helped me understand how research is conducted and how to apply theoretical knowledge in real-life settings. It also strengthened my ability to reflect on myself and interact with others in a more empathetic and effective way. These experiences, along with my personal journey overcoming barriers and using tools like art therapy, have helped me build resilience and adaptability in both academic and personal life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are there specific Psychology courses, professors, or experiences that stood out during your time at Carleton?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Nick Laham, Tarun Ahuja, Kim Lassiter, and Katie Gunnell<\/a> have all had an impact on me. I would have never developed a love for health psychology without Katie Gunnell. Similarly, Nick Laham helped me come to appreciate statistics, a subject I used to dislike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What has been a highlight or proud moment in your career so far?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

One of the proudest moments in my journey so far has been preparing to become an ambassador <\/strong>and mentor<\/strong>. This opportunity is especially meaningful to me because it reflects how much I have grown personally and academically over time. Through my experiences, I have learned that growth comes from facing challenges rather than avoiding them, and I now hope to encourage others to recognize their own potential and pursue opportunities with confidence. What makes this experience particularly rewarding is being able to support and motivate others. I want people to understand that setbacks and barriers do not define their future, and that developing resilience and self-belief can open doors they may not have imagined possible.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":328,"featured_media":45975,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cu_people_first_name":"Miriam ","cu_people_last_name":"Sedarous ","cu_people_initials":"MS","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"cu_people_type":[55],"cu_people_expertise":[],"class_list":["post-45508","cu_people","type-cu_people","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","cu_people_type-alumni-profiles"],"acf":{"cu_people_job_title":"","cu_people_degree":"Health Psychology ","cu_building":"","cu_people_office_num":"","cu_people_pronoun":"","cu_people_designation":"","cu_people_email":"","cu_people_phone":"","cu_people_phone_ext":"","cu_people_linkedin":"","cu_people_bluesky":"","cu_people_twitter":"","cu_people_instagram":"","cu_people_facebook":"","cu_people_website":"","cu_people_orcid":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/psychology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_people\/45508","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/psychology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_people"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/psychology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/cu_people"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/psychology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/328"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/psychology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_people\/45508\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45517,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/psychology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_people\/45508\/revisions\/45517"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/psychology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45975"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/psychology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45508"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cu_people_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/psychology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_people_type?post=45508"},{"taxonomy":"cu_people_expertise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/psychology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_people_expertise?post=45508"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}