Mallory began the MA Clinical Psychology program in 2022 at Lakehead University. For their thesis project, they are examining the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and sexual debut among the First Nation population. Their thesis is supervised by Dr. Mushquash. Mallory’s research interests include trauma, sexual health, First Nation youth health and well-being, suicide, harm reduction, and prevention. Mallory currently holds a position with the Nishnawbe Aski Nation Oshkaatisak council. Mallory is a trainee with the 2SLGBTQ+ Health at Dalla Lana School of Public Health. In their free time, Mallory enjoys traveling, music, hiking, and crafting.

Brittany (she/her/kwe) began her MA in clinical psychology at Lakehead University in 2023. She received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology (Honors) with a minor in Indigenous Studies from the University of Victoria. Brittany is originally from southern Ontario and is a member of the Mississauga’s of the Credit First Nation. Her research interests center on the prevention and/or progression of chronic illnesses among Indigenous populations and community-based/led research. Brittany’s MA research is supported by a Canada Graduate Scholarship and an Indigenous Scholar Supplement Award from SSHRC. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, cycling, yoga, cooking vegan food, and slow walks with her senior pug, Daisy. For an updated list of ongoing projects and funding, visit www.brittanyskov.com

Andrea Raynak is the Director, Nursing Practice at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Within her role, she advances the practice of nursing organizationally and creates and maintain programs and practices that support, promote and evaluate nursing practice. She facilitates the integration of research into practice and further, progresses a learning culture. Her research interests include identifying knowledge/health system gaps and proposing sustainable solutions to enhance the nursing profession and further, guide organizational and academic policy. She also works as a Contract Lecturer for Lakehead University. Andrea began the PhD Health Sciences program in 2020. Her research involves examining nurse’s attitudes towards patients with substance use difficulties in the hospital setting in order to propose pragmatic approaches to care for this patient population. Her work is supervised by Dr. Mushquash and supported by a CIHR Doctoral Student Research Award. In her free time Andrea enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, reading fiction novels and running!

Publications:

Raynak, A. & Wood, B. (2021). The clinical nurse specialist role and its relevance to vascular access: a Canadian perspective. Journal of the Association for Vascular Access, 26(2), 1-6

Raynak, A., Paquet, F., Marchionni, C., Lok, V., Gauthier, M. & Frati, F. (2020). Registered nurses knowledge on routine care and maintenance of adult vascular access devices: a scoping review. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 00:1-17

Vandenhouten, C., Owens, A., Hunter, M. & Raynak, A. (2020). Peripheral Intravenous Education in North American Nursing Schools: Call to Action. Journal of Nursing Education, 59(9), 493-500

Broadhurst, D., Cernusca, C., Cook, C., Hill, J., Naayer, K., Paquet, F., Raynak, A., (2019). CVAA occlusion management guideline for central venous access devices (CVADs). Canadian Vascular Access Association, second edition, Vascular Access, 13, supplement 1

Hunter, M., Vandenhouten, C., Raynak, A., Owens, A. & Thompson, J. (2018). Addressing the Silence: A need for Peripheral Intravenous Education in North America. Journal of the Association for Vascular Access, 23(3), 157-165

Genevieve started her PhD in clinical psychology in 2022. Her research interests include children’s mental health and trauma. Dr. Mushquash supervises her dissertation research that examines the relationship between compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and adverse childhood experiences in mental health professionals. Although presently inactive, Genevieve is registered as a psychological associate with the College of Psychologists of Ontario with competencies working with children and adolescents.

Lydia (she/her) started her PhD in the Clinical Psychology program at Lakehead University in 2023. Her MA thesis examined the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences and suicide-related behaviours in First Nations adults accessing a substance use treatment program. Moving forward, her PhD dissertation will examine facilitators and barriers for the implementation of land-based wellbeing programs supporting First Nations adults accessing substance use treatment programs. Her doctoral research is funded by a three-year CIHR CGS-D Research Award. Lydia is also interested in research exploring social determinants of health, as well as research applying decolonial methodologies. Aside from her research, Lydia enjoys reading, knitting, and doing pretty much anything outdoors with her dog, Fitz. 

Publications: 
​​https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1073817/full

Abbey Radford is a Métis doctorate student in the clinical psychology program at Lakehead University. Her research interests include examining Indigenous mental health and substance use, resilience and cultural connectedness, utilizing community-based participatory research frameworks. Abbey works on various research projects focused on topics such as child maltreatment, youth homelessness, vaccine hesitancy, peer interventions, e-health interventions, and transdiagnostic interventions for children. Her Master's research, investigating substance use motives and risky personality traits among First Nations adults seeking treatment for substance use, was supported by a Joseph-Armand Bombardier SSHRC scholarship, and a CIHR scholarship supports her doctoral work.

Publications

1. Lund, J. I., Toombs, E., Radford, A., Boles, K., & Mushquash, C. J. (2019). Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and executive function difficulties in children: A systematic review. Child Abuse & Neglect, 106.

Crystal entered the PhD in Health Sciences program at Lakehead University in 2023. Her research interests include Indigenous disease etiology, chronic disease and illness in remote First Nations, COVID-19, health equity, food security, and planetary health. Crystal’s dissertation research is supervised by Dr. Chris Mushquash and Dr. Helle Moeller and will be evaluating the impact of immediate lockdown measures during the COVID-19 pandemic on the health status and health outcomes of Indigenous persons living with comorbid chronic kidney disease and diabetes in remote First Nations in Northwestern Ontario. She is currently working on a systematic review on upstream approaches to addressing Indigenous mental health and well-being in the context of climate change, and a literature review on comorbid chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and SARS-CoV-2. After completing her doctorate, Crystal intends to continue working collaboratively with First Nations across Ontario to address emerging health challenges. In her free time, Crystal enjoys working out, spending time with family and friends, hiking with her dog Pebbles, and hyper fixating on all things astrophysics.

Publications: 

Hardy, C. N., Schiff, R., & Mushquash, C. (2023). Tripartite Preparedness and Response During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A First Nations’ Perspective. Healthy Populations Journal, 3(3). 44. https://ojs.library.dal.ca/hpj/article/view/11776/10608

Schiff, R., Freill, H., & Hardy, C. N. (2021). Understanding Barriers to Implementing andManaging Therapeutic Diets for People Living with Chronic Kidney Disease in Remote

Indigenous Communities. Current Developments in Nutrition, 5(nzaa175).https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzaa175

Aashvi Gupta Joined Lakehead University in 2019 as an undergraduate student in the HBA psychology program. She currently works in Dr Chris Mushquash’s lab as a research assistant on the ACEs project. Aashvi is very passionate about both research and clinical work. She hopes to bring care to rural and remote areas of northwestern Ontario and help fill in the gaps for underrepresented groups in the literature. She aspires to join the clinical psychology program at Lakehead University. Aashvi loves to swim and spend time outdoors.

Kara is a 2nd year Masters student in the Clinical Psychology program at Lakehead University. For her thesis project, she is examining the role of executive function on the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and functional outcomes in emerging adults. Her research interests include early intervention, wellness intervention, attachment in childhood and paediatric health/wellness. Her past research areas include DBT, resilience, as well as mental health and addictions.

Dr. Suzanne Chomycz was born and raised in Thunder Bay. Dr. Chomycz obtained her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Lakehead University in May 2017. During her doctoral studies, she completed her dissertation under the supervision of Dr. Mushquash, entitled “Personality, Motives, and Polydrug Use in Undergraduates”. She obtained autonomous practice as a psychologist in June 2018 and currently provides psychotherapy and assessment services with adult populations at Sullivan + Associates Clinical Psychology in Thunder Bay.

Dr. Alexandra Drawson completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology (Lakehead University) in 2018. Her dissertation examined indicators of child mental wellbeing in First Nations communities using a community-based participatory research approach. She is currently employed as a psychologist with St. Joseph’s Care Group Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Services (CAPS). Her research interests include the impact of sleep and screen use on pediatric mental health, transdiagnostic approaches to the assessment and treatment of mental disorders, rural and northern community well being,  and measure development and validation.

Dr. Nicole Marshall is a graduate of the Clinical Psychology PhD program at Lakehead University. She completed her doctoral residency at Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences in Whitby, Ontario, where she is now employed as a Clinical and Forensic Psychologist. Dr. Marshall’s dissertation longitudinally evaluated Cree Nations Treatment Haven’s methadone maintenance therapy program, which was the first on-reserve methadone maintenance therapy program in Canada. This research followed a community-based participatory action research approach and was supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Doctoral Research Award. Her other research interests include Indigenous mental health, substance use and addictions, and personality.

Jessica is a 1st year Masters student in the Clinical Psychology program at Lakehead University. Her thesis is supervised by Dr. Mushquash. Jessica’s research interests include substance use and addiction, emotion regulation and coping, and First Nations mental health. In her spare time, Jessica enjoys playing volleyball, hiking, and camping.

Victoria (Sher/Her) was born and raised in Thunder Bay and completed her undergraduate and graduate education at Lakehead University. She became a member of Dr. Musquash's lab in 2012, when she first joined as a volunteer research assistant. She subsequently completed both her MA thesis and PhD dissertation under his supervision. Her dissertation work involved the use of ecological momentary assessment to examine acute changes in anxiety and depression symptoms after engaging in cannabis use. She graduated with her doctorate in Clinical Psychology in January 2023. She completed her internship at Sullivan + Associates Clinical Psychology and now works there full time as a Clinical Psychologist. She works primarily with adults with a wide range of presenting difficulties (e.g., anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, personality disorders, psychosis) and engages in both assessment and treatment. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her partner of 21 years and their pet dog.

Dr. Elaine Toombs has completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Lakehead University and her predoctoral internship at Dilico Anishinabek Family Care, through the Northern Ontario Psychology Internship Consortium in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Her dissertation research was supervised by Dr. Mushquash and examined adverse childhood experiences in a First Nations treatment-seeking population. Elaine’s research interests include First Nations mental health, adverse childhood experiences, resilience and parenting.

Publications

10.  Lund, J.I., Toombs, E., Radford, A., Boles, K., & Mushquash, C. J. (2020). Adverse childhood experiences and executive function difficulties in children: A systematic review. Child Abuse & Neglect, 106.

 9.  Toombs, E., Kowatch, K., Dalicandro, L., McConkey, S., Hopkins, C., & Mushquash, C. J. (2020).  A Systematic Review of Electronic Mental Health Interventions for Indigenous Youth: Results and recommendations.   Journal of Telemedicine & Telecare, 1-14.

8.  Toombs, E., Marshall, N., & Mushquash, C. J. (2019). Comparing residential and non-residential substance use treatment outcomes within Indigenous populations:  A systematic review. Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse.

7.  Toombs, E., Drawson, A. S., Chambers, L., Bobinski, T. L. R., Dixon, J., & Mushquash, C. J. (2019).  Moving towards an Indigenous research process: A reflexive approach to empirical work with Canadian First Nations communities.  The International Indigenous Policy Journal, 10(1), 1-19.

6.  Toombs, E., Drawson, A. S., Bobinski, T., Dixon, J., & Mushquash, C. J. (2018).  First Nations parenting and child reunification:  Identifying strengths, barriers, and community needs within the child welfare system.  Child & Family Social Work, 23, 408- 426. 

5.  Toombs, E., Unruh, A., McGrath, P.  (2017).  Assessing the Parent-Adolescent Communication Toolkit:  Usability and Preliminary Effectiveness.  Nursing Open.

4.  Drawson, A. S., Toombs, E., & Mushquash, C. J. (2017). Indigenous Research Methods: A Systematic Review. The International Indigenous Policy Journal, 8(2), 5.

3.  Toombs, E., Kowatch, K. R., & Mushquash, C. J.  (2016).  Resilience in Canadian Indigenous Youth: A scoping review.  International Journal of Child and Adolescent Resilience, 4(1), 4-32. 

2.  *Campbell, S., Chong, S., Ewen, V., Toombs, E., Tzalazidis, R., & Maranzan, K. A. (2016). Social media policy for graduate students: Challenges and opportunities for professional psychology training programs. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie canadienne, 57(3), 202-210.

1.  Wozney, L., McGrath, P. J., Newton, A., Huguet, A., Franklin, M., Perri, K., Toombs, E., & Lingley-Pottie, P. (2015). Usability, learnability and performance evaluation of Intelligent Research and Intervention Software: A delivery platform for eHealth interventions. Health Informatics Journal.

Kristy is a PhD student whose research interests include culturally relevant mental health treatments for First Nation people, substance use as a form of self-medication, resilience in childhood and adolescence, as well as responsible gambling in northern Ontario and Indigenous populations. Her dissertation research examines the development, implementation, and evaluation of a transdiagnostic group intervention for First Nations children, relying on cultural skills and practices as a medium for intervention. Kristy’s work is supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Doctoral Award from the Institute of Indigenous Peoples Health and Canadian Institutes of Health Research Project Grant. Kristy has collaborated with the Mental Health Commission of Canada, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, as well as Thunderbird Partnership Foundation on research projects. Kristy completed her pre-doctoral residency in the 2022 - 2023 year with the Northwestern Ontario Residency Psychology Internship Consortium in Thunder Bay, Ontario.  In her leisure time, Kristy enjoys spending time with family, snowboarding, gardening, crafting, and walking her dog.

Publications

4. Mutti-Packer, S., Kowatch, K., Steadman, R., Hodgins, D. C., el-Guebaly, N., Casey, D. M., . . . Smith, G. J. (2017). A qualitative examination of factors underlying transitions in problem gambling severity: Findings from the leisure, lifestyle, & lifecycle project. Addiction Research & Theory, 25(5), 424-431. doi: 10.1080/16066359.2017.1307967

3. Toombs, E., Kowatch, K.R., & Mushquash, C.J. (2016). Resilience in Canadian Indigenous youth: A scoping review. International Journal of Child and Adolescent Resilience, 4(1), 4-32.

2. Kowatch, K.R., & Hodgins, D.C. (2015). Predictors of treatment-seeking for gambling disorder from the transtheoretical model perspective. International Gambling Studies, 15(9), 450-469. doi: 10.1080/14459795.2015.1078391

1. Kowatch, K., Whalen, J. M., & Pexman, P.M. (2013). Irony comprehension in action: A new test of processing for verbal irony. Discourse Processes, 50(5), 301-315. doi: 10.1080/0163853X.2013.799934    

Jessie Lund completed her MA and PhD degrees in Clinical Psychology at Lakehead University and her predoctoral residency at the London Clinical Psychology Residency Consortium. Her dissertation examined relationships between executive functions, substance use, and adverse childhood experiences in First Nations adults seeking treatment for substance use. Jessie’s doctoral work was supported by a Joseph-Armand Bombardier SSHRC Doctoral Scholarship.

Publications

15.  Lund, J. I., Mushquash, C., Carty, H., Bobinski, T., Lichtenstein, S., Daley, M., & Kidd, S. (in press). Implementing Indigenous youth peer mentorship: Insights from the By Youth for Youth Project. International Journal of Indigenous Health.

14. Lund, J. I., Boles, K., Radford, A., Toombs, E., & Mushquash, C. (in press). A Systematic review of childhood adversity and executive function outcomes among adults. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology.

13. Noël, C., Scharf, D., Hawkins, J., Lund, J. I., Kozik, J., & Koné, A. (in press). Experiences, impacts and service needs of injured and ill workers in the WSIB process: Evidence from Thunder Bay and District. Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada.

12. Lund, J. I., Toombs, E., Mushquash, C., Pitura, V., Toneguzzi, K., Leon, S., Bobinski, T., Vitopoulos, N., Frederick, T., & Kidd., S. A. (in press). Cultural adaptation considerations of a comprehensive housing outreach program for Indigenous youth exiting homelessness. Transcultural Psychiatry.

11. Toombs, E., Lund, J. I., & Mushquash, C. J. (2021). Preliminary recommendations for assessment of adverse childhood experiences with Indigenous populations. Journal of Health Service Psychology, 47(2),73-83. doi:10.1007/s42843-021-00035-4

10. Toombs, E., Lund, J. I., Bobinski, T., Dixon, J., Drebit, M., Byzewski, J., Radford, A., Kushner, L., & Mushquash, C. J. (2021). Client and staff experiences assessing adverse childhood experiences in a clinical setting: Results from the First Nations ACE Study. Child Abuse & Neglect, 121(2021), 105263. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105263

9. Radford, A., Toombs, E., Zugic, K., Boles, K., Lund, J. I., & Mushquash, C. (2021). Examining Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) within Indigenous populations: A systematic review. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, doi:.10.1007/s40653-021-00393-7

8. Toombs, E., Mushquash, C. J., Lund, J. I., Pitura, V. A., Toneguzzi, K., Leon, S., Bobinski, T., Vitopoulos, N., Frederick, T., & Kidd, S. (2020). Adaption and implementation of the Housing Outreach Program-Collaborative (HOP-C) North for Indigenous Youth. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 91(1), 96-108. doi:10.1037/ort0000520

7. Lund, J. I., Savoy, C., Schmidt, L. A., Ferro, M. A., Saigal, S., & Van Lieshout, R. J. (2020). The influence of pre and postnatal adversity on depression and anxiety over two decades. Journal of Affective Disorders, 271, 178-184. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2020.03.138

6. Lund, J.I., Toombs, E., Radford, A., Boles, K., & Mushquash, C. (2020). Adverse childhood experiences and executive function difficulties in children: A systematic review. Child Abuse & Neglect, 106, 104485. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104485

5. Lund, J. I., Kleinplatz, P. J., Charest, M., & Huber, J. D. (2019). The relationship between the sexual self and the experience of pregnancy. The Journal of Perinatal Education, 28(1), 43-50. doi:10.1891/1058-1243.28.1.43

4. Lund, J. I., Schmidt, L. A., Saigal, S., & Van Lieshout, R. J. (2017). Personality characteristics of adult survivors of preterm birth and childhood sexual abuse. Personality and Individual Differences, 117, 101-105. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2017.05.028

3. Lund, J. I., Day, K. L., Schmidt, L. A., Saigol, S., & Van Lieshout, R. J. (2016). Adult social outcomes of extremely low birth weight survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, 1-7. doi:10.1017/s2040174416000532

2. Lund J. I., Day K. L., Schmidt L. A., Saigal S., & Van Lieshout, R. J. (2016). Adult mental health outcomes of child sexual abuse survivors born at extremely low birth weight. Child Abuse & Neglect, 59, 36-44. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2016.07.002

1. Charest, M., Kleinplatz, P. J., Lund, J. I. (2016). Sexual health information disparities between heterosexual and LGBTQ+ young adults: Implications for sexual health. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 25(2), 74-85. doi:10.3138/cjhs.252-a9

Lauren (she/her) is completing her PhD in the Clinical Psychology program at Lakehead University. Her research centers around substance use disorders and improving intervention effectiveness and cultural fit for First Nations people. Her dissertation work is supervised by Dr. Chris Mushquash. It focuses on identifying individual and group-level success factors to improve outcomes for First Nations adults in an inpatient substance use program. This dissertation project will result in the development and piloting of a psychological measure for the purpose of improving program decision-making and outcomes. Lauren's work has been supported by the St. Joseph's Care Group Award in Applied Health Research and the Ontario Graduate Scholarship. In her free time, Lauren enjoys snowboarding, rock climbing, mountain biking, and hiking.

Trent began the PhD Clinical Psychology program at Lakehead University in 2023. Being Mi'kmaq, his research aims to foster mental wellness among First Nations youth. His dissertation research which is supervised by Dr. Mushquash, aims to develop and test a culturally-adapted substance use prevention program for First Nations youth. In his free time, Trent enjoys playing guitar, camping, and going to the gym.